To make room the Browns released DT Tanzel Smart from the practice squad
Two of the players who worked out for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday officially joined the team’s practice squad on Tuesday. Following their clearance of the COVID-19 protocols, the team added DE Jalen Jelks and PK Matthew McCrane to the practice squad.
Jelks is in his second year out of Oregon. As a seventh-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, the long-limbed (6-5/256) Jelks spent his rookie campaign on Dallas’ injured reserve. He was most recently with the Carolina Panthers. Jelks has yet to appear in an NFL game.
McCrane is in his third NFL season, and the Browns are his fourth team in that span. The Kansas State product played with the Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers as a rookie in 2018. McCrane made eight of 12 field goals as well as all nine extra points he attempted.
The Browns had one vacant spot on the 16-man practice squad. To make room for another, Cleveland released DT Tanzel Smart.
Browns GM Andrew Berry continues to explore every opportunity to try and add talent to the roster he’s assembling in Cleveland. Fulfilling his oft-repeated promise from his press conference at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Berry and the Browns held auditions for eight more players.
Six of the players were designated as tryouts per the NFL’s transaction wire, while two others were labeled visits.
The six tryouts were all on defense:
Jeremiah Dinson, S
Austin Hall, LB
Jalen Jelks, DE
Vosean Joseph, LB
Chris Miller, S
E.J. Scott, DT
The most notable is Joseph, a 2019 fifth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills out of Florida. None of the tryouts have any experience on an NFL regular-season active roster.
The visits included a kicker, Matthew McCrane, as well as LB Garrett Cale.
None of the players have been signed as of Tuesday morning.
The Panthers have waived former Chargers tight end Andrew Vollert to make room for former Cowboys defensive end Jalen Jelks.
The Panthers have waived former Chargers tight end Andrew Vollert to make room for former Cowboys defensive end Jalen Jelks, who they picked up off waivers a few days ago. Now that he has passed his physical and the COVID-19 protocols, he’s free to join his teammates at training camp. Jelks is currently on the field wearing No. 73.
Well that was very quick. TE Andrew Vollert has been waived. In his place, Panthers DE Jalen Jelks is now out on the field warming up. He’s wearing No. 73.
Vollert had a viral moment last week when he had a colorful reaction to being cut on Hard Knocks. The next NFL team he signs with will be his fourth in less than a year and a half.
Dallas waived Jelks to make room for Everson Griffen. The previous regime thought highly enough of him to put Jelks on “injured reserve” for his entire rookie season. Mike McCarthy has replaced Jason Garrett and overseen a dramatic restructure of their defensive line, leaving Jelks out of the picture.
In Carolina, he will battle for a roster spot at the bottom of the depth chart against undrafted rookie Myles Adams and veteran Davonte Lambert.
Jelks (6-foot-5, 256 pounds) played his college ball at Oregon, where he totaled 15.5 sacks and 30 tackles for a loss in 39 games. Dallas picked him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, but he did not see any action in the regular season as a rookie. For what it’s worth, former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said he had Jelks high on his board.
If anybody on the roster has reason to worry about this signing, it could be the undrafted rookie Myles Adams. Pro experience of any kind is at a premium this year and with no preseason to prove themselves that leaves rookies more vulnerable to getting cut.
In related news, the Cowboys lost one of their key free agent pickups for the season today. Former Panthers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy ruptured his quad and is done for 2020.
The Cowboys had to create space on the roster, so a flyer from the Jason Garrett era got the boot.
The Dallas Cowboys can only carry 80 active players during training camp, thanks to Covid-19 protocols. Their cutdown was made easier thanks to opt-outs, but when a move is made to bring in additional help, there will always be someone who has to pay the price.
In the wake of agreeing to a one-year deal with free agent Everson Griffen, Dallas has made the coordinating move of releasing second-year pro Jalen Jelks, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Second-year defensive end Jalen Jelks has been released to make room for the impending addition of Everson Griffen. Jelks, a seventh round pick in 2019, spent last season on injured reserve. https://t.co/3iYGIOg73U
Drafted No. 241 overall out of Oregon in 2019, the 6-foot-5, 256 pound Jelks was placed on injured reserve after the Cowboys’ final preseason game last year. It was one of those, wink-wink, undisclosed-variety injuries that kept him out the entire season. His rookie season ended before it began, but he entered 2020 hoping for a fresh start and brand new coaching staff.
The previous Dallas regime was reportedly much higher on Jelks than his seventh-round draft slot. Said former head coach Jason Garrett of Jelks:
“(He was) rated very high on our board, and we’re getting to the end of our draft, and he’s still sitting there like a blinking red light. There is so much to like about this guy: He’s big, long, athletic, plays with a relentless spirit, great motor, great energy, around the ball a lot. He plays the right way, has a lot of the traits we’re looking for in our defensive linemen.”
Of course, the brand-new staff cut both ways and for Jelks in the wrong direction. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan seems to prefer bulkier body types, but Jelks had the size and versatility to be a move piece, and potentially get snaps as the designated pass rusher in a multiple-front defense.
In the end though, the staff would prefer to get more reps for the players they brought in this past offseason. It’s going to be a standard theme as the roster gets molded over the next month. Dorance Armstrong and Joe Jackson remain from the previous draft classes while the 2020 squad has added fifth-round pick Bradlee Anae and UDFAs Ron’Dell Carter, Ladarius Hamilton and Azur Kamara.
After a redshirt rookie season, will DE Jalen Jelks have an opportunity to make an impact in 2020?
The Dallas Cowboys drafted seven players and added 15 UDFAs in 2020, but 23-year-old second-year DE Jalen Jelks will also be among those looking to play in their first regular season game. Not much is known about his fit as an NFL player, but Jelks has a story all his own, and also as good of chance as any to break out this season.
Drafted No. 241 overall out of Oregon in 2019, the 6-foot-5, 256 pound Jelks was placed on injured reserve after the Cowboys’ final preseason game last year. It was one of those, wink-wink, undisclosed-variety injuries that kept him out the entire season. His rookie season ended before it began, but he enters 2020 with a fresh start and brand new coaching staff.
The previous Dallas regime was reportedly much higher on Jelks than his seventh-round draft slot, and it’s not hard to see why. Said Jason Garrett of Jelks:
“(He was) rated very high on our board, and we’re getting to the end of our draft, and he’s still sitting there like a blinking red light. There is so much to like about this guy: He’s big, long, athletic, plays with a relentless spirit, great motor, great energy, around the ball a lot. He plays the right way, has a lot of the traits we’re looking for in our defensive linemen.”
Of course, the brand-new staff cuts both ways. He wasn’t drafted by this regime, though he may be more attractive to them and the scheme they plan on running. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan seems to prefer bulkier body types, but Jelks has the size and versatility to be a move piece, and potentially get snaps as the designated pass rusher in a multiple-front defense.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic had the following to say about him.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Oregon, Jelks was a nomad in the Ducks’ 3-4 base scheme, lining up primarily as a two-gapping end over the offensive tackle while also moving inside over the nose or standing up in pass-rush situations. He posted career-bests as a junior, but struggled to match those numbers as a senior. Jelks has the raw tools that NFL teams seek in pass rushers with his length, flexibility and motor. However, he has below-average bulk and body posture and can be controlled if he doesn’t win with his quick twitch at the snap. Overall, Jelks has a long, rangy frame with competitive make-up, but he isn’t a strong point-of-attack player and struggles to get home as a pass rusher, projecting as a developmental stand-up rusher in a 3-4 scheme.
Oregon has produced multiple notable defensive lineman in recent years, including, Dion Jordan, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. Jelks may not have the pedigree of those players, but does possess many intriguing traits, and posted big numbers in four years of Pac-12 play. Jelks recorded 29.5 tackles for loss (22.5 coming in his final two seasons), added 15 sacks, had 12 pass defenses (seven in 2017) in college. He was named first-team All-Conference in 2018 and second-team in 2017.
Jelks was also a 2019 Senior Bowl participant, where he stood out amongst the nation’s top college seniors. He especially turned eyes steamrolling lineman Max Scharping, the No. 55 overall draft pick that year.
Oregon EDGE Jalen Jelks treated Max Scharping as little more than a speed bump here.
For a 7 Jalen Jelks is about as interesting an edge as you’ll find. Doesn’t really know how to do some of the dippy bendy flatten things but doesn’t play stiff and is prototypical WDE size and build. pic.twitter.com/MLxqbmrqmr
They may not be HotBoyz yet, but rookies Joe Jackson, Jalen Jelks, and under-the-radar Ricky Walker were en fuego Saturday night. Can you split a sack three ways? pic.twitter.com/PamsqTgjl1
Despite having plenty of tools, the biggest challenge Jelks will face in cracking the roster is the competition he faces.
Dallas has added several young DEs since the 2016 season, including Dorance Armstrong, Joe Jackson and this year’s fifth-round pick Bradlee Anae. Opportunity for playing time opposite and backing up DeMarcus Lawrence is wide open, but Jelks will have to overcome several players each with their own upside and abilities to claim it.
Still, with so much potential and time to grow NFL strength and size, it’s possible for Jelks to emerge as a future contributor, able to contribute in a variety of ways. With his NFL career still in the early stages, there’s many directions it can take, but the young Jelks is already making roots in Dallas.
Personal Side of Things
Jelks is in a relationship with Satou Sabally, recent No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 WNBA draft for the Dallas Wings. Last May, they each volunteered alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris in the Dallas community.
Learn more about Jelks in this pre-draft news profile from his hometown in Phoenix, which showcases his artistic side and his skateboarding past.
This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. With 95 days remaining until the NFL’s first game, up next is nose tackle Dontari Poe.
Also, Michael Irvin speaks out about injustice, choosing an all-time Cowboys team, and examining if the defense is really better in 2020.
The Cowboys’ franchise quarterback spoke out about police violence and the current protests taking place in cities across the country, despite his team holding its collective tongue. Hall of Famer Michael Irvin also weighed in with a sobering personal perspective.
More than one media member has issued an epic missive on the merits of paying one Rayne Dakota Prescott. Another put Prescott on a list of best quarterbacks under pressure. Elsewhere on the field, there’s a closer look at this year’s special teams unit and a position-by-position breakdown of the defense. Also, power rankings from Peter King, an all-time Cowboys all-star team, and the ten guys competing to be Cowboys Nation’s next “pet cat.” That’s all included in this latest edition of News and Notes.
Regarding the recent events that have gripped the country and sent citizens into the streets in a clarion call for change, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office have yet to show where they stand. But their presumptive starting quarterback has. Despite being currently without a contract or a long-term commitment from his team, Dak Prescott has pledged one million dollars in support of police training, education, and advocacy – mentioned in that order.
For fans who think the Cowboys quarterback isn’t very good, the NFL Network field producer would like a word. Actually, he’d like 6,000-plus words.
Because I know better than to think most of you will read over 6,000 words of an argument you're tired of, here's how I summarized all nine criticisms to close it: pic.twitter.com/bq3TCi4udQ
Not to be outdone, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell went even longer (over 7,000 words) to attack the Dak debate from every angle: the truth about the money, whether Prescott is replaceable, where he ranks against his peers, as well as the various criticisms. In the end, Barnwell concludes that “the preponderance of evidence suggests he’s a top-10 quarterback and somewhere in the six-to-eight range. The idea that the Cowboys can just replace him with a cheaper option and get similar production is not supported by evidence or history.”
When the chips are down, Dak Prescott is among the best in the business. So says this list, which uses Next Gen Stats to measure passer rating under pressure and completion percentage above expectation while under pressure. In 2019, turns out only seven passers were better than Dallas’s No. 4. After a deeper dive into the numbers, writer Nick Shook comes to the conclusion that Prescott is, in fact, really really good.
Frequently the most maddening unit on the Cowboys roster, the special teams department may be turning it around in 2020. Nick Eatman recalls how kicking cost Dallas four games last season, previews the “blank slate” approach new coordinator John Fassel will bring, and reminds fans that heavily-touted rookie CeeDee Lamb could make a splash in the return game.
Peter King doesn’t care for offseason power rankings and concedes that this offseason has made it even harder to gauge who’s going to be at the top of the heap come December. But he thinks the Cowboys are the best team in the NFC East, and he ranks them ninth leaguewide. King feels Dallas should have gone defense with the CeeDee Lamb pick in April’s draft, but is nonetheless predicting that the Week 16 showdown with Philadelphia will decide the division title.
The defense may have seen upgrades at defensive tackle and safety, but there are questions at cornerback. And despite the optimism surrounding the return of Aldon Smith and the potential of rookie Bradlee Anae, the Cowboys’ edge rusher position is still below 2019’s caliber.
Jon Machota goes back to every squad in team history, with every player in his prime, and puts together the ultimate Cowboys roster. Would that lineup be unbeatable? Heck, the players that got left off Machota’s list would make an absolute juggernaut.
It’s sleeper time! Using a favorite Bill Parcells term, this piece examines players- undrafted, drafted outside the top 150, or without a 2019 start- who Cowboys fans may want to root for. Lots of defensive ends on the list, including rookie Bradlee Anae, UDFA Ron’Dell Carter, and last year’s seventh-round pick Jalen Jelks.
