Category: Ezekiel Elliott

Ezekiel Elliott’s lawyer: Dog attack victim was trespassing

An attorney for the Cowboys star says the pool cleaner bitten in the March incident did not have permission to be on the property that day.

Friday’s report of a dog attack on the Frisco property of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott came with a statement from the player’s attorney: “Ezekiel was in no way negligent in connection with the alleged incident and intends to vigorously defend the lawsuit.”

Less than twenty-four hours later, that vigorous defense began in earnest. Attorney Frank Salzano tells TMZ Sports, who first reported the March attack of a woman hired to clean Elliott’s swimming pool, that the woman did not have permission to be on the property at the time.

“The plaintiff was unauthorized to be on the premises the day of the incident and either willfully disregarded and/or negligently ignored her employer’s policy which required Elliott to be notified in advance of any visits. We look forward to further establishing the plaintiff’s contributory negligence during the course of this matter.”

According to the woman’s claims, she was “ambushed” by Elliott’s three dogs in March. The attack sent her to the emergency room “in immense pain” and required surgery to repair bite damage to her forearm.

TMZ has posted photos of the woman’s injuries, along with a warning regrading the images’ graphic nature.

The woman, who has reportedly been unable to work since the attack, is suing the Cowboys star for an amount between $200,000 and $1 million. An attorney representing her claims that “the attack has scarred her for life — both physically and mentally.”

“Our client attempted to resolve this matter out of court,” the lawyer continued, “providing a description of what happened and pictures of her injuries, but Elliott didn’t bother to respond.”

Elliott did respond, however, via Twitter to someone who appeared to make light of the situation. A user with the screen name “Haleigh” posted on Friday, “Devin used to clean Ezekiel Elliott’s pool (a Dallas Cowboys football player) & someone just told me his new pool tech was mauled by his 3 dogs and is now suing for $200,000 and my first thought was ‘wish it would have happened to Devin’ lmaoo”. The tweet ended with two moneybag emojis.

Elliott responded later in the day with three tweets of his own. The original post by Haleigh has since been deleted.

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News: Jadeveon Clowney targeting Cowboys, Blake Jarwin a sleeper?

Jadeveon Clowney has his eye on Dallas. Ezekiel Elliott being sued. Blake Jarwin’s value is rising. Dak Prescott’s contract value high.

The topic of conversation over the last few days for the Dallas Cowboys has been All-Pro safety Jamal Adams and who media members and fans would give up in a trade to acquire him. That all shifted today when reports of top free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was said to have had his eye on just a few teams to finally sign with, one of them being the Cowboys.

Adding a top-tier edge rusher would definitely benefit this year’s team, but once again, money seems to always be the overriding issue. Could Dallas afford him? The Cowboys will be making more moves as the summer grows long. One thing to keep an eye on, however, is the long-term extension of the recently franchise tagged Dak Prescott, who has been mentioned as one of the more valuable contracts waiting to get done. The team’s star running back is also back in the news for all the wrong reasons, but it likely won’t be labeled as detrimental as issues of the past. And Blake Jarwin finds himself in fantasy football talks? All this and much more in today’s Cowboys news.

Report: Dallas Cowboys are one of two teams on top of free agent DE Jadeveon Clowney’s preferred list :: Blogging the Boys

PFN’s Tony Pauline reports that the former Texans and Seahawks pass rusher has mentioned Dallas and New Orleans at the top of his wish list when forecasting his 2020 roster spot. RJ Ochoa digs into whether the Cowboys can afford him… and perhaps more important, whether they even need him.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott faces lawsuit over dog attack :: Cowboys Wire

The star Cowboys running back is in the news today, and it has nothing to do with COVID-19. Ezekiel Elliott is being sued after his dogs allegedly attacked a worker at Elliott’s home.

Mahomes, Prescott among those who most deserve new contracts :: NFL.com

Echoing what most Cowboys fans have been screaming for, the network’s analytics expert Cynthia Frelund uses “win-share model results and forward-looking projections to estimate future win impact” and says Dak Prescott, who she calls “crucial to the Cowboys’ success,” is the third-most urgent deal waiting to get done leaguewide.

Film room: 3 free agents who could still improve the Cowboys’ roster, including this immovable object at nose tackle :: Dallas Morning News

John Owning goes shopping to stock the shelves in Dallas. He comes away with wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, who he calls “basically a more productive version of Tavon Austin,” edge rusher Cam Wake to perhaps platoon with Aldon Smith and Bradlee Anae opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, and Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison, the aforementioned immovable object “who can absorb double-teams to keep his linebackers clean, defeat single blocks and make plays around or behind the line of scrimmage.”

Building the best NFL team money can buy under the 2020 salary cap :: NFL.com

In this interesting hypothetical bang-for-the-buck exercise, media researcher Anthony Holzman-Escareno crunches both stats and salaries. La’el Collins makes his squad’s starting lineup at right tackle, while Joe Looney, Gerald McCoy, Anthony Brown, and Xavier Woods are all on the 53-man roster as backups.

Is Blake Jarwin a deep sleeper to target on the loaded Dallas Cowboys offense? :: Yahoo Sports

With the NFL season set to start in just a few months, it’s also time to dive deep into fantasy football. Blake Jarwin could be a late-round player to benefit greatly from a stacked 2020 Dallas Cowboys offense.

High expectations, unyielding family demands couldn’t stop Cowboys Tyron Smith from greatness :: Cowboys Wire

One of the best offensive tackles in football is showcased this ongoing countdown to the start of the season. Take a look back at Smith’s early years, his rise to the top rankings at his position, his setbacks, and his outlook as the man responsible for protecting Dak Prescott’s blind side.

Rank ‘Em: The Cowboys’ 8 all-time franchise tags :: The Mothership

The franchise tag has been a pivotal tool for the Cowboys over the years. The team website ranks the top 8 franchise tags of all time. You’ll find the obvious and most recent ones towards the front of the list: Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Dez Bryant. But a few forgotten names mentioned go to show how this tag has evolved over time (and how much better the Cowboys are now as a team).

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins on coronavirus risk: Football ‘nonessential’ :: ESPN

The 12-year veteran and NFLPA executive committee member told CNN this week that the risk surrounding COVID-19 “has to really be eliminated” before he would be comfortable returning to play. There are no doubt plenty of other players who feel the same, even as the league tells teams to open their 2020 training camps on time.

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Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott faces lawsuit over dog attack

A woman claims she was ‘ambushed’ while cleaning Elliott’s swimming pool in March and is seeking between $200,000 and $1 million in damages.

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been sued by a woman hired to clean the Pro Bowler’s swimming pool. The woman says she was “ambushed” by Elliott’s three dogs in March, and underwent surgery as a result.

“The woman claims the Rottweiler bit her arm and dragged her,” as reported Friday by TMZ Sports, “before the two bulldogs began attacking her legs. The woman says the dogs bit her multiple times… and after she was able to free herself from the animals, she went straight to the emergency room ‘in immense pain.'”

In addition to requiring surgery to repair bite damage to her forearm, the woman claims to suffer from constant “mental and physical pain” stemming from the attack.

She is suing Elliott for an amount between $200,000 and $1 million.

As per TMZ, the Frisco Police Department stated through a spokesperson that animal services personnel did, in fact, respond to an incident at the star running back’s home on the date in question, but no criminal charges were filed at the time.

Frank Salzano, Elliott’s attorney, reportedly told TMZ that Elliott did nothing wrong. According to the attorney, “Ezekiel was in no way negligent in connection with the alleged incident and intends to vigorously defend the lawsuit.”

The March attack was apparently not the first run-in Elliott’s pool cleaners have had with his dogs. The woman in the lawsuit claims that another employee of the pool cleaning company was bitten by one of the dogs back in December.

The incident may sound familiar to Cowboys fans. Quarterback Dak Prescott reached an agreement with the city of Frisco to relocate a pet pit bull in March of last year after it escaped his home and bit a woman, causing her to lose a portion of a finger.

Elliott’s love for his dogs is well-known; he maintains an Instagram page for Ace, Deuce, and Jack Jack. Ace, the Rottweiler, is featured on a tattoo on the running back’s arm. And just this week, Elliott’s dogs made a cameo appearance in a Twitch video the Cowboys star did with Scooter Magruder.

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News: HaHa escapes bear, stadiums to tarp off lower seating, a threat to Emmitt?

Also in Cowboys news, Terrell Owens speaks out on Jerry Jones, evaluating the rookie class, and what moving ahead with a 2020 season says.

The league is moving full steam ahead toward a 2020 season, but there’s very little that anyone knows for certain right now. There’s talk of reporting dates, tarping off lower rows of seating, and letting teams set their own attendance caps. But there’s also the nagging question of whether there should be a season at all. All this while some players, including Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, are still recovering after testing positive for COVID-19.

Elliott spent some time talking about Jamal Adams, and new safety HaHa Clinton-Dix spent some time running from a bear. Literally. All that, plus vacated targets translating to big opportunities for CeeDee Lamb and Blake Jarwin, rookies outperforming their draft slots, getting to know Jon’Vea Johnson, reading the close-game data tea leaves, T.O. talking J.J., and could Emmitt Smith really have competition as the all-time rushing king? That’s on tap in this edition of News and Notes.

Report: NFL players ‘will arrive on time’ on July 28; Cowboys, too? :: Cowboys Wire

It looks as if July 28 will be the “on-time” start for players to report to team facilities for camp. That would likely mean no early work for rookies or teams- like Dallas- with first-year head coaches.

Ezekiel Elliott: ‘I would love to have Jamal Adams on the Dallas Cowboys’ :: Cowboys Wire

While gaming it up at home, the running back shared an encouraging update on his health after testing positive for coronavirus and gave his thoughts on a possible trade that would make the Jets safety a teammate in Dallas.

NFL to tarp off lower rows of seats, allow teams to sell signage to local sponsors :: Sports Business Daily

In the latest wrinkle of what a COVID-19 NFL season might look like, teams have been told that the first six to eight rows of seats- as well as on-field suites- will be tarped over on gameday as a safety precaution. Those tarps will also feature ads visible only to television audiences.

Close-game data reveals the Dallas Cowboys might be poised for something big in 2020 :: Blogging The Boys

A look at the Cowboys point differential in wins and losses last season and how it could mean big things in 2020.

Cowboys have second-most vacated targets from 2019 season, leaving opportunities for CeeDee Lamb and Blake Jarwin :: Blogging The Boys

With only the Atlanta Falcons ahead of them in vacated targets last season, opportunities for success could be in abundance for rookie CeeDee Lamb and Blake Jarwin.

Film room: 3 Cowboys rookies who will outperform their draft slot, including the potential steal of the entire 2020 class :: Dallas Morning News

Jon Owning breaks down how rookies CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Biadasz, and Bradlee Anae could exceed expectations this season.

Terrell Owens: Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Silent amid Unrest Because of Donald Trump :: Bleacher Report

Former Cowboys receiver and Hall of Famer Terrell Owens believes Cowboys boss Jerry Jones’s silence on social injustice speaks volumes. He also thinks the owner’s relationship with Donald Trump plays a factor.

What’s Going on With DT Antwaun Woods? :: Inside The Star

There were rumors that Antwaun Woods was intending to sign his tender last month. He still hasn’t done so, and he hasn’t received a contract extension.

Speed kills, but it pumps life into Jon’Vea Johnson’s roster chances :: Cowboys Wire

Jon’Vea Johnson has an uphill battle to make the Cowboys roster, but his unique speed gives him a lifeline.

Adrian Peterson hopes to play ‘four more years’ in NFL :: NFL.com

The 35-year-old running back hopes to play at least four more seasons, possibly because doing so might give him a crack at Emmitt Smith’s all-time rushing total. Right now, the seven-time Pro Bowler is in fifth place and sits 4,139 yards behind Smith.

Playing football in 2020 would mean prioritizing financial interests over health and safety :: SI.com

Fans owe it to themselves to momentarily put aside their personal desires for a fall full of gamedays and read this in-depth look at what forging ahead with a 2020 season during a global pandemic really means.

NFL to allow teams to set varying fan capacity levels when season commences :: The Athletic

It’s looking like teams will get to set their own attendance caps. Some teams may play before a full house; others may see their stands at half-capacity, some may host games in an empty stadium. And that prospect raises all kinds of other questions.

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Cowboys News: Zeke’s COVID fallout, Lamb and Cooper run routes, Larry Allen made guys sit out

Also in Cowboys news, a surprising game-by-game prediction for 2020, hypothetical trade targets, and a look at second-chance players.

Slow news day? Never in Cowboys Nation. The revelation of Ezekiel Elliott’s COVID-19 diagnosis is still front and center, possibly casting the league’s best-laid plans for a full 2020 season in jeopardy.

Elsewhere, more buzz from this week’s naming of the “all-decade team,” more eager anticipation of CeeDee Lamb’s Dallas debut, and more trade talk (albeit purely hypothetical) regarding Jamal Adams. Plus, we’re looking at the regular season schedule game-by-game, the Cowboys roster in terms of positional battles, and how Amari Cooper does what he does… with breakdown from the birthday boy himself. All that and more- including a history lesson about a forgotten football pioneer, and a story about how one Cowboys Hall of Famer caused a rash of phantom illnesses for his opponents- make up the Wednesday edition of News and Notes.

Cowboys news: Ezekiel Elliott’s diagnosis re-focuses the issues for the 2020 season :: Blogging the Boys

With Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott testing positive for COVID-19, the NFL is being forced to reevaluate all plans heading into 2020.

NFL all-decade: Best player on each NFC East team, every position :: ESPN

While several Cowboys were named to The WorldWide Leader’s “all-decade” squad, only one can earn the title of Best Cowboys Player of 2010-2019. Tyron Smith helped Dallas “change their draft thought process with his success,” and “an argument can be made that he is on his way” to a bronze bust in Canton.

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will lead opponents to slaughter :: Cowboys Wire

Our player profiles continue with an in-depth look at the team’s first-round draft pick, the explosive wideout who will almost certainly “be the foundation of the Cowboys offense in a short period of time.”

Dallas Cowboys: 6 matchups to look forward to in 2020 :: The Landry Hat

The Cowboys will have plenty of interesting one-on-one battles on their roster this season. Lucas Mascherin of The Landry Hat breaks down six of the best.

Film room: Exploring 3 ‘fantasy’ player-for-player trades for the Cowboys, including a deal involving Jamal Adams :: Dallas Morning News

John Owning gets hypothetical (with help from the Twitterverse) and looks at a trio of possible one-for-one swaps. How would you feel about Trysten Hill for Raiders tight end Foster Moreau? Jourdan Lewis for Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson? How about La’el Collins for Jets safety Jamal Adams? Owning would bite on just two of them…

Mailbag: Are people forgetting about Zuerlein? :: The Mothership

Don’t be shocked if the veteran kicker (who’s reuniting with his longtime special teams coordinator) ends being the top free-agency upgrade of 2020. “Zuerlein’s numbers dipped last year,” notes staff writer David Helman, “but he was ridiculously reliable for seven years before that. And he was playing through injuries for most of 2019 – a fact of which I’m sure John Fassel is very aware.”

105.3 Fan ‘Nosebleed Seats’ show: Jerry’s silence, Crayton pulling up :: Cowboys Wire

Our own K.D. Drummond covers all the bases in this radio chat, ranging from the recent Romo-versus-Eli debate to COVID-19 and how it may (or may not) have reset expectations for Mike McCarthy’s first year on the Dallas sidelines.

Cowboys Assistant George Edwards To Participate in NFL Coaching Summit :: Inside The Star

Senior defensive assistant coach George Edwards will participate in a virtual quarterback coaching summit hosted by the NFL and the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

Glazer’s NFL offseason mailbag: Will Josh Allen lead the Bills to the playoffs? :: The Athletic

Scroll past the Buffalo forecast, and there are three Cowboys items of interest from the NFL insider. One, Glazer says the Dallas front office will “absolutely not” let things with quarterback Dak Prescott reach the holdout stage. Two, he thinks the Cowboys will be “a strong contender” this year. And three, he shares a few cool stories about Larry Allen, including how opposing defensive tackles routinely came down with a mysterious illness the very week they were set to square off against the massive Cowboys guard.

Adam Rank’s 2020 record prediction for Cowboys :: NFL.com

Going one game at a time, the network writer sees Dallas starting slow at 1-2, but finishing very strong (including a late-December shocker) to wrap up the NFC East title and claim the conference’s No. 2 postseason seed with a 12-4 record.

Has giving out so many second chances been worth it for the Dallas Cowboys? :: The Athletic

Jon Machota looks at Jerry Jones’s proclivity for taking on risky reclamation projects, from Alonzo Spellman and Adam “Pacman” Jones to Terrell Owens and Charles Haley. Some have worked out; others have not. It remains to be seen which category Aldon Smith will fall into.

How to run the perfect routes with Cowboys WR Amari Cooper :: Touchdown Wire

In an NFL Game Pass Film Session, Kurt Warner and Brian Baldinger sit down with the four-time Pro Bowler for a clinical breakdown of how the wideout technician handles his business- both physically and mentally- on gameday.

NFL pioneer Fritz Pollard’s life story more relevant than ever :: NFL.com

There’s no direct Cowboys connection per se, but the story of one of the NFL’s first Black players- and its first Black coach- is a fascinating and important chapter that fans of every team should know about. Check out this preview of the NFL:360 deep-dive into the groundbreaking life and career of Fritz Pollard.

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Romo skipped on ESPN’s NFCE All-Decade team littered with Cowboys

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning takes the top spot from Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys as the NFC East’s all-decade quarterback.

The 2010 portion of the Dallas Cowboys lauded history can be summed up in one word: underwhelming. A roster usually filled with talent constantly underperformed, a description that has become the hallmark of the bygone Jason Garrett era. The club was only able to reach the divisional round three times in 10 years, once by virtue of a wild-card bye, but was never able to reach a championship game.

The NFC East beat writers at ESPN voted on an all-decade divisional team. and it is littered with Cowboys. Of the 25 available spots, 10 of them hail from Dallas. The one player missing is former quarterback Tony Romo, who misses out on the top spot to Eli Manning of the New York Giants.

The difference is in the ring.

Manning captured a Lombardi trophy in 2011 while Romo and the Cowboys made the playoffs in just one season before injuries took over and Dak Prescott ascended. But outside of the improbable 2011 playoff run for the Giants and Manning, there’s no question who played the position at a higher level.

In terms of efficiency, Romo outshines Manning in every respect, boasting superior numbers across the board, image and numbers courtesy of Pro Football Reference.

But while Romo was undoubtedly better when he was available, the problem is he just wasn’t for the last half of the decade. Manning’s pure volume numbers lay waste to Romo, one of the most snake-bitten players of his time. With the Super Bowl acting as a cherry on top, it’s tough to argue against the Manning taking that spot.

The Dallas Cowboys who did make the list:

  • Running back Ezekiel Elliott
  • Wide receiver Dez Bryant
  • Offensive tackle Tyron Smith
  • Center Travis Frederick
  • Guard Zack Martin
  • Tight end Jason Witten
  • Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence
  • Linebacker Sean Lee
  • Linebacker DeMarcus Ware
  • Kicker Dan Bailey

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News: Elliott feeling well but not happy, Cowboys WR best trio in NFL?

News and notes for all things Dallas Cowboys on June 15, 2020.

It was the usual kind of sleepy Monday the NFL fan endures every June, right up until news came down Dallas Cowboys players had been diagnosed with Covid-19. The one whose name was publicly leaked? Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who can’t escape an offseason unscathed.

Elsewhere, there’s just a month left to get a deal done with quarterback Dak Prescott, the debate of who has the best receiving corps in the game has just begun as the countdown to kickoff continues.

Report: Ezekiel Elliott, ‘several Cowboys players’ test positive for COVID-19 :: Cowboys Wire

It was only a matter of time before this happened. Not Elliott specifically, but a big-name NFL player to come down with the coronavirus that is impacting lives globally. It’s not the first, nor it will be the last instance of a player testing positive around the league. It is however, a firm reminder of the unprecedented situation facing the NFL and its employees.

Elliott, fortunately, was asymptomatic and only thought to be tested because someone he knew had tested positive.

Ezekiel Elliott not pleased agent had to confirm coronavirus test results :: Cowboys Wire

Reporters were hounding Elliott’s agent, after what can only be considered a HIPAA violation from someone who knew Elliott’s results.

Best young WR trio in the NFL? :: NFL.com

The Princeton sign behind Kyle Brandt indicates he’s the smartest of the group.

Despite his versatility, the Cowboys spending $8 million for Tyrone Crawford is just not good business :: Blogging the Boys

Is Tyrone Crawford too expensive to keep on the roster? This article believes so, but unless the defensive end position, which is currently filled with plenty of unknown after DeMarcus Lawrence, is upgraded with the possible cap savings, the answer’s no.

Dak Prescott’s deal isn’t done, here’s the latest with 1 month before deadline :: Cowboys Wire

If deadlines indeed get deals done, the egg timer is more glass half empty than it is full as one month remains until contract talks cease. There’s a belief that there’s no way the Cowboys let Prescott play on a franchise tag, but actions speak louder than words.

A Blake Jarwin breakout could fuel Cowboys offense into stratosphere :: Cowboys Wire

The tight end spot has been in limbo for exactly one season since 2003 and the hope is that Blake Jarwin, who’s played well in a limited role, can add an element the position’s been lacking.

The Athletic’s 2020 NFL broadcast survey results: Tony Romo is worth the money :: The Athletic

Tony Romo continues to get all the love in the booth that he fought so hard to earn on the field. In a poll from The Athletic, nearly three-quarters of those surveyed chose Romo as their favorite color analyst.

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Ezekiel Elliott not pleased agent had to confirm coronavirus test results

The Dallas Cowboys running back was outed as being asymptomatic, but he’s not happy the news is public to begin with.

On Monday, Ian Rapoport dropped a bombshell that many anticipated would come, just not exactly sure when or who would be involved. In a series of tweets the NFL Network reporter  proclaimed that there were several members of both Texas teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans, who had tested positive for the coronavirus Covid-19.

The follow-up tweet went from the macro to the specific, naming Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott as one of the affected. News then spread that Elliott’s agent Rocky Arceneaux – who helped Elliott record what was at the time the richest contract for a running back in NFL history –  had confirmed the positive test result. Fortunately, in the part that matters most, Elliott is fine and healthy and not feeling any of the devastating impact many others around the world have experienced. He is, however, upset that his status has gone public.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal health information and applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and those health care providers that conduct certain health care transactions electronically. In essence, it makes it illegal for any health-care employee to make a patients’ situation publicly known.

Many scoffed at Elliott’s claim, because so many reporters added that Elliott’s agent – who is not confined by rules – confirmed the report.

But Elliott shot down that theory in a hurry. Someone from either the medical community or someone Elliott had confided in provided Rapoport and Tom Pelissero the initial information.

Whether or not Arceneaux’s confirmation would still negate any claim, or if Elliott were interested in pursuing some level of recourse remains to be seen.

The most famous case of HIPAA violation occurred just a few years ago, when ESPN reporter Adam Schefter released medical records from then-Giants star Jason Pierre-Paul’s severe hand injury from a fireworks accident. Schefter revealed that Pierre-Paul had to have fingers amputated and ESPN ended up settling a lawsuit with the defensive end for their role in making his records public.

Texas is currently undergoing a massive surge in positive cases and deaths, likely linked to Governor Abbott’s Phase 2 reopening of business and activity throughout the state on May 18, with bars and restaurants going to 50% capacity on May 22. The spike in positive cases follows the same timeline scientists have spoken of since the virus was initially studied during early months of the year. Most symptoms appear within 7-14 days of exposure.

The spikes began on May 25, long before anyone stepped into the streets to protest police violence in response to George Floyd’s murder; a rampant theory spread as the root cause to why states are seeing a surge in new cases, often by those who opposed the gatherings.

Floyd was killed on May 25, the protests didn’t begin in earnest in Texas until June 1, when the spike was already ramping up. By the time the 7-14 day window occurred for protesters, most who were in open-air space (a major deterrent) and wearing masks, hopefully mitigating some of the risk from their proximity to each other, Texas was still in a way-earlier than expected second wave of the outbreak.

This isn’t to say Texas’ reopening is how Elliott contracted the disease, but as time passes and people seem to literally throw caution to the wind with more regularity, there may be some chance a person with the stature of Elliott may sway some to return to times of wearing masks to make sure they don’t unknowingly spread the dangerous virus.

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Futurama: Why Cowboys are regarded as having dynasty-capable talent

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report ranked the seven best teams set up for the future entering 2020. The Cowboys ranked 4th.

There’s no doubt plenty of reasons to be excited to be a Cowboys fan entering the 2020 season. During the offseason, they revamped the coaching staff after parting ways with Jason Garrett, added key veterans during free agency, and had an excellent draft in April.

Just recently, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report ranked the seven best teams set up for the future heading into the new season, and the Cowboys came in at No. 4. Dallas ranked second in the NFC behind the San Francisco 49ers. The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens held down the top two spots respectively.

It isn’t hard to see why the Cowboys landed on this list when examining their moves over the last several months.It started with the signing of former All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy who spent 2019 with the Carolina Panthers, and will now take over duties at the 3-tech as an upgrade over the departed Maliek Collins. His teammate from a year ago, Dontari Poe, would join shortly after to play alongside him at the 1-tech. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, a savvy veteran safety who played his best ball under new Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, was added as an upgrade to Jeff Heath who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

They also added former All-Pro defensive end Aldon Smith, who was just recently conditionally reinstated after a five-year hiatus.

In the draft, the Cowboys saw a massive infusion of promising young talent. It all started with the selection of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at 17, who along with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, give the Cowboys one of the most dangerous receiving cores in the league.

In the second round, Trevon Diggs was taken at No. 51, a long and physical corner with excellent ball skills who could be CB1 in 2020.

In the third round, they added defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, a 300-pound wrecking ball that will add depth to the Cowboys interior pass rush playing both the 1-tech and 3-tech.

The fourth round saw the Cowboys double up on young soldiers.

First, they took another ball-hawking corner in Reggie Robinson, who will be in the mix with for playing time early. Also, they took center Tyler Biadasz out of Wisconsin who can compete with Joe Looney and Connor McGovern to take over starting duties with the retirement of Travis Fredrick.

In the fifth round, the Cowboys may have gotten their best value for any draft pick by selecting edge rusher Bradlee Anae, and two-time first-team All-Pac-12 performer out of Utah. A technician with a history of violent tackles, Anae will be heavy in the mix for playing time opposite DeMarcus Lawrence.

Finally, in the seventh round, the Cowboys added more competition to the backup quarterback role by taking Ben DiNucci out of James Madison. As people start to take in DiNucci’s film, more and more are becoming intrigued at his ceiling.

Of course, all of this new talent is being added to a roster that was already loaded.

Quarterback Dak Prescott is coming off a career season with 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns. Ezekiel Elliott finished fourth in rushing, second in all-purpose yards, and tied for first in 100-yard games for all running backs last season. Amari Cooper set career highs in yards (1,189), touchdowns (8), and yards per catch (15.1) a year ago. Zack Martin and Tyron Smith each made the Pro Bowl and La’el Collins was snubbed, grading out as one of the best right tackles in the league in 2019.

That takes care of the offense, but defensively, the Cowboys aren’t too shabby either. DeMarcus Lawrence, despite his sack numbers taking a dip, was one of the better edge rushers in the league last season. Linebacker Jaylon Smith took a step back last year but did manage to finish tied for sixth in the league with 142 tackles. Alongside him will be Leighton Vander Esch, who’s fully recovered from neck surgery, and Sean Lee, who filled in nicely for Vander Esch and registered also 90 tackles last season.

The secondary is the weakness of the roster, as there hasn’t been anyone who has already proven greatness. Xavier Woods will move to strong safety with the addition of Clinton-Dix. The rest, Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown, will all battle it out for snaps and a future with the club.

Back to the defensive line, Randy Gregory will more than likely be reinstated with the new CBA no longer punishing players for positive marijuana tests.

The Cowboys are young and talented and could very well be good for the foreseeable future.

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Cowboys News: Elliott helped force Goodell’s hand; Gallup, Cooper excellence shines through

The Dallas Cowboys news for June 5, 2020 including Michael Gallup, Tyrone Crawford, The Black Live Matters movement and more

The Dallas Cowboys continue their quest for a sixth Lombardi trophy this season. Today, take a look in on wide receiver Michael Gallup along with hype surrounding the new look defense being lead by defensive coordinator Jim Tomsula. Amari Cooper, he’s really good at what he does.

There is a lot going in the world bigger than football though, bigger than the Cowboys and bigger than sports as a whole.  If a global pandemic wasn’t enough to throw a wrench in the world of sports’ plans for 2020, more police brutality has resulted in the death of yet another Black man in America. Since this tragic event, peaceful protests on social injustice have been prominent across the country and coming with that, unfortunately, are violent riots and looting.

Ezekiel Elliott joins fellow stars in the NFL in a very powerful video shared to the world, forcing the reluctant NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to echo words of support for Black Lives Matter.

Two years ago, the Cowboys started to have a conversation about the social injustice that happens every day in America. On Friday, 11 days after Floyd’s murder, the players broke the organization’s silence.

Cowboys’ Elliott among Black NFL stars in iconic video calling out league on police-brutality response :: The CowboysWire

Some of the biggest names in the NFL speak out in a powerful video sent out to the world. It was an iconic statement of high impact, demanding the league account for their role in silencing peaceful protest against brutality for the years leading up to the events of the past two weeks.

 

The video, which it turns out was made by NFL media employees without the initial consent of the league.

 

Inside NFL players’ Black Lives Matter video, and how it forced Goodell’s hand :: The Athletic

Jourdan Rodrigue went behind the scenes with the NFL employee responsible for setting up the video, and how day after day of the league’s inaction after a shallow public statement dismayed and infuriated many of the league’s employees. It led Byrndon Mintor to want to do more, reaching out to the Saints’ Michael Thomas who went on a recruiting rampage to organize players. His first call, former Ohio State teammate Ezekiel Elliott.

The end result, Roger Goodell was forced make a public statement of support for Black Lives Matter. Chess.

Michael Gallup has done almost everything right. He needs to do one more thing. :: The Athletic

He was a top-50 talent who fell to 81st in the 2018 draft. And despite an 1,100-yard sophomore season as a Cowboy, Michael Gallup still seems to be flying under the radar. That’s due in part to the household names he shares the WR room with in Dallas… but it’s also because the Colorado State product needs to clean up an issue with frequent drops.

Cowboys film notebook: Breaking down Amari Cooper’s sluggo mastery :: Dallas Morning News

The incomparable John Owning is back at it again, showing the nuance of football skill in fine detail. Here he looks at Cooper’s famous sluggo route, which he identified to Cowboys Wire last season was his absolute favorite to run.

Four impressive stats that will have Cowboys fans excited about the addition of Jim Tomsula :: Blogging the Boys

Mike McCarthy gets the spotlight, but his coaching hires may end up being the star, particularly along the defensive line. When you look at team sack rankings, making good playing great, turning collective talent into team success, and shutting down opponents’ run attacks, Jim Tomsula stands to bring the D back to Dallas in a big way.

Nine NFL bandwagons to hop aboard in 2020: Bills, Bucs top list :: NFL.com

It’s hard to think America’s Team needs to put out the call for new fans, but Adam Schein says now may be a good time to get on the ‘Boys’ bus. He calls Mike McCarthy’s hiring “one of the most significant moves of this offseason” and thinks “Dallas’ loaded offense is going to sizzle.”

Cowboys’ Tyrone Crawford hasn’t been run out of town, so he might as well ball :: The CowboysWire

The veteran defensive lineman will be returning to play for a new defensive coordinator in 2020. Here’s an inside look on why he will make the most of it.

2020 backup QB rankings: Where does Cowboys’ Andy Dalton land? :: Inside the Star

Cooper Rush and Mike White didn’t exactly instill truckloads of confidence in fans’ minds over recent seasons. But, oh, how quickly things can change. The Cowboys suddenly find themselves with- according to this list- the best backup quarterback in the league with the signing of the three-time Pro Bowler.

Summer scouting: 2021 offensive line :: Blue Chip Scouting

It’s never too early to start building the big board, and offensive line is always a place to add as much depth as possible. Get a leg up on learning the names of hot collegiate prospects like Penei Sewell, Samuel Cosmi, Trey Smith, and Jackson Carman.

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