Category: News and Notes

The Cowboys’ defense made mammoth improvements a year ago, in large part due to the performances of linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs. That deadly duo has sky high expectations entering 2022, but both clearly understand they have a lot to learn if they wants to continue on the path they have started for themselves.

On the other side of the ball, the news in recent days has centered around the absence of tight end Dalton Schultz from voluntary OTAs. Schultz is hoping to use the little leverage he has to obtain a long-term deal, but it was a different tight end, rookie Jake Ferguson, that signed on the dotted line with Dallas this week.

Plus, a deeper look at the quarterback position, an under-the-radar wide receiver who could make the roster, and after the Broncos sold above their evaluation what is the true value of the Cowboys?

As our own K.D. Drummond summed it up in a Monday morning tweet, Dalton Schultz skipping voluntary OTAs is like bailing on the company retreat. It’ll make a few people notice he’s not there by putting some focus on his inferior coworkers, and that’s about it. But one outlet argues that it should be the beginning of a long and slow goodbye for the tight end, who’s not worth breaking the bank for. Hey, it wouldn’t be a Cowboys summer without a contract drama.

Meanwhile, we’re ranking the 11 defensive starters, looking at which Cowboys veterans are already on the bubble, and seeing where Dak Prescott lands on Chris Simms’s Top 40 quarterback rankings. Ezekiel Elliott is sporting the newest piece of safety gear, rookie linebacker Damone Clark continues his march toward seeing the field, and a five-way internal shuffle shakes up the team’s scouting department. Five former Cowboys make the College Football Hall of Fame class, and several ex-Cowboys are still lighting it up, albeit in an upstart league. All that, plus the team is well represented at a celebration for late running backs coach Gary Brown. That’s all ahead in News and Notes.

The Cowboys’ third set of OTA sessions is about to kick off, and injuries will likely start to creep into the picture as practices get more intense and recovery time starts to shrink. The injury bug has already affected a few players. In this edition of News and Notes, we hear how one of the team’s weapons is planning to come back from his 2021 injury, we get an update on when one rookie may return from a hamstring issue, we look at another rookie learning two positions just in case of an injury this season, we examine who needs to step up as a veteran pass-catcher continues his rehab, and we explore the team’s overall depth with an eye toward adding emergency depth (especially at quarterback and wide receiver, with a veteran trade target named for each spot).

Meanwhile, Micah Parsons is getting some heavy-duty summer tutoring from a Cowboys legend, Trevon Diggs will be staring down some steep competition this season, and Tony Romo pays tribute to his fallen teammate. All that, plus the Cowboys stars come out at a weekend concert inside the team’s home stadium, and a familiar face on the Dallas sidelines lives out a dream come true with the world-famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

While family, friends, and fans are still grappling with the tragic death of Cowboys running back Marion Barber, details are slowly emerging about his sudden passing this week. Included is a revelation that will prevent Barber’s remains from being used in ongoing CTE studies. One Cowboys assistant coach who knew him well shared a side of “Marion the Barbarian” that few got the chance to see and explained why the enigmatic runner’s legacy is still a vital part of the lessons taught in the Dallas running backs room.

Meanwhile, DeMarcus Ware sheds some light on just how close the Cowboys may have come to landing superstar Von Miller, just as the current Dallas defense draws comparisons to the historic Denver unit that featured both Ware and Miller. Two ex-Cowboys are settling in with new teams, and one of them is reportedly playing a new position to boot. We explain why Dallas’s huge post-June-1 cap space haul won’t have any effect on adding talent, and we’re still eyeing a veteran linebacker who would be a perfect fit. We’re recapping Thursday’s OTA session, we’re checking in on the rehab efforts of several Cowboys receivers, and we’re wondering if a familiar face to Cowboys fans will be manning the NBC desk on Sunday nights. That’s all up in this edition of News and Notes.

June 1 will likely add to the available talent pool in the NFL. Teams still trying to balance the books will be cutting or trading a few more players with the passing of that important contractual date. Dallas might just be the beneficiary regarding one veteran defender in particular.

Elsewhere, we’re examining who looks to be in for a fight just to keep their roster spot, we’re ranking the Cowboys’ offensive playmakers against 31 other teams’, and we’re making bold predictions about the Cowboys’ 2022 season. Also, does Dallas win because of Dak Prescott or just with him on the field? All that, plus Dalton Schultz gets a tip of the cap among tight ends, Simi Fehoko is a man on a mission, Leighton Vander Esch gets real-life cowboy lessons, and Troy Aikman makes his hometown a country music mecca for one day in June. That’s all ahead in this edition of News and Notes.

Expectations are sky-high for the Cowboys offense in 2022. One analyst is predicting huge things for CeeDee Lamb in his third season, including a possible run at the receiving triple crown. Dak Prescott loves the team’s potential, despite rampant suggestions that Dallas has regressed this offseason. We’re looking at the magic scoreboard number that would all but guarantee a postseason berth, and we’re talking through the likelihood that tight end Dalton Schultz gets a new contract extension before his franchise tag locks in.

Meanwhile, debating who the best three Cowboys players are, examining whether an extra year of college ball will help a sixth-rounder make the team, getting to know an undrafted free agent who may have to fight Father Time to get a roster spot, and packing on the pounds with the Cowboys’ colorful defensive tackle from Arkansas. All that, plus a former Dallas DB gets a boost up the coaching ladder and which Cowboys star could wind up on the cover of Madden 23? That’s all up in News and Notes.

Ever since the days of Aikman, Smith, and Irvin, the Cowboys have been looking for the next iteration of “The Triplets.” There have been some electrifying trios to wear the star since then, but no combo of starting quarterback, running back, and wide receiver has quite lived up to the lofty standard set by the dynasty crew. One outlet says the 2022 version is actually among the best in the league… but could likely be even better.

Elsewhere, we’re weighing whether CeeDee Lamb is truly an upgrade over Amari Cooper, we’re examining which Cowboys are playing with the biggest chips on their shoulders, and we’re taking a look at two of the team’s Day Three draft picks to see if there’s a hidden gem. Also, Dak Prescott discusses what society at large just might be able to learn from an NFL locker room in today’s divisive times, a first-round rookie reflects on the expectations that come with a simple jersey number, we’re looking at which games on the 2022 schedule could be traps for this Cowboys squad, and two faces of the franchise represent on separate continents during a full holiday weekend’s worth of auto racing. That’s all ahead in News and Notes.

Did the Cowboys miss the boat on reaching a long-term agreement with Dalton Schultz for less than $14 million a year? David Njoku’s new salary with the Cleveland Browns says they may have.

Schultz has steadily worked his way into one of Dak Prescott’s favorite targets by far outperforming Njoku, and is one of the top tight ends in the NFL over the last two years. He also has already began mentoring rookie and fellow fourth-round tight end Jake Ferguson.

Speaking of Cowboys rookies, none have more of an opportunity than offensive lineman Tyler Smith. Smith is now a couple weeks into his professional career, and he spoke to the media about the surreal reality where he is working with All-Pros but still doing laundry at his moms house, and his overall experience so far at the next level.

Plus, thoughts on the swing tackle spot, Noah Brown’s head start on the ongoing position battle at wide receiver, and whether the NFC East is the worst division in the NFL?