Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula is off to a 2-0 start as the head coach of the Rhein Fire in the ELF.
The Rhein Fire returned to the football field this spring, joining ten other teams in the European League of Football for the 2022 season. Before this version of the franchise, the Fire were part of both the World League and NFL Europe winning the World Bowl in both 1998 and 2000.
For this second stint as a franchise, a familiar face to both NFL fans and fans in Rhein returned: Jim Tomsula.
And under his guidance, the Fire are off to a 2-0 start with their home opener against the Istanbul Rams on the docket for this weekend.
This is not Tomsula’s first stint as a head coach, nor as the head coach of the Fire. During the 2006 NFL Europe season, Tomsula served as the head coach of the Fire, guiding Rhein to a 6-4 record. When the Fire missed out on the playoffs, Tomsula moved to the NFL, taking a position as the defensive line coach with the San Francisco 49ers. He would ultimately serve as the team’s head coach for the 2015 campaign, a year that saw San Francisco finish with a 5-11 record.
Upon their rebirth in the ELF, the Fire announced in February that Tomsula would be their head coach for the season:
A blockbuster signing on Super Bowl Sunday! As the Rhein Fire announced, the franchise has signed Jim Tomsula, former NFL coach, as their head coach for the upcoming European League of Football season. In Tomsula, the franchise has their most important coaching position set. The experienced coach can work with a talented and experienced player portfolio.
The Fire opened the season with a 29-26 victory over the Frankfurt Galaxy on the road, and followed that up with a 28-17 victory over the Leipzig Kings. In that game, the Fire scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure the win, and it was this 96-yard fumble return from Omari Williams that broke a 17-17 tie midway through the final quarter:
During his time in San Francisco, Tomsula was known for his positive energy and outlook. That has not left him, as you can see from this pre-game interview before Rhein’s Week 1 victory over the Galaxy:
Whether that energy pays off with a winning season for the Fire remains to be seen, but their 2-0 start has Rhein fans excited for the rest of the campaign.
The latest Dallas Cowboys news and notes: Nolan and Tomsula were fired, potential replacements are already being interviewed, and more.
The Dallas Cowboys season came to an abrupt end last Sunday, and now it is time to look forward to the offseason. Dak Prescott is recovering well from his injury. Amari Cooper had a “clean-up” procedure on his injured ankle, but should definitely be good-to-go for 2021.
Dallas waited no time after the season to make the coaching changes that the front office deemed necessary. This week, the Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, as well as defensive line coach Jim Tomsula. Both coaches spent just a year in Dallas, and potential replacements are already set to be interviewed.
The Cowboys have so many decisions to make regarding free agents, it is impossible to tell which direction the front office will head with the personnel. There may be some positions that are actually worse off than they seem today for Dallas, including left tackle should Tyron Smith’s health continue to be a problem. Plus, what really means the most to Jerry Jones, building his brand, or winning football games?
The Dallas Cowboys are apparently purging their defensive staff. After word has surfaced the club has parted ways with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, it appears more coaches are headed to Linked In in the very near future. Defensive line coach …
The Dallas Cowboys are apparently purging their defensive staff. After word has surfaced the club has parted ways with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, it appears more coaches are headed to Linked In in the very near future. Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula came to Dallas with a tremendous reputation, but he was unable to get anymore out of the Cowboys’ group than what was expected.
In many ways, they regressed. Dallas attempted to run a hybrid 30-40 front, which took their premiere defensive player DeMarcus Lawrence out of his three-point comfort zone. Free agent signings Dontari Poe and Everson Griffen were huge disappointments and Dallas failed to develop fifth-round rookie Bradlee Anae to the point he was inactive for almost every game of the year. In the end, the Jones family had seen enough without wanting a repeat and Tomsula has been let go.
Tomsula has been an NFL coach since 2007, spending eight years as defensive line coach with the San Francisco 49ers where he was present for the early years of Aldon Smith’s career. He was a head coach for the 49ers for one season in 2015 and in 2017 joined Washington to coach their defensive line. For three years he’s dealt with numerous high-pedigree draft picks and had that group humming, but could not replicate the feat with Dallas’ group.
The Oklahoma rookie has seen his snaps increase with each game he’s played in; changes in Dallas this week should keep that trend going.
When one door closes, another door opens. The Cowboys traded Everson Griffen to Detroit on Tuesday and cut Dontari Poe on Wednesday. That’s not one, but two doors closed on the interior defensive line. And two doors that are suddenly now open.
That extra-wide opening may come in handy as 6-foot-2, 300-plus-pound Neville Gallimore looks for a way in to the Cowboys’ long-term plans.
The 23-year-old Gallimore has seen his snap counts increase in each of the five games in which he’s appeared this season, from just six defensive snaps in the Week 1 opener to 38- over half of the defense’s total plays- last Sunday versus Washington.
The native Canadian who played his college ball at Oklahoma says getting to gradually wade in to the pool has helped him get acclimated to the pro game.
“Extremely beneficial,” Gallimore said of the chance to do more watching than playing early on. “It’s really cool from the fact, obviously coming from where I played ball at college- being faster, stronger than everybody- to being around guys where I’m not the fastest. I’m not the strongest. But just having a great group of guys who’ve been through the process and know what it takes. Just kind of leaning on them, understanding how I can be beneficial to the team by just doing my part and not having to do too much, but just doing my job the best I know how.
“Yeah, it’s a learning curve, but it’s a part of it. I know it wasn’t going to be easy. Heck, it wasn’t easy to get into this position anyway. So again, it’s just another opportunity for me to grow as a football player and again, just get better. That’s the biggest thing for me. I want to improve and I want to limit any mistakes or similar mistakes that happened in the past. Just grow. I’m just trying to be a better ballplayer, end of the day.”
Gallimore has always flashed impressive speed for a man his size; his natural athleticism was his main selling point entering the draft. Now it’s about honing his technique.
And with the opportunity for increased reps on the worst run defense in the league, the Cowboys hope Gallimore can get up to speed quickly.
“You know, obviously the biggest thing [is] just being able to be more effective in the run game. Stuff I’ve got to be better at,” he admitted. “That’s just something I’m working on: making sure my hands, my technique, everything is where it should be. I’m working on it and again, can’t really speak on it; just got to continue to show it. Obviously that’s biggest thing I’m working on: making sure that I’m taking steps to really help this team be more effective in run stop.”
Gallimore calls Dallas defensive line coach Jim Tomsula “a great teacher” and feels his overall play has already improved under the coach’s tutelage. The veterans in the locker room have helped, too, including the guys whose now-empty lockers are still warm.
“Dontari definitely took me under his wing when I got here and just kind of shed his light on me,” Gallimore shared on the same day Poe was released. “Definitely appreciative for what he’s done for me just on a personal level. Just kind of another veteran guy who’s been through the process, someone who’s been in the league for as long as he has, it’s no fluke… Definitely got a lot of love for Dontari.”
But now the ninth-year veteran is gone. And that will mean more looks for the rookie hoping to make the most of the chance offered by the vacancies Poe and Griffen left behind.
“I’m here for a reason. They got me here for a reason. So it’s my opportunity to step up, and I have that chance now. Taking it day by day. A lot of the progression doesn’t happen overnight. It’s about making sure I focus on the little things, just keeping my head down, and trying to get better.”
Dallas has signed journeyman right tackle Jordan Mills to their practice squad. Defensive lineman Ron’Dell Carter has left for Indianapolis.
The Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line has been a mix-and-match experiment over the first three games of the season. La’el Collins has yet to suit up and apparently isn’t close to doing so. Seven-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith has missed the past two games. Cam Erving is on injured reserve.
Terence Steele came out of Sunday’s game with food poisoning. Zack Martin shifted over midgame to play a position he hasn’t tried since college. A rookie was out there snapping the ball to Dak Prescott against the best team in the conference. Suffice it to say, it’s been a cobbled-together unit. And now the front office is bringing in new parts and pieces to work with.
On Tuesday, the Cowboys signed right tackle Jordan Mills to the team’s practice squad. A fifth-round draft pick in 2013, Mills has seen action in 90 games, with 84 starts on his resume.
The #Cowboys signed veteran tackle Jordan Mills to the practice squad, per the wire.
Originally drafted by the Bears, Mills has also spent time with Detroit, Buffalo, Miami, and Arizona, as well as a previous short stint in Dallas.
The Cowboys claimed Mills in early September 2015, but a foot injury kept him out of the season opener, played just days later. The Louisiana Tech product was released the following week to make room for another lineman.
Now he returns to Dallas to provide some sorely-needed depth as OL coach Joe Philbin’s group struggles to find its footing in this young and injury-riddled season.
In other roster news, the organization has lost one of its practice squad darlings.
A blow to Cowboys' depth on D-line: rookie DT Ron'Dell Carter has terminated his contract in pursuit of opportunity elsewhere. Once he clears COVID-19 protocol, he intends to sign to the Colts' 53-man roster, per agent Adam Seifer. Carter was coveted prospect on practice squad.
Ron’Dell Carter was a defensive superstar at James Madison in the FCS. The undrafted free agent was a promising prospect entering 2020’s Cowboys camp and looked to be something of a project for new defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.
Now he’ll be wearing a horseshoe on his helmet instead of a star as he looks to break onto a starting roster.
Add Dontari Poe to the growing list of Dallas Cowboys players wondering aloud where their employer stands when it comes to their efforts to push back against systemic racism in the United States. The veteran defensive tackle, signed back in March, …
Add Dontari Poe to the growing list of Dallas Cowboys players wondering aloud where their employer stands when it comes to their efforts to push back against systemic racism in the United States.
The veteran defensive tackle, signed back in March, has heard from new head coach Mike McCarthy and new position coach Jim Tomsula, but according to a story from Bleacher Report‘s Kalyn Kahler, the former first-round draft pick says the silence from team owner Jerry Jones is noticeable.
“Haven’t talked to Jerry at all,” Poe says in the Bleacher Report piece. “I hope he comes out and shows his support. ⊠You are an owner of an NFL teamâyou get what I’m saying? The majority of this team are these people that are being oppressed. So even if you are not going to be in the forefront, we need to know we have your support in that type of way.”
Jones has been conspicuously quiet in the wake of the numerous rallies in cities across the country and ongoing discussions at every level of society following the murder of George Floyd.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott pledged $1 million in support of police training, education, and advocacy. Running back Ezekiel Elliott appeared in a video addressed to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell demanding an official league response. Team notables Amari Cooper, DeMarcus Ware, Nate Newton, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Gerald McCoy have all publicly spoken out or brought attention to efforts to initiatives for change.
But despite one video alluding to years’ worth of conversations between the team and local judges, police chiefs, and attorneys that “reflects the organizationâs statement” on social justice and a few social media posts from team accounts, there has been no direct word from the outspoken owner of “America’s Team” on this issue that affects every corner of America.
For Poe, the issue became personal in 2017. As a member of the Atlanta Falcons that season, Poe took a knee during the national anthem before the team’s Week 3 game. He says he received clear support from Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn.
The following two years, with the Carolina Panthers, Poe served on the team’s player impact committee.
This offseason, Poe tells Bleacher Report that he’s been at the Cowboys’ facility almost every day. As per Kahler, Poe says McCarthy and Tomsula “both voiced their support for the Black community and the fight against systemic racism during Zoom meetings with players.”
But nothing from Jones.
“His silence definitely means a lot because in any other situation [he] will have something to say about most things,” Poe is quoted as saying. “I was once a proponent of doing stuff behind closed doors, and doing what I need to do not out in the forefront. … So hopefully he is doing that, but who knows what he is doing. ⊠Personally, I would hope that he comes out and says, ‘OK, I am willing to help, I am willing to fight, and I am willing to be with y’all.'”
Through one lens, Hill’s rookie season was a disappointment. Through another, it was an internship for a prospect starting at the bottom.
There the Dallas Cowboys sat, lucked into the perfect scenario. No one in their right mind figured they’d be this fortunate when they came on the clock for the first time in the draft. The team sat back and let team after team make selections without making an attempt to move up, and now had a clear chance to boost their talent base, with not just one player inexplicably sliding to them, but they had choice.
As mock draft after mock draft played out in the weeks leading up to draft weekend, it was wholly inconceivable the Cowboys would ever be this fortunate. Yet there they were, on the clock ready to seize the gift handed to them by the football gods.
Only the Cowboys zigged instead of zagged. Oh, you thought this was a retelling of how the club selected CeeDee Lamb? Silly rabbits, this is the tale of how just a year earlier, Dallas passed on the obvious choice of any of three safeties in Taylor Rapp, Nasir Adderley or Juan Thornhill and instead selected defensive tackle Trysten Hill.
Entering the 2019 draft, the safety position was largely seen as the achilles heel of the Dallas defense. The prior season had come to an inglorious end at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams’ rushing attack in the division round. Lasting memories of strong safety Jeff Heath looking the wrong direction as Goff scrambled for a crucial third-down conversion in the fourth quarter are etched in fan’s cerebrals.
The 2019 draft was celebrated to have several safeties who could start immediately, but after trading their first-round pick midseason for WR Amari Cooper, most felt Dallas was too far back at No. 58 to grab any of the top six prospects at the position.
So when their time on the clock came and not one, not two, but three of them sat waiting, it felt like the jackpot to the fanbase. Only Dallas didn’t select any of them. Despite a breakout season from NT Antwaun Woods, big money and a couple years remaining in Tyrone Crawford, Maliek Collins and free agent signings Christian Covington and Kerry Hyder, the club selected Hill.
The fuse of the fan’s short temper was lit before Hill ever donned the proverbial draft cap and then he failed to change their minds.
Hill’s Time at UCF
Drafted out of Central Florida, Hill had an interesting story that raised red flags in some quarters. Recruited as a 30-front nose tackle, Hill showed great promise as an 18-year old, notching a sack and five TFLs in nine games. He stepped that up to two sacks as a sophomore, but a coaching and scheme change moved him from budding prospect to a bench player.
Coach Scott Frost moved him to the bench in a 40-front and Hill started just one game though he notched three sacks and 10.5 TFLs.
There was plenty of discussion about Hill’s reported attitude problem as the reason he landed in Frost’s dog house, but defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli spent extensive time researching and with the young prospect predraft and convinced the team’s brass he was a diamond in the rough.
Marinelli, now in Las Vegas as the Raiders’ DL coach, also convinced the club to draft Taco Charlton – a player with apparent self-motivation issues who is now on his third NFL team in four years after being Dallas’ first-round pick in 2017.
âLeading up to the draft, he helped me with the whole process. You know, he was really that person I could talk to, call on the phone. Heâd call me, hey how you doing, who talked to you, he wanted to know the inside stuff too, you know. With him, having him, you know kind of watch over me and guide me through it helped out tremendously. And when I was picked here, I mean not a lot of people get to go to the team they want to, so it was a blessing.â
Hill’s First Season and What’s Next
Hill couldn’t crack the rotation though, and was inactive the first two games of the season. He saw snaps in four of the next five contests and was generally ineffective, seeing his snaps decrease from 34 in Week 3 to just 13 in Week 7. He’d sit for several weeks before reemerging a bit, playing just 36 snaps from Week 12 on.
He recorded just four tackles on the season, two quarterback hits and no sacks.
That’s about as big a disappointment for a team’s first pick in a draft as one can imagine.
But all hope isn’t lost, or at least it shouldn’t be.
First and foremost, Hill’s extremely young, still the youngest member of Dallas’ DL at just 22 years old. Both defensive linemen drafted in 2020, Oklahoma’s Neville Gallimore is already 23 and Hill is two months behind Utah’s Bradlee Anae.
There was plenty of talk about Hill’s skill set when he was drafted, but he left school a year early rather then spend another season in Frost’s dog house.
If one views Hill as a draft pick who spent his senior season interning with an NFL club, gaining actual experience practicing against professionals, then the outlook on someone with his physical gifts warrant consideration as a redemption story.
Like Gallimore, Hill’s best trait is an insanely quick first step. If the rest of the package can come together, that elite trait is one that can be the basis of a solid NFL career.
Hill's quick first step jumps off the screen. Tough for a center to handle that kind of quickness/explosiveness off the snap. Hill can certainly penetrate and play in the backfield. pic.twitter.com/EId6IRMDli
After spending a year with Rod Marinelli, Hill will now work with DL wizard Jim Tomsula. The latter will be incorporating plenty of 30-front principles, which is where Hill showed a lot of promise at Central Florida. With a year of added strength, and lowered expectations, he could surprise in 2020.
Everyone wanted a safety, and then safety play in 2019 was underwhelming, further exacerbating the issue of Hill’s selection and lack of contribution.
With a gluttony of talent now ahead of him, starting with free agent signings Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe, no one thinks Hill will be much of a contributor, and it could turn into the perfect opportunity for him.
This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. With 96 days remaining until the NFL’s first game, up next is defensive end Jalen Jelks.
The Dallas Cowboys news for June 5, 2020 including Michael Gallup, Tyrone Crawford, The Black Live Matters movement and more
The Dallas Cowboys continue their quest for a sixth Lombardi trophy this season. Today, take a look in on wide receiver Michael Gallup along with hype surrounding the new look defense being lead by defensive coordinator Jim Tomsula. Amari Cooper, he’s really good at what he does.
There is a lot going in the world bigger than football though, bigger than the Cowboys and bigger than sports as a whole. Â If a global pandemic wasn’t enough to throw a wrench in the world of sports’ plans for 2020, more police brutality has resulted in the death of yet another Black man in America. Since this tragic event, peaceful protests on social injustice have been prominent across the country and coming with that, unfortunately, are violent riots and looting.
Ezekiel Elliott joins fellow stars in the NFL in a very powerful video shared to the world, forcing the reluctant NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to echo words of support for Black Lives Matter.
Two years ago, the Cowboys started to have a conversation about the social injustice that happens every day in America. On Friday, 11 days after Floyd’s murder, the players broke the organization’s silence.
Some of the biggest names in the NFL speak out in a powerful video sent out to the world. It was an iconic statement of high impact, demanding the league account for their role in silencing peaceful protest against brutality for the years leading up to the events of the past two weeks.
The video, which it turns out was made by NFL media employees without the initial consent of the league.
We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChangepic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv
Jourdan Rodrigue went behind the scenes with the NFL employee responsible for setting up the video, and how day after day of the league’s inaction after a shallow public statement dismayed and infuriated many of the league’s employees. It led Byrndon Mintor to want to do more, reaching out to the Saints’ Michael Thomas who went on a recruiting rampage to organize players. His first call, former Ohio State teammate Ezekiel Elliott.
The end result, Roger Goodell was forced make a public statement of support for Black Lives Matter. Chess.
He was a top-50 talent who fell to 81st in the 2018 draft. And despite an 1,100-yard sophomore season as a Cowboy, Michael Gallup still seems to be flying under the radar. That’s due in part to the household names he shares the WR room with in Dallas… but it’s also because the Colorado State product needs to clean up an issue with frequent drops.
The incomparable John Owning is back at it again, showing the nuance of football skill in fine detail. Here he looks at Cooper’s famous sluggo route, which he identified to Cowboys Wire last season was his absolute favorite to run.
Mike McCarthy gets the spotlight, but his coaching hires may end up being the star, particularly along the defensive line. When you look at team sack rankings, making good playing great, turning collective talent into team success, and shutting down opponents’ run attacks, Jim Tomsula stands to bring the D back to Dallas in a big way.
It’s hard to think America’s Team needs to put out the call for new fans, but Adam Schein says now may be a good time to get on the ‘Boys’ bus. He calls Mike McCarthy’s hiring “one of the most significant moves of this offseason” and thinks “Dallas’ loaded offense is going to sizzle.”
The veteran defensive lineman will be returning to play for a new defensive coordinator in 2020. Here’s an inside look on why he will make the most of it.
Cooper Rush and Mike White didn’t exactly instill truckloads of confidence in fans’ minds over recent seasons. But, oh, how quickly things can change. The Cowboys suddenly find themselves with- according to this list- the best backup quarterback in the league with the signing of the three-time Pro Bowler.
It’s never too early to start building the big board, and offensive line is always a place to add as much depth as possible. Get a leg up on learning the names of hot collegiate prospects like Penei Sewell, Samuel Cosmi, Trey Smith, and Jackson Carman.
Antwaun Woods looks to have a bounce back season in 2020 but has plenty of competition to be with the Cowboys this season.
The Dallas Cowboys have spent their off-season adding to their defense; specifically their defensive line. Two of their three key free-agent acquisitions along with multiple draft picks have the Cowboys looking at a much improved unit in 2020. Possibly getting lost amongst the addition to the new pieces is returning defensive tackle Antwaun Woods.
Technically, Woods is a still a free agent. As an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) he can’t sign anywhere else this off-season and it is expected he’ll sign his tender soon which will pay him the non-guaranteed league minimum. Next year, he will be a restricted free agent (RFA) which doesn’t favor Woods at all as he’s already 27 years old and has limited opportunity to earn a big payday before his prime years have passed. For all of the discussion about salaries being out of control, Woods is a poster child for why raising league minimum salaries was a key element in the most recent CBA barely passing.
He’s also a poster child for how quickly opportunity could be lost. With the club adding two free agents and a draft pick at defensive tackle, Woods finds himself in a tough situation. None of the excitement Woods created with a stellar 2018 campaign remains after a lackluster 2019. It likely wasn’t regression though, as the injury bug sapped his ability to be a big-play guy like he was down the stretch in 2018.
2019 was a string of injuries for Woods, however. The Cowboys followed the wild-card win over Seattle with a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round, where Dallas was gouged in the run game by Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson for over 200 yards. It turns out Woods played that game with a torn shoulder labrum that required surgery.
During this past regular season, he was able to suit up in just 10 of the Cowboys’ 16 games. Midway through the Week 2 contest against Washington, Woods hurt his knee when Maliek Collins rolled up on the back of his leg, spraining his MCL. He would miss the next three contests and didn’t seem right for several games to follow.
Woods then suffered another knee injury against the Patriots in Week 11, forcing him to miss the next two contests, and proving he wasn’t healthy when he returned, he sat out the meaningless finale against Washington.
In his 10 contest he was able to rack up 23 tackles, 11 solo. He didn’t get to the quarterback to register any sacks but did have bursts of impact. He managed to see the field on 310 snaps which represented about 29 percent of the Cowboys defensive plays in 2019.
Antwaun Woods was on the field for 6 run plays and made stops on 4 of them. Here, he does an excellent job straining to regain the play-side A-gap while use his length to maintain the separation necessary to get off the block and make the tackle. pic.twitter.com/VVZC4MGLYn
As Dallas Morning News writer John Owning describes though, there was inconsistency in his play.
However, Woods lacked consistency, as he was just as likely to get displaced out his gap as he was to penetrate and disrupt. Woods also struggled mightily against double teams, which isnât great given that a nose tackleâs first job requirement is to demand and absorb double teams in an effort to give the linebackers a chance to pursue without being immediately encumbered by blockers. When you add in Woodsâ inability to make an impact as a pass-rusher, his inconsistency against the run became a bigger and bigger issue upfront.
And now this year, Woods has competition. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan prefers more stout defensive linemen, and with the limited play Woods was able to put on film in 2019, the new staff likely wouldn’t be enthusiastic. With the signing of behemoth defensive tackle Dontari Poe and a multifaceted Gerald McCoy, Woods finds himself in a larger rotation than years past.
That was before the club selected Oklahoma nose tackle Neville Gallimore in the third round this past draft. The staff is so high on him, they considered taking him in the second round ahead of the dire cornerback need filled by Trevon Diggs.
Not to mention, Tyrone Crawford who plays up-and-down the defensive line is returning from his almost full year off due to his own injury. The Cowboys will also factor in second-year defensive tackle Trysten Hill who in his own right is looking for a rebound season after a relatively quiet rookie campaign. Depth is good to have on the defensive line, especially on the interior, but for Woods in 2020, he will have to be playing at an elite level to see the field.
According to CBS Sports writer, Patrik Walker, Woods is going to have to show he has the most upside out of the other men at his position on the Cowboys depth chart to make this team in September. His position on the 2020 Dallas Cowboys also relies heavily on the reinstatement of Randy Gregory as well.
There’s no mistaking the impact Woods can make when healthy and fresh, and an opportunity to work with new defensive line coach Jim Tomsula shouldn’t be overlooked. The numbers game indicate that he’ll have to prove himself in a major way in training camp.
The Cowboys are tops in home attendance, no rest for defensive linemen, the one trade Dallas needs most, and a new number for Jourdan Lewis.
Despite a disappointing season, the Cowboys are well-represented in a couple of best-of lists from the 2019 campaign, in terms of both players and the fans that come watch them at home. But the focus has already turned to 2020, most notably for the new coaching staff and fans trying to peg their tendencies early. One player is even shedding 2019’s bad mojo by donning a new number next season.
All that, plus forecasting the one big trade that could put Dallas over the hump, guessing where one Cowboys receiver will be playing, and wondering if another will be coming back. Here’s the News and Notes.
By not being one of the twelve teams to make the 2019 postseason, the Cowboys were not in the top 37.5% of the NFL, at least according to pure mathematics. But math also says nearly five percent of the league’s best players suit up in Dallas blue and silver.
Pro Football Focus has released its list of the top 101 players from the 2019 campaign, and the Cowboys are represented by a quintet of stars. Offensive line is still considered the team’s strong suit, as guard Zack Martin ranks 35th and tackle La’el Collins misses the top 40 by one spot. DeMarcus Lawrence is the only Dallas defensive player on the countdown, at 55. Wideout Amari Cooper comes in at 64, and quarterback Dak Prescott sits at 93.
America’s Team, indeed. The Cowboys led the league in average home attendance over the 2019 season, putting 12,000 more butts in seats than the second-place team.
Great in-the-building insight from David Helman as he explores how the new defensive line coach in Dallas intends to move his chess pieces around on the field. While the personnel is obviously in flux this early in the offseason, Jim Tomsula implies that DeMarcus Lawrence and Co. should plan on fewer breathers.
Helman points out that under Rod Marinelli, Lawrence and Robert Quinn “played 65% and 68% of the defensive snaps, respectively, ceding the field to backups in key situations.”
“The goal is to have as many guys as you can playing and go. But if there’s a dropoff, then we’ve got problems,” the former 49ers staffer says of his philosophy. “That crew in San Francisco, the first couple years, there was no rotation. I told them, ‘If you tap your helmet, I’m turning my head.'”
First things first. No, Cowboys fans did NOT miss the announcement of a total breakdown in talks between the team and its leading receiver, Amari Cooper. So when former pro quarterback and current network analyst David Carr puts out a list of the teams the free agent could eventually sign with, take solace in the Cowboys’ place atop the pile. Carr even admits that, “From a pure football standpoint, Cooper being in Dallas makes the most sense.”
But that headline doesn’t exactly generate a lot of clicks. So Carr theorizes about four other teams who would obviously love to swoop in and lure Cooper away if the Joneses decide to get overly thrifty with the Pro Bowler after just a season and a half.
Former Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant continues to tantalize fans with thoughts of a return to Dallas. On Thursday, he tweeted his willingness to not be his next team’s top option at receiver.
I want to be a part of a team where Iâm not the focal point.. I have no problem not being the main guy…. I bet I do damage
Training with wide receiver coach David Robinson, Bryant can be seen running routes, hauling in passes, and throwing up the X for the camera as his 2020 comeback bid continues.
Certain franchises sometimes seem to draft from a particular school over and over. It’s hard to not believe that Jason Garrett’s staff had a stronger-than-average affinity for Boise State guys, given the number of Broncos on the roster over the years. But do new head coach Mike McCarthy and new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan have any notable go-tos when it comes to plucking college kids for the pros?
Maybe. While the list of schools they’ve most often drawn from closely mirrors the overall makeup of the league in regard to alma maters, history shows that Golden Domers may have a slight statistical edge when the 2020 Cowboys are on the clock. And fans coveting a certain safety from LSU may find some small bit of encouragement in how many Bayou Bengals McCarthy and Nolan have drafted.
Every team wants to believe they are just one roster move away from a championship. In that spirit, Brent Sobleski examines each NFL roster and theorizes the one best trade each franchise could make this offseason- either to acquire or ship off a single player- that gets them closer.
Granting the ultimate wish of many a Cowboys fan, he suggests the Cowboys trade for Jets safety Jamal Adams. While that deal fell apart in 2019 and Adams now hints that he’ll stay put in New York, it’s still possible that the Joneses pony up to bring Adams back to his native Texas and that he wears the star in 2020. Sobleski muses that it would cost the Cowboys a first- and a third-round draft pick.
