Tag: Tyron Smith

Looney Tunes: Earning starting nod again for Cowboys will be music to big man’s ears

When it comes to the 2020 Dallas Cowboys offensive line, Looney’s experience may key factor in open competition.

Joe Looney finds himself in a similar situation to the one he endured  in 2018. The unexpected loss of Travis Frederick has thrust him into the spotlight as the projected starting center for the 2020 Dallas Cowboys.

Entering his ninth season, Looney enters his fifth campaign with Dallas after re-signing in the offseason. If he earns the starting nod, it will be just the second time in his career he’s done so.

Looney was signed with the club in 2016 as a free agent. He started one game as an offensive lineman, the final Week 17 contest when the club was resting starters. He was a regular on the field, though, as he was often used as the sixth lineman, appearing in 11 other games in this capacity. That role continued in 2017, but despite not getting much on-field time, Looney was a huge factor in the locker room.

Literally, huge.

In 2018 his opportunity finally came in.

When Frederick announced he was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré Syndrome, it immediately ended any chance of him resuming his role as the starting center. Looney, having a few years of experience under his belt, was thrown into the starter’s role rather abruptly during the preseason. He started all 16 games for the Cowboys that year. For Dallas, it was a year surrounded by a lot of hype as they finished 10-6 after missing the playoffs the previous year.

 

Looney appeared as the starting center in their playoff win against the Seattle Seahawks that season, but the Cowboys found themselves on the losing end in the following round to the Los Angeles Rams.

The following year, Frederick made a triumphant return to the starting lineup, putting Looney back on the sidelines and limiting him to just one start, again in Week 17.

With the Cowboys having an amazing amount of roster turnover, and with them having an idea of Frederick’s plans they wisely rewarded Looney with a new one-year contract for 2020. The Cowboys were thought by some to suddenly have huge shoes to fill on their offensive line, but if Joe Looney didn’t have issues shining in this role in 2018, why couldn’t he do it again?

While all signs point to Joe Looney being the Cowboys starting center in 2020, he does have some younger players behind him on the current depth chart. It’s possible one or more could give him a run for his money and be named starter before opening night.

The left guard position could be a battle between the two Connors, third year man Connor Williams and Connor McGovern (coming back after his 2019 rookie stint was spent on injured reserved). Believe it or not, both names have been brought up to compete with Looney, as they both can shift over and play center. The Cowboys made a splash in the 2020 NFL Draft when they traded into the fourth round to select Wisconsin center Tyler Biadiasz. Of course, questions were raised surrounding the wisdom of inserting Biadiasz into the team’s starting lineup in his rookie year.

 

Left tackle Tyron Smith, right guard Zack Martin, and right tackle La’el Collins seem to have their positions solidified on the offensive line. Looney has the experience factor when entering the 2020 Dallas Cowboys training camp. He has more than proven he has the talent, skill, and size to be the starting center for the Cowboys this year. The youth behind him on the depth chart has plenty of potential and can serve as motivation for Looney, but when it comes to starting a new regime with a new head coach and staff, experience sometimes outweighs everything. Expect Looney to be the one snapping the ball to franchise quarterback Dak Prescott when the season kicks off in September.

This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. Up next is RT La’el Collins.

| Antwaun Woods | Tyrone Crawford | Trysten Hill | Jalen Jelks |
| Dontari Poe | Randy Gregory | Gerald McCoy | Dorance Armstrong |
| L.P. Ladouceur | DeMarcus Lawrence | Blake Jarwin | CeeDee Lamb |
| Cole Hikutini | Dalton Schultz | Noah Brown | Sean McKeon |
| Ventell Bryant | Jon’vea Johnson | Blake Bell | Justin Hamilton |
| Cody Wichmann | Tyron Smith | Ladarius Hamilton |
| Neville Gallimore | Terence Steele |

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News: Jadeveon Clowney targeting Cowboys, Blake Jarwin a sleeper?

Jadeveon Clowney has his eye on Dallas. Ezekiel Elliott being sued. Blake Jarwin’s value is rising. Dak Prescott’s contract value high.

The topic of conversation over the last few days for the Dallas Cowboys has been All-Pro safety Jamal Adams and who media members and fans would give up in a trade to acquire him. That all shifted today when reports of top free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was said to have had his eye on just a few teams to finally sign with, one of them being the Cowboys.

Adding a top-tier edge rusher would definitely benefit this year’s team, but once again, money seems to always be the overriding issue. Could Dallas afford him? The Cowboys will be making more moves as the summer grows long. One thing to keep an eye on, however, is the long-term extension of the recently franchise tagged Dak Prescott, who has been mentioned as one of the more valuable contracts waiting to get done. The team’s star running back is also back in the news for all the wrong reasons, but it likely won’t be labeled as detrimental as issues of the past. And Blake Jarwin finds himself in fantasy football talks? All this and much more in today’s Cowboys news.

Report: Dallas Cowboys are one of two teams on top of free agent DE Jadeveon Clowney’s preferred list :: Blogging the Boys

PFN’s Tony Pauline reports that the former Texans and Seahawks pass rusher has mentioned Dallas and New Orleans at the top of his wish list when forecasting his 2020 roster spot. RJ Ochoa digs into whether the Cowboys can afford him… and perhaps more important, whether they even need him.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott faces lawsuit over dog attack :: Cowboys Wire

The star Cowboys running back is in the news today, and it has nothing to do with COVID-19. Ezekiel Elliott is being sued after his dogs allegedly attacked a worker at Elliott’s home.

Mahomes, Prescott among those who most deserve new contracts :: NFL.com

Echoing what most Cowboys fans have been screaming for, the network’s analytics expert Cynthia Frelund uses “win-share model results and forward-looking projections to estimate future win impact” and says Dak Prescott, who she calls “crucial to the Cowboys’ success,” is the third-most urgent deal waiting to get done leaguewide.

Film room: 3 free agents who could still improve the Cowboys’ roster, including this immovable object at nose tackle :: Dallas Morning News

John Owning goes shopping to stock the shelves in Dallas. He comes away with wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, who he calls “basically a more productive version of Tavon Austin,” edge rusher Cam Wake to perhaps platoon with Aldon Smith and Bradlee Anae opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, and Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison, the aforementioned immovable object “who can absorb double-teams to keep his linebackers clean, defeat single blocks and make plays around or behind the line of scrimmage.”

Building the best NFL team money can buy under the 2020 salary cap :: NFL.com

In this interesting hypothetical bang-for-the-buck exercise, media researcher Anthony Holzman-Escareno crunches both stats and salaries. La’el Collins makes his squad’s starting lineup at right tackle, while Joe Looney, Gerald McCoy, Anthony Brown, and Xavier Woods are all on the 53-man roster as backups.

Is Blake Jarwin a deep sleeper to target on the loaded Dallas Cowboys offense? :: Yahoo Sports

With the NFL season set to start in just a few months, it’s also time to dive deep into fantasy football. Blake Jarwin could be a late-round player to benefit greatly from a stacked 2020 Dallas Cowboys offense.

High expectations, unyielding family demands couldn’t stop Cowboys Tyron Smith from greatness :: Cowboys Wire

One of the best offensive tackles in football is showcased this ongoing countdown to the start of the season. Take a look back at Smith’s early years, his rise to the top rankings at his position, his setbacks, and his outlook as the man responsible for protecting Dak Prescott’s blind side.

Rank ‘Em: The Cowboys’ 8 all-time franchise tags :: The Mothership

The franchise tag has been a pivotal tool for the Cowboys over the years. The team website ranks the top 8 franchise tags of all time. You’ll find the obvious and most recent ones towards the front of the list: Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Dez Bryant. But a few forgotten names mentioned go to show how this tag has evolved over time (and how much better the Cowboys are now as a team).

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins on coronavirus risk: Football ‘nonessential’ :: ESPN

The 12-year veteran and NFLPA executive committee member told CNN this week that the risk surrounding COVID-19 “has to really be eliminated” before he would be comfortable returning to play. There are no doubt plenty of other players who feel the same, even as the league tells teams to open their 2020 training camps on time.

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Cowboys News: Zeke’s COVID fallout, Lamb and Cooper run routes, Larry Allen made guys sit out

Also in Cowboys news, a surprising game-by-game prediction for 2020, hypothetical trade targets, and a look at second-chance players.

Slow news day? Never in Cowboys Nation. The revelation of Ezekiel Elliott’s COVID-19 diagnosis is still front and center, possibly casting the league’s best-laid plans for a full 2020 season in jeopardy.

Elsewhere, more buzz from this week’s naming of the “all-decade team,” more eager anticipation of CeeDee Lamb’s Dallas debut, and more trade talk (albeit purely hypothetical) regarding Jamal Adams. Plus, we’re looking at the regular season schedule game-by-game, the Cowboys roster in terms of positional battles, and how Amari Cooper does what he does… with breakdown from the birthday boy himself. All that and more- including a history lesson about a forgotten football pioneer, and a story about how one Cowboys Hall of Famer caused a rash of phantom illnesses for his opponents- make up the Wednesday edition of News and Notes.

Cowboys news: Ezekiel Elliott’s diagnosis re-focuses the issues for the 2020 season :: Blogging the Boys

With Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott testing positive for COVID-19, the NFL is being forced to reevaluate all plans heading into 2020.

NFL all-decade: Best player on each NFC East team, every position :: ESPN

While several Cowboys were named to The WorldWide Leader’s “all-decade” squad, only one can earn the title of Best Cowboys Player of 2010-2019. Tyron Smith helped Dallas “change their draft thought process with his success,” and “an argument can be made that he is on his way” to a bronze bust in Canton.

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will lead opponents to slaughter :: Cowboys Wire

Our player profiles continue with an in-depth look at the team’s first-round draft pick, the explosive wideout who will almost certainly “be the foundation of the Cowboys offense in a short period of time.”

Dallas Cowboys: 6 matchups to look forward to in 2020 :: The Landry Hat

The Cowboys will have plenty of interesting one-on-one battles on their roster this season. Lucas Mascherin of The Landry Hat breaks down six of the best.

Film room: Exploring 3 ‘fantasy’ player-for-player trades for the Cowboys, including a deal involving Jamal Adams :: Dallas Morning News

John Owning gets hypothetical (with help from the Twitterverse) and looks at a trio of possible one-for-one swaps. How would you feel about Trysten Hill for Raiders tight end Foster Moreau? Jourdan Lewis for Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson? How about La’el Collins for Jets safety Jamal Adams? Owning would bite on just two of them…

Mailbag: Are people forgetting about Zuerlein? :: The Mothership

Don’t be shocked if the veteran kicker (who’s reuniting with his longtime special teams coordinator) ends being the top free-agency upgrade of 2020. “Zuerlein’s numbers dipped last year,” notes staff writer David Helman, “but he was ridiculously reliable for seven years before that. And he was playing through injuries for most of 2019 – a fact of which I’m sure John Fassel is very aware.”

105.3 Fan ‘Nosebleed Seats’ show: Jerry’s silence, Crayton pulling up :: Cowboys Wire

Our own K.D. Drummond covers all the bases in this radio chat, ranging from the recent Romo-versus-Eli debate to COVID-19 and how it may (or may not) have reset expectations for Mike McCarthy’s first year on the Dallas sidelines.

Cowboys Assistant George Edwards To Participate in NFL Coaching Summit :: Inside The Star

Senior defensive assistant coach George Edwards will participate in a virtual quarterback coaching summit hosted by the NFL and the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

Glazer’s NFL offseason mailbag: Will Josh Allen lead the Bills to the playoffs? :: The Athletic

Scroll past the Buffalo forecast, and there are three Cowboys items of interest from the NFL insider. One, Glazer says the Dallas front office will “absolutely not” let things with quarterback Dak Prescott reach the holdout stage. Two, he thinks the Cowboys will be “a strong contender” this year. And three, he shares a few cool stories about Larry Allen, including how opposing defensive tackles routinely came down with a mysterious illness the very week they were set to square off against the massive Cowboys guard.

Adam Rank’s 2020 record prediction for Cowboys :: NFL.com

Going one game at a time, the network writer sees Dallas starting slow at 1-2, but finishing very strong (including a late-December shocker) to wrap up the NFC East title and claim the conference’s No. 2 postseason seed with a 12-4 record.

Has giving out so many second chances been worth it for the Dallas Cowboys? :: The Athletic

Jon Machota looks at Jerry Jones’s proclivity for taking on risky reclamation projects, from Alonzo Spellman and Adam “Pacman” Jones to Terrell Owens and Charles Haley. Some have worked out; others have not. It remains to be seen which category Aldon Smith will fall into.

How to run the perfect routes with Cowboys WR Amari Cooper :: Touchdown Wire

In an NFL Game Pass Film Session, Kurt Warner and Brian Baldinger sit down with the four-time Pro Bowler for a clinical breakdown of how the wideout technician handles his business- both physically and mentally- on gameday.

NFL pioneer Fritz Pollard’s life story more relevant than ever :: NFL.com

There’s no direct Cowboys connection per se, but the story of one of the NFL’s first Black players- and its first Black coach- is a fascinating and important chapter that fans of every team should know about. Check out this preview of the NFL:360 deep-dive into the groundbreaking life and career of Fritz Pollard.

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Cowboys News: Tyron’s final star season? Best and worst of Dallas’ offseason

The NFL extends its virtual off-season program. Which Cowboys will determine the success of this Cowboys team? Lamb on special teams

Around this time every year,  global pandemic or not, the league gets a little quiet. Players and coaches alike plan on those last vacations before training camp is set to kick start in July. The virtual off-season will continue until at least June 26. Some coaches are cutting it early to give the players a little extra time to themselves to relax with their families or get themselves even more ready for the 2020 campaign.

Also right around this time every year, the media across all platforms start to zero in on making their predictions as to who will be in camp. There are plenty of storylines to go around for the Dallas Cowboys as camp nears. Some less noteworthy players will be the ones that determine if 2020 is a success or not. The coaching staff is completely new except for Kellen Moore sticking around. Find out why offensive line coach Joe Philbin might have been the most important hire of them all. All this and plenty more in todays Cowboys news.

Cowboys’ success in 2020 will be determined beyond star players :: ESPN

Typically most would say the success of this year’s Cowboys team is determined by guys like Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper. However it’s the under-the-radar guys such as Tyrone Crawford, Jourdan Lewis, Joe Looney and plenty of others to determine how successful this season is.

Could 2020 be Tyron Smith’s Last With the Dallas Cowboys? :: Inside The Star

In what can be considered one of the hottest takes of the day, due to the Corona Virus pandemic, it seems like the Cowboys may be in a position not to bring is as much revenue as in years past. This may force the Cowboys to make some tough decisions as early as 2021.

Three best acquisitions and three biggest losses for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason ::: Blogging The Boys

Two of the three best acquisitions came from the 2020 NFL Draft. The three worst come from two players signing with the highest bidder and one shocking retirement.

Ranking the 10 Biggest Fluke Seasons in NFL History :: Bleacher Report

Believe it or not, the Super Bowl XXX MVP falls on this list of biggest fluke seasons of all time. After Larry Brown made Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell look silly in the big game, he was forgotten about rather quickly.

5 Most Intriguing Dallas Cowboys to Watch in 2020 :: Inside The Star

The 2020 Dallas Cowboys have plenty of storylines heading into the next phase of the off-season, but for guys like Cee Dee Lamb, Blake Jarwin, Aldon Smith and a few other highly notable Cowboys, it’s their stories to pay close attention to.

Mailbag: How Many Spots Will CeeDee Play? :: The Mothership

Cee Dee Lamb was drafted at No. 17 overall not just to be the next stud wide receiver. Lamb would be a dangerous threat on special teams as well as Cowboys fans held their breathe on every return.

Cowboys offensive line coach Joe Philbin is quietly one of the best hires this offseason :: Blogging The Boys

NFL games are won and lost up front and for Mike McCarthy’s newly assembled staff, Joe Philbin will lead the charge and coach this offensive line. Philbin is one of five former head coaches to be on the 2020 Cowboys staff.

NFL extends virtual period through June 26 in place of minicamps :: NFL.com

Much like the headline reads, there will be no progress on getting players into the buildings until at least June 26. Players and coaches around the league knew this, but today it was made official.

Philadelphia Eagles omitted from ranking of the best offensive tackle duos in the NFL

Eagles offensive tackles snubbed in a ranking of the best OT duos in the NFL

The Eagles are entering a new day at the left tackle position and the loss of Jason Peters has been resounding so far this offseason.

Offensive tackle is almost second to quarterback in terms of importance, and the 2020 NFL Draft provided proof with five offensive tackles coming off the board over the first 18 picks of the first round.

Pro Football Focus recently listed the top-5 offensive tackle duos in the NFL and unlike past years, the Philadelphia Eagles weren’t represented on the list.

With Peters moving on in free agency, Andre Dillard has been tasked with replacing the legend. The fact that the Eagles have spent the entire offseason flirting with Peters indicates that someone in the NovaCare Complex isn’t necessarily sold on Dillard as the left tackle of the future.

The Saints duo of left tackle Terron Armstead and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk landed in the No. 1 spots, followed by the Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith and right tackle La’el Collins.

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News: How high do Cowboys pass catchers rank? Tyron more valuable each year

Aldon Smith still feels great after his layoff and is excited to be reunited with Jim Tomsula. Tyron Smith’s value increases each season.

Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith hasn’t played NFL football in five years. However, a revamped physique and a reunion with former defensive line coach Jim Tomsula have him ready to return to form. Tyron Smith has not only been one of the best left tackles in the game for almost a decade, but his contract allows Dallas serious flexibility.

From Tony Pollard to Donovan Wilson, the Cowboys have a handful of second-year players who have a shot of rising up the depth chart in 2020. Even though Sean Lee filled in successfully for Leighton Vander Esch last season, the return of “Wolf Hunter” puts the Cowboys defense on another level. Jerry Jones’s competitive fire, where rookies Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson fit in the Cowboys defense, and the reaction from the death of George Floyd across the sports world is covered in the news and notes.

Retired Cowboys center Travis Frederick tackles ending child hunger :: ESPN

Life after football for the former All-Pro has a different type of defensive rush trying to make its way in. Fredrick is here to stop it.

Cowboys fullback competition could make for an interesting training camp battle :: Blogging The Boys

Fullback is a forgotten position in some NFL offenses but for the Dallas Cowboys, they may have themselves a fight in camp for that very spot.

Ranking Every NFL Receiving Corps Heading into the 2020 Season :: Bleacher Report

The Cowboys trios of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and new addition Cee Dee Lamb find themselves ranked No. 7 on this list.

How Cowboys OT Tyron Smith is Becoming More Valuable Every Year :: Inside The Star

Not only does the left tackle protect the blindside of franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, but his contract is also a favorable one for the Dallas Cowboys.

5 Cowboys who can make the jump in sophomore seasons :: Cowboys Wire

Tony Pollard, Donovan Wilson, and more have golden opportunities to take the next step in their sophomore seasons.

A healthy Leighton Vander Esch could drastically improve the Dallas defense :: Blogging The Boys

Leighton Vander Esch was coming off of an impressive rookie season before his neck injury forced him to miss seven games in 2019. Now that his back without any restrictions, the Cowboys defense will vastly improve.

Cowboys DE Aldon Smith Still Feels Great, Excited for Jim Tomsula Reunion :: Inside The Star

After a five-year layoff, Aldon Smith feels he’s can still be an effective pass rusher, and reuniting with Jim Tomsula definitely makes him more confident.

Big-money NFL deals are hard, and that fact has kept Cowboys QB Dak Prescott in negotiation limbo :: Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Cowboys are currently working towards a long-term deal with Dak Prescott. With guaranteed dollars and the length of the contract being obvious sticking points, it’s made the negotiations somewhat difficult.

Re-draft of 2005 would remove a significant part of the Dallas Cowboys history :: Blogging The Boys

Find out where the Cowboys all-time sack leader DeMarcus Ware ends up in this 2005 re-draft.

Where Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson might fit in the Cowboys secondary :: Blogging The Boys

David Howman breaks down where talented rookies Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson can fit in the 2020 Cowboys defense.

NFL analyst: A season without fans could affect Dak Prescott’s contract talks with the Cowboys ‘tremendously‘ :: Dallas Morning News

With the possibility of an NFL season without fans in the stands, could the financial loss affect contract negotiations between the Cowboys and Dak Prescott?

‘How can we feel safe?’: Sports figures from the Dallas area and around the world react to the death of George Floyd :: Dallas Morning News

From the Cowboys to the Mavericks, the sports world mourns the death of George Floyd.

Jerry Jones has always been about making the Cowboys a winning team – for good or bad :: Blogging The Boys

He may be more known for his colorful personality, but make no mistake about it, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants to win more than anything.

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3 key Cowboys staying ready during virtual off season

The Covid-19 pandemic is effecting all 32 NFL Teams. The Cowboys have seen a few players go above and beyond to stay ready for what’s next

The 2020 NFL off-season is one of the most unique in league history. The Covid-19 pandemic has altered ways NFL teams can conduct any of their off-season programs such as rookie mini camps and OTA’s. Players are on their own when it comes to holding themselves accountable to be in premier shape if and when the NFL opens their doors to players being permitted in team facilities.

With the Dallas Cowboys having an entire new look with a new coaching staff, it is pivotal they hit the ground running once teams are permitted to do so. Members of the current Cowboys roster are finding unique ways to stay ready for this exact moment. Gerald McCoy, Tyron Smith and CeeDee Lamb are glowing examples.

A newly signed free agent defensive tackle, McCoy has gone above and beyond to be in the best shape of his playing life. McCoy took to Instagram and posted on his story that he’s down 20 pounds.

Working out isn’t the only way to drop the weight as he told ESPN‘s Marty Smith that his diet was changed to vegetarian. Some defensive tackles tip the scales a little over 300 pounds but McCoy stated that he felt off last year and primarily due to his weight.

Star offensive tackle Tyron Smith has taken the same approach when it comes to staying ready for the off-season programs to begin.

Instead of your traditional weightlifting he found quite the unique way to do a “Turkish get-up”. Instead of using body weight or dumbbells, Smith decided to use his son. The seven time Pro Bowler is finding unique ways to not only work on strength, but throwing in balance with this special “dad workout”.

Similar to free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant’s recent social media posts about being in the lab and staying ready, the man that will be wearing No. 88 this season is doing just that.

Lamb has been avidly working with Delfonte Diamond of Diamond Building to work on his route running, agility, and quickness to stay ready before he even steps on the field with his new offense.

In these tough and unusual times, it’s encouraging to see some of the marquee players of the Dallas Cowboys dedicating this time away from team facilities to making sure they can be the best versions of themselves as they prepare to enter a very hyped up 2020 NFL season.

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4 Cowboys draft picks named to PFF’s best-of-2010s decade list

PFF released their top 101 players of the 2010’s, see what Cowboys made the cut.

In the past decade PFF, or Pro Football Focus, has become a household name for their analysis and player grading systems. Recently, PFF published their list of the top 101 NFL players, since the 2010-2011 season. A number of Dallas Cowboys or former Cowboys made the list, including a trio of offensive linemen that should come as no surprise.

Before getting into the rankings a look at some of the criteria used. Rather than focusing on things like talent and potential, this list focus on measurable aspects of the game, such as production, efficiency and performance over the last 10 seasons. The ranking also values postseason performance, total playing time in the decade, and it was created with a “all positions created equal” mentality.

Without further ado, let’s look at the Cowboys that cracked PFF’s top 101 players of the last decade.

34. Travis Frederick, C

PFF: “It’s a shame that illness curtailed a career that was trending towards being one of the greatest in NFL history. Frederick hit the ground running as a pro and graded above 85.0 for the first five seasons of his career before Guillain-Barre syndrome forced him to miss the entirety of the 2018 season. He returned in 2019 and played the whole season, but he wasn’t the same player (though he was still very solid), so he chose to walk away. Even five years of Frederick’s best play is enough to see him rank among the best players of the past decade.”

43. Tyron Smith, T

PFF: “One of the most talented offensive linemen of all time, Tyron Smith has battled through injuries and still ended up as one of the best players of the decade. His peak play was as good as that of any tackle in NFL history. His 2015 regular season grade of 95.0 is the best single-season mark we have ever given to a tackle, and even though he suffered a number of injuries over the second half of the decade, he has never graded below 75.0 overall. Tyron Smith is the player every young offensive lineman wishes he could be — he has been one of the best players of the past decade in the trenches.”

51. Zack Martin, G

PFF: “One of the most consistently dominant linemen in the league every year, Zack Martin may have been the third-most-heralded lineman on his own offensive line for the better part of his career, often taking a backseat while Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick were heavily praised. However, the past few seasons have seen him elevate his game and earn far more recognition in his own right. Going up against — and largely shutting down — Fletcher Cox twice a season within the NFC East will help in that regard, and Martin has now earned an overall PFF grade above 85.0 in five of his first six seasons in the NFL.”

75. Dez Bryant, WR

PFF: “Late-career Dez Bryant became solely a possession receiver, but he was a true game-changer at his peak and a worthy heir to Michael Irvin’s No. 88 jersey in Dallas. Only 40 wide receivers caught 400 or more passes over the course of the decade. Meanwhile, Bryant caught 359 passes that moved the chains alone. He also broke 87 tackles and was singularly difficult to bring to the ground one on one at his best. For his career, Bryant produced a 101.9 passer rating for his quarterbacks when targeted.”

Those four players are the only players that made the list after spending the majority of the decade in Dallas. Two defensive linemen with recent connections also made the cut; recent signing Gerald McCoy, as well as Michael Bennett, who spent this past season with Dallas before leaving in the offseason.

72. Gerald McCoy, DT

PFF: “How fitting that Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy — forever compared as draft prospects — end up one after another on the PFF Top 101 of the decade. McCoy is one of just five interior defenders to have notched 400 or more total pressures over the decade and was regularly the lone threat along the Tampa Bay defensive line that seemed impressively unable to surround him with any kind of assistance. McCoy has been one of the most consistently disruptive defensive tackles of the last decade.”

74.Michael Bennett, DL

PFF: “Michael Bennett, at his best, was a unique force along the defensive line. Ostensibly an edge rusher, he would spend considerable time inside as a defensive tackle and use his child-sized shoulder pads combined with his speed and quickness to knife through the defensive line and wreak havoc in the backfield. Only Von Miller and Cameron Wake had more total pressures over the decade than Bennett did, and no defensive lineman tackled the runner closer to the line of scrimmage on average than he did. For the decade, his average tackle depth was just half a yard downfield against the run.”

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Cowboys add OL depth with former first-rounder Cameron Erving

Dallas continues to stock its roster, this time adding a former first-round lineman who won a Super Bowl ring last year with Kansas City.

The Cowboys have added some beef to the offensive line following the retirement of Travis Frederick and free agency departures of Cameron Fleming and Xavier Su’a-Filo.

The club has agreed to terms with five-year veteran Cameron Erving, according to the official team website. Erving played most recently with Kansas City, starting eight games at left tackle during the Chiefs’ 2019 Super Bowl campaign. Erving can also play guard and even has experience at center. That multi-positional flexibility will make him a valuable addition to the Dallas line, where starters Tyron Smith and La’el Collins both missed time last season, and backups like Joe Looney, Fleming, and Su’a-Filo all played meaningful roles.

The new guy’s name may ring a bell with Cowboys fans. Erving was the other participant in an on-field scuffle with David Irving during the team’s 2016’s Week 9 win over Cleveland. Both players were ejected for the fight.

A first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Florida State, Erving spent his first two NFL seasons with the Browns before being traded to Kansas City in 2017. Erving is listed at 6-foot-5 inches and 313 pounds.

Looks like another smart and savvy pickup for the Cowboys, who continue to stock their roster with experienced players in key positions.

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Should Jets follow Cowboys’ offensive line blueprint in the draft?

The Dallas Cowboys proved that investing in offensive linemen in the first round can lead to offensive success.

The Dallas Cowboys built one of the best offensive lines over the past seven seasons thanks to early investments in the first round of the NFL draft.

They drafted a tackle, a center and a guard with their first picks between 2011 and 2014, creating an impenetrable line of protection that helped cultivate a high-powered offense in Dallas. Now, Joe Douglas should use this strategy as a model for the Jets in 2020, starting with the 11th overall pick in the draft on April 23.

The debate over whether the Jets should use their first-round pick on a lineman or reciever will rage on until New York makes its selection, but the Cowboy’s plan showed that the historical trend of picking quality linemen over skill position picks works. Dallas’ offensive line finished in the top-four of Pro Football Focus’ rankings every year since 2013 and finished first in 2014 and 2015 with the addition of Tyron Smith, Travis Fredrick and Zack Martin. 

This unstoppable blocking machine played a major role in Dallas’ offensive resurgence over the past seven seasons. The Cowboys have finished top-six in points scored four times since 2013 and top-seven in offensive yards four times since 2011 – including 2019 when they finished No. 1 in yards and No. 6 in scoring. Dallas also took first in the NFC East three times between 2014-2018, something they hadn’t done in a four-year span since the 1990s. Both Ezekiel Elliot and Dak Prescott immediately turned the Cowboys into a playoff team in their rookie season in 2016 thanks to quality protection upfront.

Dallas’s decision to draft offensive linemen was a stark shift in ideology for the franchise and owner Jerry Jones. When the Cowboys took Smith ninth overall in 2011, it was the first time Jones had ever drafted a lineman in the first round and the highest a lineman was taken since 1966. 

Douglas knows the importance of an offensive line, though. He even asked the Cowboys for Smith and Martin when Dallas asked about trading for Jamal Adams. The Jets GM has also seen the return on investment first-hand at other stops in his career.

The Ravens drafted three linemen in the first round between 2007 and 2012 when Douglas was a scout: Ben Grubbs in 2007, Michael Oher in 2009 and Kelechi Osemele in 2012. He also grabbed perennial Pro Bowler Marshal Yanda in the third round in 2007. Though he didn’t play a role in drafting him, Douglas saw the benefit the Eagles had in taking tackle Lane Johnson fourth overall in 2013 and likely played a role in drafting Andre Dillard 22nd overall in 2019 before the Jets hired Douglas away from the Eagles.

The Cowboys, Ravens and Eagles consistently produce top-tier offensive lines, and it’s led to their consistent presence in the postseason. All three teams understand the importance of drafting talent that can protect a franchise quarterback, and Douglas should look at these examples when he goes into his first draft as the Jets general manager.

Luckily, the 2020 draft is loaded with offensive linemen at the top of the board. Any of the four tackles – Jedrick Wills, Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton – would be great building blocks for the offensive line Douglas began building in free agency. The Jets can even find quality players in the second and third rounds as well, where New York has three more picks.

The Jets have many holes to fill, but grabbing the best offensive linemen in the draft will be a crucial step in turning this team around.