Tag: Demarcus Ware

News: Return of NFL football front and center, Aikman a Cowboys GM?

A jam packed Cowboys news day. Mike McCarthy installing the new plan. The Cowboys odds of winning it all are favorable. New rules shot down.

Defensive end Aldon Smith is now conditionally reinstated, and he’s bigger and stronger than he was during his days in San Francisco. Randy Gregory has already filed for reinstatement himself, but it’s still up in the air if and when he’ll be back.

Dak Prescott had a career year in 2019, and he’s continuing to get assistance from the man who helped him as much as anyone, former Cowboys quarterback coach Jon Kitna. Even with the Cowboys saying there weren’t any current plans to acquire Jamal Adams, one oddsmaker has them with the highest odds to land the star safety outside of the New York Jets. Mike McCarthy’s odds on winning Coach of the Year, five veterans that are under the most pressure heading into 2020, and how Zack Martin’s dominance can’t be taken lightly.

NFL scraps sky judge plans, tweaking onside kick alternatives :: Cowboys Wire

The new onside kick alternative was tweaked a little just before the virtual league meeting on Thursday. Both “sky judge” proposals are being withdrawn.

NFL Memo on Re-opening Team Facilities

Texas governor green lights fans for Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, other venues :: The CowboysWire

A big step in the right direction to have fans attend games for the 2020 NFL season.

Troy Aikman: Working in the Cowboys’ front office has ‘always been a long shot’ :: Dallas Morning News

Hall of Famer Troy Aikman explains why even though he has the time to do it, working in the Cowboys front office is highly unlikely.

ESPN’s predictions give the Dallas Cowboys the fifth-highest chances of winning the Super Bowl :: Blogging The Boys

Even after an 8-8 season, the Dallas Cowboys have the fifth-best odds of winning the Super Bowl in 2020 according to ESPN.

Mailbag: How Many Corners Could Play Safety? :: The Mothership

Currently the Dallas Cowboys are rolling with Xavier Woods and Ha Ha Clinton Dix as the premier safeties on the depth chart. The mothership adds a few more names that can possibly step up and play the position as well.

NFL.com names Dallas Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch to All-Under 25 Team :: Blogging The Boys

Despite an injury ridden season in 2019, Vander Esch finds himself on this list. The Cowboys are one of the younger teams in the NFL but not as young as some of their star players once were.

Ranking Every NFL Team’s QB Situation Heading into 2020 Season :: Bleacher Report

Out of the 32 NFL teams, the Cowboys find themselves No. 6 on this list. The team of Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton fall behind the Texans, Saints, Seahawks, Ravens, and Chiefs.

Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott Working with Former Quarterbacks Coach :: Inside The Star

Former Cowboys quarterback coach Jon Kitna helped Dak Prescott improve on his mechanics and poise in the pocket. Even after leaving the organization, he’s still working with Prescott to reach his full potential.

Former Cowboys Great Speaks on New Look Cowboys Defense :: Inside The Star

Former Cowboys edge rusher Demarcus Ware thinks the Cowboys can flourish in a new look defense under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan.

One oddsmaker has the Dallas Cowboys with the highest non-Jets odds to land Jamal Adams :: Blogging The Boys

Although there have been reports saying the Cowboys don’t have any plans on pursuing safety Jamal Adams, one oddsmaker has them with the highest odds to land him outside of the New York Jets.

Veteran LB Sean Lee Looking For That Elusive Championship In His Final Years :: Inside The Star

Much like Cowboys legendary tight end Jason Witten last season, the decision for linebacker Sean Lee to come back in 2020 had a lot to do with his visions for a team that is built to win right now.

Cowboys News: Aldon Smith ‘Bigger and Stronger’ Than He Was with 49ers :: Bleacher Report

Now fully reinstated, defensive end Aldon Smith is in better shape than he was during his days in San Francisco.

Ranking NFL 2020 ‘Triplets,’ Part II: Here’s a look at the top tiers, from 1-18 :: CBS Sports

The trios of Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper ranked third just behind the Saints (Brees, Kamara, Thomas), and the world champion Chiefs (Mahomes, Edwards-Helaire, Hill).

In unprecedented offseason, Cowboys have an attribute Mike McCarthy hasn’t been able to lean on before :: Dallas Morning News

Mike McCarthy is focused on communication and installing the playbook, instead of coaching philosophy, given the restrictions of not being able to meet in person.

“We still have to do things in a progression,’’ McCarthy said. “I feel like we’ve done that. We’ve taken this period of time to really just delve into the scheme responsibility that we’re involved in. You only have so much time.

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Cowboys News: So Dak Prescott didn’t ask for a 5th-year salary of $45M

Dallas Cowboys News May 21 2020. Dak Prescott contract negotiations, Randy Gregory seeks reinstatement after Aldon Smith.

This week has been a positive one for the Dallas Cowboys and their fans as they saw one of their bigger off-season gambles start the trend in the right direction. Aldon Smith was reinstated by the NFL and joins a much different looking defensive line for the 2020 season.

That joy was quickly taken away today as reports of a rejected contract offer by franchise quarterback Dak Prescott emerged. An abundance of news sites ran with this rumor and caused mass hysteria amongst the internet. Since then, a few well known trusted NFL analysts have broken up these rumors and have confirmed that none of it is true.

There are going to be a lot of different stories floating out there until the Dak Prescott contract is signed or at least until the July 15 deadline gets here. Outside of the Prescott negotiation news, find out about the virtual off-season along with how Xavier Woods is expecting new looks on defense. Demarcus Ware takes a small friendly jab at the tight end the Cowboys never had, LeBron James.

Why Cowboys QB Dak Prescott didn’t ask for $45 million in Year 5 :: USA Today

Jori Epstein was the first to report that the Chris Simms’-started rumor which was substantiated by some in the local Cowboys media just never happened.

 

Burleson: Dak will be even ‘better’ under McCarthy :: NFL.com

Dak Prescott is being labeled as the “Rodney Dangerfield” of the NFL according to NFL.com’s Nate Burleson. He’s not getting any respect at all.

Cowboys’ Aldon Smith ‘grateful’ to be reinstated by NFL :: ESPN

Fresh off his reinstatement to the NFL and joining the Dallas Cowboys, Aldon Smith took some time with TMZ Sports to explain his second chance at being a success story in the league.

Randy Gregory is working through the process of being reinstated to the NFL :: Blogging The Boys

Now with Aldon Smith being welcomed back into the league, Randy Gregory is officially making his push to also virtually rejoin the Dallas Cowboys defensive line.

DeMarcus Ware: “No Way In Hell” LeBron James Could Block Me :: Inside The Star

Taking a break from the Dak Prescott stories and reinstatements, hear what former defensive end Demarcus Ware thinks about the future NBA Hall of Famer when it comes to playing football.

A Glimpse Into The Cowboys’ Virtual Program :: The Mothership

Take a deeper look into what the Dallas Cowboys have been able to do in the five weeks worth of this virtual off-season program. Everyone is in the same boat except the Cowboys are learning from a brand new coaching staff.

 

Dak Prescott contract talks: Latest offer details, status of negotiations and outlook on looming deal :: CBS Sports

Science class is back in session with another installment from Patrik Walker of CBS Sports as he breaks down the latest on the Dak Prescott contract negotiations.

Woods Speaks On “Totally Different” Secondary :: The Mothership

With an entire new defensive coaching staff, Xavier Woods enters his fourth season as one of the leaders of the secondary. The defensive looks to confuse opponents in ways the Cowboys could not pull off in years past.

Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb Talked to Michael Irvin Before Choosing Jersey No. 88 :: Bleacher Report

The new Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver wants to continue a legacy. Lamb spoke to “The Playmaker” Michael Irvin along with mentioning Dez Bryant as part of the history of No. 88.

Bradley Chubb and Von Miller could be a better duo than DeMarcus Ware and Miller

DeMarcus Ware thinks Von Miller and Bradley Chubb could be a better duo than Miller and Ware were.

Speaking with Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans on 104.3 The Fan on Wednesday, former Denver Broncos edge defender DeMarcus Ware was asked if Von Miller and Bradley Chubb could be as good of a combination as Ware and Miller were from 2014-2016.

Ware had a somewhat surprising answer.

“I think they can be a lot better,” Ware said. “They’re young. With Chubb, when I was [in Las Vegas] coaching him and Von, Chubb is one of those guys that — one thing I didn’t have was as much power and size as Chubb.

“He wasn’t as fast as me, but he was stronger. And that’s what you need on that right side to be able to push those big left tackles . . . I think this year, those guys are going to come back a little bit more hungry.”

Miller and Ware were a dynamic duo in Denver, recording 60 sacks as teammates. They dominated the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line in Super Bowl 50, totaling six quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in a 24-10 win.

If Miller and Chubb truly become a better duo than Miller and Ware, opposing offenses are going to be in a lot of trouble this season.

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Why DeMarcus Ware thinks Cowboys defense can ‘excel’ under Mike Nolan

SportsPulse: While many pundits think the Cowboys will have to outscore their opponents every weekend with a suspect defense, DeMarcus Ware told Jori Epstein that team’s pass rushers can ‘excel’ in Mike Nolan’s hybrid defense.

SportsPulse: While many pundits think the Cowboys will have to outscore their opponents every weekend with a suspect defense, DeMarcus Ware told Jori Epstein that team’s pass rushers can ‘excel’ in Mike Nolan’s hybrid defense.

DeMarcus Ware says Drew Lock is ‘a force to be reckoned with’

“That dude, he’s a force to be reckoned with right now,” DeMarcus Ware said of Broncos quarterback Drew Lock.

Speaking with Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans on 104.3 The Fan on Wednesday, future Pro Football Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware spoke about Denver Broncos second-year quarterback Drew Lock.

“He was one of those guys that, I didn’t think that he could play like he played,” Ware admitted. “I’m being honest with you, I didn’t think that he was going to impact the team like he did . . . . When he came in and automatically started scoring touchdowns, automatically, all the guys around him started picking up the pieces and wanted to jump on his bandwagon.

“That’s what you want from a quarterback. And they started winning a lot more football games once he came in there and there was the spark that they needed. So now, I feel like that’s just going to carry over into this season. That dude, he’s a force to be reckoned with right now.”

Lock’s spark helped the Broncos win four of their final five games of the 2019 season. The then-rookie quarterback threw seven touchdown passes against three interceptions, totaling 1,020 yards through the air.

Ware, a nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, certainly knows what it takes to have success in the NFL. Most fans in Denver are already on the Lock bandwagon — an endorsement from Ware should only solidify support for the 23-year-old quarterback from Missouri.

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Cowboys News: Reinstatement chances for Gregory, Dallas the next dynasty?

More on Aldon Smith’s reinstatement, new numbers in Dak’s contract saga, who made the Top 100, and who wants an empty AT&T Stadium?

Christmas came early for the Cowboys and former Pro Bowler Aldon Smith. Now that the formerly dominant defensive star has been reinstated by the league, there’s plenty of getting up to speed for fans to do on what this means, both for Smith personally as well as from the team’s perspective. And what about Randy Gregory? Will he have his suspension lifted, too?

There’s also some new (but expected) math involved in the Dak Prescott contract saga, an eagerly-awaited list that ranks several Cowboys lower than expected, and whispers of how likely a new Dallas dynasty might be. All that, plus the team’s new man in the middle, an old-school football tradition falls by the wayside, and a division rival is hoping for an empty stadium when he visits Arlington. That’s all ahead in this edition of News and Notes.

Cowboys’ Aldon Smith reinstated by NFL from suspension after four-year absence :: USA Today

After a 54-month hiatus from the National Football League, the top-ten pick from 2011 has been cleared to add to his 47.5 career-sack resume starting Tuesday. The reinstatement follows a videoconference with commissioner Roger Goodell and comes the same day former sackmaster DeMarcus Ware expressed optimism that Smith could excel in the Cowboys’ new-look defense.

Instant analysis: How Aldon Smith fits Cowboys, what his role might be :: Cowboys Wire

Here’s the nuts and bolts of what Smith’s reinstatement means to the team, from his reunion with his 49ers position coach to his rocked-up physique to how he fits in with the likes of DeMarcus Lawrence, Gerald McCoy, and rookie Neville Gallimore.

Mike Garofalo breaks down Aldon Smith’s reinstatement :: NFL.com

The NFL Network insider shares some of what the league reportedly told Aldon Smith as they officially granted his reinstatement, including a plea that he use his experience to become an “example” to young players.

Aldon Smith received his long-awaited NFL reinstatement. Will Cowboys DE Randy Gregory be next? :: The Dallas Morning News

Aldon Smith wasn’t the only suspended defensive stud the Cowboys front office gambled on this offseason. Randy Gregory, suspended indefinitely in early 2019 but retained by the club, finds himself in a holding pattern similar to the one Smith just got out of. Gregory’s agent had this to say about his client’s chances of also being cleared to return: “We are working through the process.”

Cowboys Contracts: ‘Dak wants 45M for 5th year’ – and what that means :: Cowboy Maven

Analyst Chris Simms made waves on Tuesday by floating supposedly-inside info on the club’s back-and-forth with Dak Prescott, citing proposed numbers. The previous suppositions by Mike Fisher has been recalibrated, no longer saying the difference between the two sides is solely four-vs-five years for the same amount of annual salary.

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It seems Prescott indeed would be alright with a fifth year to the deal if it matches where the salary cap and the going rate for QBs will likely be.

Ware says Cowboys have offered ‘as much as they can’ for Dak :: 247Sports

Ex-Dallas defensive star DeMarcus Ware said in a new TV interview, “your play creates your pay.” When it comes to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Ware suggests, “Yeah, he made it deep into the playoffs, but you haven’t won any championships. If you maybe had one of those rings on your hand, you might get 40 or 50 [million] right now.”

Pete Prisco’s top 100 NFL players of 2020: Patrick Mahomes takes top spot, Lamar Jackson cracks top 10 :: CBS Sports

When the senior writer of CBS Sports ranks his 100 best players, people listen. Cowboys fans may take issue with the placement of their team’s seven representatives: Ezekiel Elliott (17), Dak Prescott (46), Zack Martin (50), DeMarcus Lawrence (58), La’el Collins (77), Tyron Smith (80), and Amari Cooper (81).

Looney brings enthusiasm to new opportunity :: The Mothership

The team’s official website takes an in-depth look at fan favorite Joe Looney as he prepares to take over for the retired Travis Frederick as the Cowboys’ starting center.  He’ll bring his trademark positive attitude as he battles fourth-round draft pick Tyler Biadasz for the job in camp.

NFL’s next great dynasty? Chiefs, Cowboys, Bills among candidates :: NFL.com

Now that the Belichick/Brady partnership has been busted up, NFL.com columnist Adam Schein thinks the Cowboys have the fourth-best shot at being the league’s next dynasty.

Why the three-point stance could become a football thing of the past :: ESPN

A fascinating read here on the delicate dance between making football safer to play while allowing the most popular sport in America to remain recognizable. Kevin Seifert explains the science behind why the game’s youngest players are no longer allowed to put their hands in the dirt before the snap… and what such a rule change could ultimately mean for the evolution of the sport.

Ron Rivera: ‘It might be refreshing’ to play in Dallas, Philly without fans :: NBC Sports Washington

New Redskins coach Ron Rivera will be looking for every edge he can get in taking over the 3-13 team he inherited. In mulling over the prospect of playing the 2020 season in empty stadiums, Rivera says, “When you have to go someplace like Dallas or Philadelphia, it might be refreshing that you don’t have their fans in the stands. That’s for darn sure.”

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DeMarcus Ware on Dak, Cowboys Super Bowl potential: ‘They have everything it takes’

SportsPulse: Our very own Cowboys insider Jori Epstein sat down with former Cowboys great DeMarcus Ware to get his thoughts on Dak Prescott’s lingering contract negotiations and what advice he’d give him dealing with Jerry Jones.

SportsPulse: Our very own Cowboys insider Jori Epstein sat down with former Cowboys great DeMarcus Ware to get his thoughts on Dak Prescott’s lingering contract negotiations and what advice he’d give him dealing with Jerry Jones.

2020 Draft: 4 players Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will be linked to forever

Dallas got the steal of the first round by picking CeeDee Lamb at 17, but they had to leave several areas of need unfilled to do so.

How big a shock was it that CeeDee Lamb was still available with the 17th overall pick? The Dallas Cowboys never even did a pre-draft interview with the Alabama wideout. That’s how unlikely it was that he’d even be an option.

Nearly every mock draft on the planet had Lamb being selected within the first twelve picks, so it would have been understandable if owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy unexpectedly found themselves in scramble mode once the Cowboys were on the clock. They had a need in the secondary, they had a need on the defensive line, and they had been flirting with several names in the super-deep wide receiver class.

But Lamb is regarded as a special athlete who was not supposed to be an option at 17. He can line up outside or in the slot, meaning the Dallas offense could find themselves in formations where Dak Prescott has the trio of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb all running downfield as targets.

While Lamb was certainly the best player available when the Cowboys turned in their pick, there was that moment when they consciously chose to pass up the chance to draft for need.

The euphoria from picking Lamb won’t wane until when games are played, at the earliest. They likely and hopefully will never come. However hindsight will always be 20/20 and these are the players Lamb will forever be linked to.

K’Lavon Chaisson

As the middle of the first round unfolded, Dallas’s decision seemed to come down to either Lamb or edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson out of LSU. The buzz for Chaisson had been building in the days leading up to the draft, with even the Cowboys’ franchise sack leader DeMarcus Ware raving about the “monster” prospect and going so far as saying he reminded Ware of himself.

Chaisson is a high-motor player who explodes off the ball and has a knack for corralling ball carriers with a long reach. Defense has been a deficiency in Dallas, and while new signees Aldon Smith, Dontari Poe, and Gerald McCoy are expected to help upgrade the Cowboys front four, Chaisson would have been a terrifying bookend to DeMarcus Lawrence.

Instead, Chaisson fell to Jacksonville with the 20th overall pick. He and new Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson- taken with the 9th pick- will be part of a massive rebuild for the Jaguars defense.

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Cowboys’ DeMarcus Ware names ‘monster’ 2020 draft prospect who reminds of himself

The Dallas legend thinks the team will go defense with their first-round pick, and he’s found a player who reminds him of himself in 2005.

Call it positional bias, but former Cowboys sackmaster DeMarcus Ware thinks the team may be looking at the 2020 NFL Draft “from the lens” of a pass rusher.

The onetime Cowboy chatted with several Dallas media outlets on Wednesday to help promote the virtual draft party he’ll host Thursday night alongside A-list Cowboys fan Jamie Foxx. But the interviews also turned to remembrances of Ware’s own draft-day experience as well as a crystal-ball session in terms of what the nine-time Pro Bowler thinks Dallas will do with the 17th overall pick.

“They’re going for more of a hybrid-type defense,” Ware told Bill Jones of CBS DFW. “You’re going to have to bring that pressure in that 3-4 defense to be able to create those turnovers. That’s one thing that was missing last year.”

The 3-4 nomenclature may not be technically correct to hear coach Mike McCarthy tell it, but the Dallas defense is certainly undergoing a transformation of sorts. And the guy who came in off the edge and racked up a franchise-best 117 sacks for the Cowboys from 2005 through 2013 has a few prospects in mind for its next iteration.

LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson was the first name out of Ware’s mouth.

“He’s a freaking monster,” Ware declared. “Or, if they’re going to that hybrid-type thing, they can go get some interior defensive linemen, too. Like a Derrick Brown from Auburn, guys that are really versatile, really strong. Get pressure up front, and then get a couple guys on the outside that can be more the hybrid inside-outside ‘backers.”

As Ware explained on 105.3 The Fan’s K&C Masterpiece show, those things would be complements to the team’s current superstar edge rusher, who will also be expected to become a little more multi-dimensional in the new defense.

“And I also know that DeMarcus Lawrence, he probably will transition into playing a little bit of a hybrid-type guy,” Ware said on the air. “I know McCarthy, from the defenses he’s had up there in Green Bay, they’re going to want to bring the heat. And not just from the left side with DeMarcus Lawrence.”

The 11th pick in 2005’s draft believes the current Cowboys actually have more of a quarterback attack arsenal than they’ve shown or gotten credit for.

“Jaylon Smith,” Ware offered as an example. “I think people are really sleeping on Jaylon Smith. He can play a little bit of outside linebacker. I know he can. And he can bring pressure from inside. They’ve got some guys there already that can get the job done; it’s just learning the new nuances of playing a little bit of a new position. Like I did, going from defensive end to outside linebacker.”

When Ware watches Chaisson’s tape, he says he sees a skill set that reminds him of someone familiar.

“The get-off. He predicates everything on speed… just being able to have that knack to get off of the ball. And the technique that he uses. He’s a long guy like me, right? Seven-foot-almost arm wingspan, being able to still stab and push the pocket, get around the corner. He’s one of those guys that creates havoc. I hear them saying that he’s an outside edge guy. But he’s a slip guy. And what I mean by a slip guy: when he’s on a tackle, he slips them, moves them out of the way, and he goes and makes plays. And I’m like, okay, how many tackles for a loss does he have? And he’s always behind the backfield, he’s always chasing from behind, and he reminds me of myself. This is one of those type guys where the motor does not turn off on the football field. This is what you want: a crazy banshee out there just trying to get to the football. That’s why I light up so much. He’s that type of guy.”

It could be fitting, then, if the Cowboys do select Chaisson on Thursday night, 15 years to the day after they used their first-round pick on a banshee named Ware.

DeMarcus Ware, Jamie Foxx to host Cowboys virtual draft party

The former Cowboys superstar and the A-list Cowboys superfan will host a virtual party during Thursday night’s first round of picks.

The 2020 NFL Draft will be unlike any the league has ever seen. But leave it to the Cowboys to put together plans for fans to come together virtually and share the excitement in socially-responsible ways.

The team has announced a host of events for the draft, beginning with coverage of the first round of picks on Thursday, April 23. Cowboys Draft Live will be hosted by former Dallas defensive superstar and nine-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Ware, along with actor Jamie Foxx, a lifelong Cowboys fan.

Fans joining the party online via the team website or app will get live coverage of the evening’s selections, Q-and-A sessions with front office executives and coaches, interviews with Cowboys players past and present, even a chance to win a phone call with Jerry Jones or a video chat with a current Cowboys player.

For Friday night’s second round and Saturday’s selections, The Draft Show will feature expert insight from David Helman, Bryan Broaddus, Kevin Turner, Jeff Cavanaugh, Kyle Youmans, and Dane Brugler. Also on Saturday, the team will sponsor a virtual 5K run where fans are encouraged to map out and tackle a 3.1-mile course at home.

The entire draft weekend will be a part of the NFL’s virtual “Draft-a-Thon” across the airwaves at ESPN, NFL Network, and ABC. The fundraiser will pay tribute to healthcare workers and first responders in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and offer fans numerous opportunities to get involved and support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts.

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