Tag: Jaylon Smith

Vander Esch on Cowboys’ new LB rotation: ‘It’s going to be sweet on the field’

Micah Parsons and Keanu Neal bring new size and skills to a Cowboys LB unit that Leighton Vander Esch thinks will be a problem for offenses. | From @ToddBrock24f7

It was just three years ago that Leighton Vander Esch was the rambunctious rookie, eager to take the league by storm as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. A first-round draft pick, he lived up to the billing by earning a Pro Bowl nod in his debut pro season, stepping into a starting role after veteran Sean Lee went down with an injury.

Now at just 25 years old, Vander Esch is suddenly playing the role of the battle-worn mentor to Micah Parsons, the club’s new first-round linebacker phenom.

“It’s been fun having him in our room,” Vander Esch said of Parsons in an interview on the team website. “Just helping him along, knowing that Sean and Jaylon [Smith] helped me when I was a rookie, and being that guy there for him: if he has anything that he needs, knowing that I’m going to be there to help him.”

Vander Esch served as a sounding board early during Parsons’s preseason debut. When coaches pulled the Penn State product from the Hall of Fame Game after just a handful of plays, Parsons complained that he wanted more snaps.

A bemused Vander Esch preached patience to the rookie that night in Canton. He was still laughing when asked about it this week.

“I remember my rookie year; I didn’t get a lot of preseason action. Being that young guy, you’re confident that you want to go, want to go, want to go. All the credit to him,” Vander Esch snickered, “but he’s got to realize the coaches have a plan for him and to trust what they have in store for him and not get too far ahead of himself. You love the attitude, you love the go-getter; he’s not going to lose that.”

Parsons has been getting a lion’s share of work so far in training camp. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn seems ready to turn the youngster loose and stretch the traditional textbook definitions of what a linebacker’s job should be.

“I really think he’s got more on his plate than what I did. It was a plug-and-play for me when I was a rookie. We pretty much ran the same exact thing that I ran at Boise; that’s why they drafted me,” Vander Esch recalled. “I think with Micah’s skill set and how athletic he is and his speed, you can play him pretty much anywhere on the field. I think the coaches are utilizing that very, very well. I’m glad he’s on our team and not somebody else’s.”

Injuries have slowed down Vander Esch over the past two seasons. Smith’s production has dropped drastically since his breakout year. With the retirement of 11-year-veteran Lee, the linebacker position in Dallas went from a team strength to a glaring weakness.

Quinn and the Cowboys addressed that need by drafting Parsons twelfth overall. But they also brought in Keanu Neal, a former Falcons safety trapped in the body of a linebacker. Reunited in Dallas with Quinn, Neal is making an official position switch more in keeping with his size and talents.

“The kid’s crazy athletic,” Vander Esch said of Neal. “He obviously has that DB skill set, and he’s built like a fricking linebacker. The dude’s crazy-looking. You can see his arms, you can see the way he’s built that he can be a linebacker. And the things that he’s shown on the field, he can definitely do it.”

Parsons playing multiple linebacker roles. Neal bringing a ballhawk’s mentality to go with his massive size. Both figure to play predominantly in a Dallas linebacking corps- along with Vander Esch, Smith, talented rookie Jabril Cox, and others- that could have the heads of fans and opposing offenses on a swivel as they try to keep track of who’s playing where.

“We’ve got a crazy rotation going,” Vander Esch admitted. “But that’s what’s going to be sweet on the field, because we can play all the positions. It doesn’t matter who it is: we all have the potential to play any position it is that DQ wants us to play at linebacker whether it’s on the edge, off-the-ball, whatever, stack, doesn’t matter.”

The hope is that all that multitasking raises the level of play for a defense that was historically poor across the board last season. For Vander Esch, he has the added pressure of this being a contract year, after the Cowboys declined to re-sign him in the offseason. Vander Esch, though, shrugs off that notion.

“It’s always been ‘prove-it.’ You’ve got to go out there and prove yourself every day in the National Football League.”

For now, he’s proving he can still be the on-the-field force in his fourth season that he was in his first. But he’s also taking a more all-encompassing view, striving to provide crucial off-the-field leadership, too.

“My goals are just to be the best teammate I can be, to be able to communicate on a high level, lead this defense, be someone that the guys can lean on, come to with questions if they need, help the young guys get along the way that I was helped when I was a young guy.”

Said the 25-year-old.

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Roster Bubble: 11 Cowboys who could be cut, waived, IR’d or traded by Tuesday’s deadline

The Cowboys have some decisions to make over the next 24 to trim the roster down to 86. Here’s a look at some players on the bubble, including a big name LB who could be shipped off to another team. | From @KDDrummondNFL

This first of three roster cuts is fast approaching, with the Dallas Cowboys and the other 31 NFL clubs having until Tuesday, August 17 at 3:00 p.m. central to let players know of their fate. Each team will need to remove five players from their 90-man offseason roster this week and then again next Tuesday before the final paring down happens. That will bring the rosters down from 80 to 53 players.

While there’s a lot of fan interest in the moves, most of the time the players who are seeing their NFL dreams end are guys at the bottom of the roster. For the most part, NFL clubs have 40-45 players they know are going to make the roster at the end and then have about 12-15 guys vying for the final eight slots. Injuries play a role, of course, but most of the decision making tends to come down to who is going to be able to help out the most on special teams.

There are always exceptions though, and while the chances a big name has something happen by Tuesday are slim to none, it would be egregious not to mention the elephant in the room. Here’s a look at 11 names who could end up seeing the Turk on next week’s episode of Hard Knocks.

Cowboys News: Dak, Gallimore, McKeon injury updates; who are first cut candidates?

The team got encouraging news on several injuries, plus a look at Jaylon Smith’s play from Friday night that looked more 2020 than 2018. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The weekend brought some clarity to the Cowboys’ list of dinged-up players. Dak Prescott looks to be healing on schedule, as up-and-coming players Neville Gallimore and Sean McKeon will be sidelined for just a little while (instead of a long while). Randy Gregory is expected back soon, as is Dalton Schultz. Cue the annual debate about whether preseason games do much of anything but cause needless injuries.

Plenty of other roster watching to do this week as the first cut date looms. Linebacker Jaylon Smith finds himself under the microscope again for a less-than-optimal performance versus Arizona, Zack Martin is recognized by his peers, Trevon Diggs carries some extra weight in his second season, and we look at how rookie lineman Matt Farniok could play a key role (or two of even three) in the Cowboys offense. All that, plus a look inside what Dak Prescott means when he says he’s “taking a mental rep,” and why fans coming to Cowboys home games should be on the lookout for a familiar face in the seat next to them. Here’s the News and Notes to get your week started.

Dan Quinn talks Parsons, Cowboys’ front 7 through first phase of training camp

Dan Quinn had good things to say about many of the Cowboys defenders in a post training camp media session. We go through the quotes on the linebackers and linemen at the top of the depth chart. | From @AsaHenry_55

From the moment Dan Quinn arrived in Dallas he has been commended by those close to the team for his infectious passion for football and clear plan for fixing one of the league’s worst defenses. The good news for Quinn is that he doesn’t need to get the Cowboys to the top of the defensive ranks, as just getting to league average would be a massive improvement upon 2020.

Quinn has been very hands-on while installing the defensive scheme and teaching new techniques, which has allowed him to get a good gauge of his new players and their progress this offseason. During Friday’s  media session the former Atlanta Falcons’ head coach gave positive reports on numerous defenders who will need to have solid seasons for Dallas to achieve its goals.

Linebacker continued to be a main topic of conversation, which was expected as many viewed the position as Dallas’ most competitive and intriguing entering training camp. The other group that will play a massive role in improving the rush defense, the defensive line, received the second-most attention.

10 Cowboys who could be traded and though unlikely, CB Xavien Howard not impossible to acquire

In looking at who may be #Cowboys trade bait, the thought of acquiring a top CB arose. Here’s how it could be done, including salary restructure, as well as which current players could have new homes by September. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys are knee-deep into their 2021 training camp and the trek out of the swamp that was last season has begun. That starts with the coaching staff learning what assets they have on the team and which holes they may need to look elsewhere to fulfill. Without fail, surprises and disappointments litter the roster and the front office is tasked with either trying to fix a deficit or capitalize on a surplus. Sometimes there’s a deal to be made but most times nothing comes of it. While fan fiction about star-studded deals run rampant, the majority of these deals are with players down the roster.

But sometimes, the rare big-name unicorn trade comes into focus. Such a move either ships out high-profile talent, brings it in, or both. Could this be the case with the 2021 Cowboys? After a public trade demand, Miami corner Xavien Howard has been topic du jour among salivating Cowboys fans. On a scale of 1-10 the likelihood the team would acquire the league’s leading interceptor barely registers as, to use a baseball term, a crooked number. But queue up Lloyd Christmas, because we’re saying there’s a chance.

2 positions where Cowboys camp battles will be hotly contested

As training camp approaches, the Dallas Cowboys have big time defensive questions that will fuel fierce camp competitions.

The Dallas Cowboys are less than a month away from making the familiar trek to Oxnard, California for training camp. The team can officially start camp on July 21, a week before most teams, as they prepare for the Hall of Fame game against Pittsburgh on August 5.

Since re-signing Dak Prescott in March, the Cowboys have had a relatively uneventful offseason, something that is unusual for Jerry Jones’ club. However, things are set to heat up for the Cowboys once they reach the west coast, as the club has intriguing positional competitions on the horizon.

The offense is pretty much set in Dallas, other than depth positions like the third tight end, third quarterback, or fifth wide receiver. The defense is a much different story, as very few defenders are locked into starting roles, which should make for an intriguing training camp and early season.

With uncertainty being a theme for the Dallas defense, let’s take a look at two of the positions that face a ton of questions, and have potential for fierce competition as we head towards training camp.

PFF suggests Cowboys send Jaylon Smith to AFC West in post-June 1 move

Jaylon Smith’s status as the most controversial defender on the Dallas Cowboys roster has been running strong for the better part of the last two seasons. Following being a snub to the 2018 Pro Bowl, Smith’s play has regressed in each of the last …

Jaylon Smith’s status as the most controversial defender on the Dallas Cowboys roster has been running strong for the better part of the last two seasons. Following being a snub to the 2018 Pro Bowl, Smith’s play has regressed in each of the last two seasons, although he did get a nod to the All-Star team in 2019 as an alternate.

As such, his sizable contract extension handed out two years early has been under fire. The extension doesn’t actually kick in until this season and calls from fans have been loud to jettison the former second-round pick, especially after the club added linebacker (yes, linebacker) Keanu Neal in free agency then used a first and fourth-round pick on the position as well. The issue, until today, is that Smith’s base salary for 2021 guaranteed early in the league year before those acquisitions, and it would be very costly to have moved on from him. That isn’t the case anymore as the calendar has turned to June.

Many fans know of the June 1st designation as a roster move that has everything to do with the early portions of free agency, but the date itself does mean a lot in NFL circles. In the recent iterations of the collective bargaining agreement, teams have been able to designate up to two players who they release during the first phase of the new league year, but they get to treat them as if they were released after June 1.

Why does that matter? Prior to that date, any player who is released will see all of the remaining unallocated signing bonus money accelerate onto the current league year. Say a player got a five-year deal with a $25 million signing bonus. That bonus money is spread evenly over the five salary caps, $5 million each. If a team wants to get out of the deal after two seasons, there’s still $15 million.

So whatever savings would be reaped from lopping off a player’s base salary gets nullified because the future year’s bonus money is now moved to the current year.

The June 1st designation takes away that issue, allowing teams to pretend the player isn’t released until after. When released on June 2 or later, only the current year’s signing bonus allocation counts for the current year. The future years’ allocation will accelerate onto the following year’s cap, and that’s what makes Smith a viable trade candidate as of Wednesday.

Because of the guaranteed money of Smith’s deal, he cannot be released. Another team could sign him for the veteran’s minimum and Dallas would have to pay the rest of his $7.6 million salary to play for someone else. That’s cash out of pocket and not going to happen.

However, he could be traded and that’s exactly what Pro Football Focus recommends in their June 1st survey around the league. Smith is one of six players identified as potential move players and their solution is to send him to the Los Angeles Chargers for a fifth-round pick.

Hypothetical Trade: Jaylon Smith → Los Angeles Chargers for 2022 5th

Pre-June 1 dead money: $9,400,000
Pre-June 1 cap savings: $400,000

Post-June 1 dead money: $2,600,000
Post-June 1 cap savings: $7,200,000

Difference in 2021 cap savings: $6,800,000

In addition, new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has already made it clear that he plans to use his former Falcons S Keanu Neal in a Will linebacker role. Smith was reportedly transitioning into more of a WLB role ahead of the 2020 season with Vander Esch taking over more responsibility at MLB, but then he got hurt. So, in summation, Parsons is an even better blitzer than Smith, and now there are possibly two better coverage options for nickel packages in Neal and Cox. All of this begs the question of whether Jaylon Smith may be available, even after he dropped the dough to switch his jersey to No. 9.

The Los Angeles Chargers have the opposite problem, featuring a razor-thin linebacker group beyond 2020 first-round pick Kenneth Murray. Murray is an up-and-comer at the MLB spot, but with Denzel Perryman signed away by the Carolina Panthers, Kyzir White is the only linebacker on the roster who played more than 13 snaps in 2020 (he finished with a 52.5 grade). The Chargers used the No. 185 overall pick in the sixth round on Iowa LB Nick Niemann, but that doesn’t guarantee much.

It remains unlikely the Cowboys will part with Smith this season. Beyond what he his on-field performance is and whether his play matches his salary, he is valued by the front office. Unless there were a reason Dallas needed to create more cap room, they will likely retain his services despite the obvious log jam at the position.

As previous years have shown, injuries tend to mount and what seems like superfluous depth now could be needed in the near future.

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Check it out: Jaylon Smith unveils new, old number

Jaylon Smith of the Dallas Cowboys shows off his new jersey number after changing it earlier this week.

Earlier this week we found out that former Notre Dame star Jaylon Smith now of the Dallas Cowboys was changing his number from the 54 he’s worn his entire NFL career to the nine he wore with the Fighting Irish.

Now we have our first photo of Smith in his new, old jersey number as Smith took to Twitter to show off wearing the number nine jersey for the Cowboys.

Smith is the first Cowboys player to wear number nine since Tony Romo was quarterbacking the team from 2004-2016.

Smith has made 498 tackles, nine sacks, a pair of interceptions, and six forced fumbles during his time in Dallas.

Fromer Notre Dame star changes jersey number to that of former Cowboys legend

What is the best-looking number for a linebacker?

Jaylon Smith starred at Notre Dame from 2013-2015, taking home the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker in 2015.  He was a projected top-10 and perhaps a top-five pick in the 2016 NFL Draft before suffering a devastating knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl.

Smith fell to the second round when the Dallas Cowboys selected him 34th overall.  Although he missed that 2016 season while rehabbing his knee, Smith has recorded 498 combined tackles while playing in 16 games each of the last four seasons.

Smith has worn jersey number 54 his entire time with the Cowboys but that’s all changing in 2021 as he’s switching back to the same number he wore while starring at Notre Dame, which happens to be the same as Dallas legend Tony Romo, number nine.

Nine is undoubtedly a cooler looking number on a jersey than 54 but I’m glad that’s Smith’s money and not mine.

The NFL recently changed its rule regarding jersey numbers by position, allowing Smith and others to wear numbers they never would have previously worn.

Smith and the Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 2020 season where they went just 6-10.

Dressed to the 9s: Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith takes over Tony Romo’s jersey number

The linebacker will buy the existing inventory of No. 54 gear in order to wear his old college number in 2021, with the ex-QB’s blessing.

The most polarizing player on the Cowboys’ current roster is about to raise the ire of fans of the most polarizing player in the Cowboys’ recent past. But make no mistake: linebacker Jaylon Smith has a clear-eye view of what he wants.

Smith will switch to a new jersey number in 2021, going from his previous No. 54 to No. 9, the number he wore at Notre Dame and in high school. ESPN’s Todd Archer cited multiple sources as he tweeted the news.

Of course, legions of Cowboys fans still have Tony Romo jerseys hanging in their closets, so there’s sure to be a preponderance of No. 9s at AT&T Stadium this season and beyond. The Cowboys famously do not retire jersey numbers; Romo wore the digit for his entire playing career, 2003-2016.

No. 54 has a rich history within the Cowboys franchise, too, having been worn by Ring of Honor defenders Chuck Howley and Randy White.

Owner Jerry Jones said last month that while the organization prefers that negotiations over jersey numbers happen strictly between players, he did intimate that Smith assuming the number of the beloved ex-quarterback might call for an exception.

“If anybody wants 9, we’ll have to represent Romo on this side of the table,” the owner said in a press conference on draft weekend, “to determine how much it’s worth to have No. 9 on, so to speak.”

Smith did reportedly reach out to Romo about wearing his old number moving forward, as per Archer.

According to the team website, third-year safety Donovan Wilson, who had been wearing No. 37 thus far in his career, is also switching into his Texas A&M number, No. 6.

First-round draft pick Micah Parsons had already been issued the No. 11 jersey he wore at Penn State, taking over that number from wideout Cedrick Wilson.

With new rules governing the numbers that each position can legally wear, Smith would have been able to complete the switch next year for free simply by making his request. But to get out of the No. 54 for the 2021 season, Smith will have to buy out the current inventory of jerseys and shirts bearing that number.

Smith was one of the first players to post a doctored image of himself wearing his preferred number when the league revealed it would broaden its numbering restrictions.

“Those guys have to negotiate those changes,” Jones said regarding potential switches in April. “We are very aware of what happens relative to the personality’s identification with a number. It’s not frivolous.”

The amount of money Smith will have to pony up to buy out all the existing No. 54 gear won’t be frivolous, either.

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