Tag: Jayron Kearse

News: Vick thinks McCarthy will be boon for Prescott, more coaching hires

The Dallas Cowboys are nearing the completion of their 2020 coaching staff, as on Friday two more names were added to the ledger. Both names are familiar, but for different reasons, as one formerly worked with the Cowboys and the other having that …

The Dallas Cowboys are nearing the completion of their 2020 coaching staff, as on Friday two more names were added to the ledger.  Both names are familiar, but for different reasons, as one formerly worked with the Cowboys and the other having that all-too-familiar-NFL hiring practice of a familial ring to it.

Elsewhere, offseason talent acquisition continues to move more front and center, as a one of the well-known draft prognosticators weighs in on who the Cowboys should select in April’s draft, and a keen talent evaluator identifies a handful of lesser known names for Dallas to target in free agency. Finally, one of the league’s best playmakers, Michael Vick, weighs in on what he thinks new head coach Mike McCarthy will bring to Dak Prescott’s game. All this in today’s edition of News and Notes.

2020 Mock Draft 1.0: Mel Kiper’s Early first-round mock draft :: ESPN 

In Mel Kiper, Jr’s lastest mock draft the Cowboys snatched cornerback CJ Henderson out of the University of Florida.

Henderson was a two-time second-team All-SEC performer (2017, 2018) as well as receiving a first-team All-SEC nod in 2019. At 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, he has the prototypical size one wants in a corner and has very good ball skills with six career interceptions and 20 pass break-ups.

Film room: 3 under-the-radar free agents the Cowboys should target :: Dallas Morning News

John Owning checks in with his latest film analysis installment, this time checking in on some lesser known entities who could join Dallas this offsesaon as free agents.

His focus has a definitive defensive feel to it, as he highlights two defensive tackles and a safety, Jayron Kearse.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Kearse is a giant safety who does his best work in and around the box. Kearse’s size makes him a mismatch whenever blocked by a wide receiver, which enables him to be extremely effective in run support. He’s a reliable tackler (just four career missed tackles, per PFF) and possesses the quickness to knife into the backfield to make splash plays behind the line of scrimmage.

Check out what else he has to say as well as his two line targets.

Michael Vick believes Mike McCarthy may be ‘one of the best things’ to happen to Dak Prescott :: DMN

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback likes the Cowboys’ hire  and believes McCarthy could work wonders for Prescott. During Pro Bowl practice on Thursday, Vick had this to say regarding this recent marriage between coach and signal-caller.

“I think Dak is solid, man,” Vick said Thursday. “I love what Dak is doing. I think to have a new coach come in the building right now is probably one of the best things that could happen to him, especially getting Mike McCarthy.

“He’s an offensive genius, an offensive guru who knows the game and he will help Dak out tremendously, and the Cowboys will look different next year.”

Sports Sturm’s Friday Cowboys mailbag: Byron Jones’s future, DeMarcus Lawrence’s present, and draft talk :: The Athletic

Bob Sturm over at The Athletic hits a ton of topics as he answers reader questions. In case you don’t have a subscription, here are some highlights:

Despite his lack of interceptions, Byron Jones may continue to be a better option for the Cowboys than 2020’s draftable options. A 3-year/$42 million deal (like the one Marcus Peters got) may be a price worth paying for Jones’s skills.

Staying in the secondary, keep an eye on University of Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in case the Cowboys don’t land the coveted Grant Delpit out of LSU.

Don’t get suckered looking at sack totals in a vacuum and deducing that DeMarcus Lawrence is no better than Taco Charlton. The Cowboys need more sacks out of Lawrence in 2020, to be sure, but saying the two players are comparable because both logged five sacks in 2019 is just naive.

–TB

Ranking 30 Cowboys free agent decisions in 2020 :: Cowboys Wire

Plenty of personnel decisions to be made by the new coaching staff in Dallas over the next weeks and months. Cowboys Wire helpfully lists all 30 free agents and orders them for Mike McCarthy, from the lowest priority to it’s-Dak-freaking-Prescott-quit-screwing-around-and-sign-him.

–TB

Amari Cooper ‘not surprised’ by sweeping coaching changes, wants back in Dallas :: Cowboys Wire

It’s not always obvious by the solemn look that’s normally on his face, but wide receiver Amari Cooper is loving it in Dallas, and he wants to stay.

The four-time Pro Bowler spoke about the prospect of free agency this week at the league’s all-star festivities in Orlando. “I’m just taking it day by day, ” Cooper said. “I’m not anxious, I’m not apprehensive. I’m just living life.”

The Alabama product says that an extra $1 million or $2 million in his next contract isn’t as important to him as being in the right environment. Mike McCarthy will be Cooper’s fourth head coach in a six-year career; maybe he’ll also prove to furnish “the right environment” for a sixth championship in Dallas.

–TB

Ex-Cowboys WR Dez Bryant hints at 3 ‘dream’ NFL teams he’d like to sign with :: Bleacher Report

Dez Bryant’s job hunt continues to play out on social media. After the former Cowboys receiver took to Twitter early in the week to pitch his return to Dallas, Bryant followed up on Thursday with a post subtly calling out two other organizations he’d enjoy suiting up for. Both are teams he has history with.

It’s assumed that the “black and gold” refers to the New Orleans Saints. Bryant signed with the Saints during the 2018 season, but tore an Achilles tendon before playing in a single game with the club. The “black and purple” must mean the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to his two-day stint with New Orleans, Bryant had reportedly received an offer from the Ravens, which he turned down… just before quarterback Lamar Jackson exploded on the scene in Baltimore.

–TB

From ‘Seeing ghosts’ to ‘Mozart’s paintings’: These are the best quotes of the NFL season :: ESPN

It was a season of soundbites in the NFL. Press conferences, in-game field-mic captures, and off-the-cuff zingers provided fans with a wealth of one-liners and countless must-hear moments throughout the 2019 campaign.

Among the gems in this compilation are two Cowboys quotes. First, Jerry Jones’s “Zeke Who?” quip that was hilarious at first, then maybe not funny at all, and finally ended up on an official T-shirt in the team pro shop.

Dak Prescott makes the list, too, for reminding teammates that spicy chicken nuggets had indeed returned to the Wendy’s menu… while in the huddle against Miami in Week 3.

–TB

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Vikings S Jayron Kearse downgraded to out vs. 49ers

Kearse has been dealing with toe and knee injuries.

Vikings safety Jayron Kearse was officially listed as doubtful for Saturday’s playoff game against the 49ers.

On Friday, the team announced that he has been downgraded to out as the fourth-year safety is dealing with toe and knee injuries.

The Vikings have been hit hard by the injury bug in their secondary. Cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Mackensie Alexander were both placed on the injured reserve.

The Kearse news isn’t a huge surprise. He played zero defensive snaps in Sunday’s playoff game against the snaps and just 10 special teams plays.

We can expect safety Andrew Sendejo, who played a huge role last week, to get a big opportunity again.

Jayron Kearse will get another chance to shine against the Saints 

With both Mike Hughes and Mackensie Alexander out, Vikings defensive back Jayron Kearse will get an opportunity on Sunday against the Saints.

The Minnesota Vikings official injury report was released for the Wild Card matchup against the New Orleans Saints Friday afternoon. While there was some good news that involved All-Pro Linebacker Eric Kendricks being listed as a full participant, the Vikings secondary didn’t receive any positive news. 

Starting nickelback Mackensie Alexander was ruled out and his backup Mike Hughes was placed on injured reserve. Former Viking Marcus Sherels was added to the roster, and he is expected to take Hughes’ spot as the punt returner. 

The Vikings’ secondary has been a problem throughout the season, and the matchup between Drew Brees and Michael Thomas doesn’t make things any easier. Thomas, the 6’3 wide receiver, broke the single season catch record and had over 1,700 receiving yards. 

Not only is Thomas 6’3, but he also gets utilized by the Saints frequently out of the slot. The two Nickels that are out for the Vikings are listed at 5’10 and 5’11. Even if either Alexander or Hughes were having a great season, this would still be a huge mismatch for a Vikings secondary that has already struggled in coverage this season. 

That is where the former seventh round pick out of Clemson Jayron Kearse comes in. Kearse stands at 6’4 and brings a much more physical playing style to the table when he is on the field. His bigger build, matched with his physicality, are both examples as to why he should have been in this position even before the injury report was released. 

Saints tight end Jared Cook has also been heating up as of late for the Saints. The versatility of Kearse should be used as a trick up Mike Zimmer’s sleeve on Sunday afternoon. 

Throughout the season, Kearse has had his ups and downs. There was the incident that involved drinking and driving with a handgun in the car. He apologized the following Monday, and stated that wasn’t a reflection of who he is. 

In the first few weeks of the season, neither Hughes or Alexander were healthy enough to start, and Kearse stepped in at nickelback. He has also stepped in and played some safety, the position that he is listed as on the Vikings depth chart. 

Kearse has also made two plays that can be looked at as reasons to why the Vikings are even in the playoffs. At the end of the Dallas game, Kearse was the one to find his hands on the ball on a last second hail mary attempt. The following week, he ended the game with the pass breakup that negated the Broncos’ last second comeback attempt. 

After these two games, Zimmer was quoted saying that Kearse should probably get some more playing time, and he wasn’t wrong. 

Anthony Harris has had a breakout season, and leads the NFL with six total interceptions. However, PFF has Kearse edging out Harris with a lower QB rating when getting targeted. These stats should be taken with a grain of salt, because Harris has played a lot more snaps than Kearse. 

Going on the road in the playoffs is never an easy task, especially when that involves playing a future first ballot Hall of Famer in one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL. The Vikings secondary will have their hands full for sure, but Kearse is more than likely going to get his chance to prove that he is ready for the moment. 

Vikings place CB Mike Hughes on IR, sign Marcus Sherels

On Friday, the team announced it as placed cornerback Mike Hughes on the IR with a neck injury.

Well, this certainly isn’t great news for the Vikings as they prepare for Sunday’s wild card game against the Saints in New Orleans.

On Friday, the team announced it as placed cornerback Mike Hughes on the IR with a neck injury. Hughes participated in Wednesday’s practice this week, so it would appear the injury happened sometime this week. Or at least the injury got worse.

To take Hughes’ place on the roster, the team signed long-time Viking Marcus Sherels.

To make matters worse, the Vikings will also be without cornerback Mackensie Alexander (knee) for the game.

We can expect Jayron Kearse to get some time in the slot.

For a team that was already expected to have a tough time against Drew Brees and Michael Thomas, this is a huge blow two days before the game.

We can also expect Sherels to likely take over punt return duties. Sherels signed with the Saints last offseason after nine seasons with the Vikings only to be released prior to the season. The Vikings brought him back to Minnesota but later released him.

Vikings vs. Broncos: A tale of two halves

The Minnesota Vikings got off to their slowest start of the season Sunday afternoon, falling behind the Denver Broncos 20-0 in the first half. The Broncos were able to expose the Vikings secondary, while the Vikings offense just couldn’t find their …

The Minnesota Vikings got off to their slowest start of the season Sunday afternoon, falling behind the Denver Broncos 20-0 in the first half. The Broncos were able to expose the Vikings secondary, while the Vikings offense just couldn’t find their rhythm. 

At halftime, the Vikings made some adjustments that clearly paid off as they outscored the Broncos 27-3 in the second half. In the Mike Zimmer era, the Vikings hadn’t won a game after being down 20 or more points.

It was a completely different team in the second half, where the Vikings did something no other team has done in the past 40 years. 

A huge reason for the success in the second half was due to the great performance by Kirk Cousins, who finished his day 29-35 with 319 yards and three touchdowns. 

In the second half, Cousins looked as good as any quarterback in the NFL, delivering a few of his best-thrown balls in a Vikings uniform. 

Without the strong play of Cousins against a solid Denver defense, Vikings fans would have left U.S. Bank Stadium with the same feeling they had at halftime. 

The secondary was a weak point throughout the game, but they stepped up when it mattered most. Jayron Kearse, who finished the Cowboys game intercepting the Hail Mary attempt, sealed the game again today by breaking up a pass attempt to Noah Fant. 

With Harrison Smith going down with a hamstring injury, and Anthony Harris already sidelined to start the game, someone needed to step up in the secondary. Kearse, the former seventh-round pick out of Clemson, did exactly that making multiple plays in the final minutes of the game. 

The Vikings are now heading into their bye week, which couldn’t have come at a better time. With so many Vikings starters hurt, this week will be crucial for their healing process. In two weeks, the Vikings travel to Seattle for a Monday night matchup between two of the hottest quarterbacks in football in Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson.