Tag: former texas longhorns

Connor Williams feeling great, set to start at left guard for Dallas Cowboys

Connor Williams had a tough offseason, dealing with a torn ACL. Now, he is back in practice and is in a position to become the starting LG.

Connor Williams had a tough offseason, dealing with a torn ACL he suffered on Thanksgiving Day against the Buffalo Bills. The former Longhorn spent the spring rehabbing and trying to prepare for the 2020 season.

Williams spoke with the media to discuss his journey back to the field.

“Obviously, it was a very long road,” Williams said on Monday. “First ACL and it’s a huge injury, so I didn’t really know what to expect at first. But slowly day by day, head down, grinded.”

“I honestly feel really great right now and I feel better where I left off last year.”

Now, not only is he is back in practice for the Dallas Cowboys but he is in position to become the team’s starting left guard again. According to Bryan Broaddus of 105.3 The Fan, the Cowboys are going to be giving veteran players the chance to start on the offensive line.

Williams was a second-round draft pick of Dallas in the 2018 NFL Draft. Playing tackle for Texas, the Cowboys have moved him inside to the guard position. In his 24 career games, Williams has 21 starts, including all 11 games he played in last season.

After veteran center Travis Fredrick retired this offseason, the Cowboys interior offensive linemen have been trying to earn spots.

Williams has been battling Connor McGovern, the second-year lineman out of Penn State. Whoever wins the job will get to play alongside future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith.

“I love the progress that we’re making. I think we’re looking great as an offensive line,” Williams said. “I think we’re all coming together. I think we’re making each other better. I think we’re pushing each other, and I’m very excited where we’re headed.”

Dallas will open their 2020 season against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 13. If Williams can stay healthy and continue to compete in practice, he will have the starting left guard sport locked down for the entire season.

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Baltimore Ravens “moving on” from Earl Thomas, Dallas Cowboys favorite to land him

According to ESPN, the Baltimore Ravens are “moving on” from safety Earl Thomas. The Dallas Cowboys are seen as a favorite to sign him.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens are “moving on” from former Texas safety Earl Thomas. Baltimore has not decided if they will release or trade the seven-time pro bowler yet.

Schefter is also reporting that if the Ravens decide to release Thomas, the Dallas Cowboys will be the favorite to sign him.

Dallas is square in play on Earl Thomas, with one source going as far as to say the Cowboys “would be leading contender.”

This all stems from an incident in practice on Saturday, as Thomas was involved in a physical altercation with teammate Chuch Clark. Thomas posted an Instagram video explaining the incident but was soon deleted.

This is not the first incident Thomas has had during his time with Baltimore. The safety has dealt with off the field issues and his participation in positional meetings have been problematic.

Combine all of the factors and the Ravens are finally ready to say goodbye to their star safety.

Safety is a position of need for the Cowboys after losing Jeff Heath in the offseason to the Las Vegas Raiders. HaHa Clinton Dix signed as a free agent but Dallas is still in search of a second starting safety. Thomas would solidify that role the moment he stepped foot into practice.

Dallas has been linked with Thomas for a long time now. A Texas native, Thomas is from Orange, Texas, an hour and a half east of Houston. Attending Texas for college, Thomas only played for two seasons in Austin.

If the Cowboys can land Thomas, he will link up with another former Longhorn Connor Williams. The offensive lineman was drafted by Dallas back in the 2018 NFL Draft.

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Former Texas QB weighs in on the Dak Prescott contract situation

Former Texas quarterback Chris Simms spoke with Pro Football Talk on Thursday regarding Dak Prescott’s contract negotiations.

One of the primary debates surrounding the National Football League this offseason has been the contract negotiations regarding Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

What makes this decision difficult is the weight of what Prescott is worth versus what the Cowboys are willing to pay him. It’s clear that both sides would like to come to a mutual agreement, but what will it take?

Unfortunately, standstill contract negotiations happen quite often in professional sports. This may be why several former players seem to chime in on what they would do if they were in Prescott’s shoes.

Former Texas quarterback Chris Simms recently spoke with Pro Football Talk on Thursday regarding Prescott’s situation. Similar to what running back Emmitt Smith told the media earlier this week, Simms also believes that Prescott should consider a team-friendly deal.

Some players firmly believe that you should reach for the highest-paid contract while you have the chance, while others prefer to put the team above themselves and take what they’re offered.

Simms agrees with the latter, stating that he feels it would garner respect from inside the organization.

“If I were Dak Prescott, and in his situation, I would consider taking less. I would. I wouldn’t necessarily be looking to just break the bank and be the highest-paid quarterback in the history of football – and because it’s the Dallas Cowboys. It’s a great way to earn great respect in your locker room. If you just took a little less it really could go a long way. That’s all i’m saying.”

Simms accounted for 7,097 yards and 58 touchdowns throughout his collegiate career at Texas from 1999 to 2002. After being selected in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft, Simms spent his professional career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos.