News: Cowboys finalize Poe’s terms, Connor Williams ahead of schedule

Plus, Dallas signs a new kicker, DeMarcus Lawrence may improve in 2020, Connor Williams is ahead of schedule, and Sean Lee on Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys have locked up the deal with their new defensive tackle and announced the signing of a new kicker. Talks with the starting quarterback are ongoing, but the veteran linebacker isn’t concerned. The special teams coordinator has a new approach, the young offensive lineman has a health update, and the superstar edge rusher may be in line for a bounceback season.

All that, plus scoop from the former cornerback, greetings from the new big man in the middle, and new fan gear honoring the retired center and his facial hair. Oh, and a bizarre threat issued to teams… from the league commissioner. That’s on deck in this edition of News and Notes.

Cowboys agree to terms with DT Dontari Poe :: The Mothership

Specific terms and financial figures took a while to be released, but the team has officially finalized their contract with defensive tackle Dontari Poe. All that’s left is his physical and for him to actually put pen to paper.

Sean Lee confident Cowboys will take care of Dak Prescott :: ProFootballTalk

The General says he and his Cowboys teammates have no reason to worry about whether Prescott will be there when offseason work starts. Lee tells SiriusXM NFL Radio that he believes owner Jerry Jones will “take care” of Prescott with a new contract.

Cowboys sign Pro Bowl kicker Greg Zuerlein :: Cowboys Wire

Kai Forbath will have some competition in camp this year, as the team has signed veteran kicker Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein to a three-year deal that will reunite him with Rams special teams coordinator John Fassel.

Cowboys positional review: How will John Fassel fix Dallas’s special teams unit? :: The Athletic

Take a deep dive into the so-called “third phase” of the game and check out what the coordinator of the best unit in the league plans to bring to Dallas. Like, for example, no playbooks.

Report: Cowboys have no plans to reduce Tyrone Crawford’s contract :: Blogging the Boys

Dollars-and-cents watchers have pointed out that Crawford currently locks up $8 million of salary cap money, but the club is apparently not looking at trimming that number. It may be the clearest indication yet that the team is counting on him to help anchor the right edge of the defensive line in 2020.

A key injury update from Connor Williams :: The Mothership

Offensive guard Connor Williams says he is ahead of schedule on his recovery from a torn ACL suffered on Thanksgiving Day. The second-round draft pick from 2018 credits recently-retired Travis Frederick with helping him transition from tackle to guard after going pro.

DeMarcus Lawrence biggest winner from Cowboys’ DT additions :: Inside the Star

While opposing quarterbacks should definitely be concerned about the Cowboys’ recent acquisitions of Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, what they may need to fear most is a direct cause-and-effect resurgence to DeMarcus Lawrence’s game.

Byron Jones: Dallas’s lack of interest had to do with CBs on roster, not money :: ProFootballTalk

The Cowboys let Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones leave because “they have a whole bunch of good corners on that team,” he says, refuting the theory held by some that the team simply couldn’t afford him due to other players’ megadeals.

Roger Goodell warns of ‘disciplinary action’ for public discussion of NFL Draft timing :: SI.com

The 2020 NFL Draft will go on as scheduled April 23-25, with the league saying that “there is no assurance that we can select a different date and be confident that conditions will be significantly more favorable than they are today.” The commissioner’s memo to teams also specifies that “public discussion of issues relating to the Draft serves no useful purpose and is grounds for disciplinary action.” Not a good look for the league here in the current climate.

Dallas football fans need this ‘Fredbeard Forever’ t-shirt :: The Landry Hat

A company called BreakingT is offering a limited-run ultra-soft t-shirt paying homage to new retiree Travis Frederick with some cool artwork showcasing Fredbeard’s glorious facial hair.

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