Tag: will mcclay

Marshawn Kneeland adds the right kind of chaos to the Cowboys’ defensive line

The Cowboys got a second-round steal in Marshawn Kneeland, who will make Dallas’ defensive line a real problem for opposing quarterbacks.

Last season under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the Cowboys ran some kind of stunt or game on their defensive line on 292 of their 1,159 defensive snaps. That 25.2% rate was one of the league’s highest, and while it’s unlikely that new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer (who also ran Dallas’ defense from 2000 through 2006) will be that volatile with his fronts, the 2021 Vikings did run 158 stunts in Zimmer’s last season as head coach there. And in an NFL where gap versatility is the order of the day, every defense should aspire to have as many multi-position “jokers” as possible.

The Cowboys already have one of the best in Micah Parsons, who can beat opposing blockers everywhere from head-over nose to wide-9 end, and can also beat offenses off-ball. Now, with the addition of Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland with the 56th overall pick in the second round, they have two.

Last season for the Broncos, Kneeland totaled six sacks, 37 total pressures, 38 solo tackles, and 35 stops, and he did it all over the line, with all kinds of attacking techniques.

“The number one thing about him is the high effort and motor that he plays with,” Cowboys Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay said of Kneeland. “Then to be talented, physically talented enough to play at this level. We noticed him early on. [Brett] Maxie is the area scout who brought him to our attention early, and the more you watch him, the more you see NFL traits and the traits that we are looking for on the defensive side; playing hard all the time and having the ability to rush the passer outside and inside. We’ve talked about it before, as hard as DLaw [DeMarcus Lawrence] played at Boise State, there are some similarities there. That is what we thought about him.”

Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay to stay in Dallas

From @ArmyChiefW3: Multiple teams requested to speak with McClay about a GM job, but the longtime Cowboys exec said he didn’t “want to waste anybody’s time.”

Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay will no longer be fielding requests from other teams and will remain in Dallas for at least another season. The Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Chargers had all requested permission to speak to McClay about their open general manager positions, but none will apparently be able to pry him away from Texas.

“I talked to a couple of people, but I didn’t want to waste anybody’s time,” McClay said, per the team website. “I am committed to being here.”

The 57-year-old has one year remaining on his current contract with the Cowboys.

McClay first arrived in Dallas in 2003 as a scout before becoming a pro scouting coordinator in 2009. In 2011, McClay became the team’s director of football research and later added the director of player personnel title in 2014. He does not carry the official title of general manager in Dallas, which is occupied by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones,but McClay essentially carries those responsibilities, as his opinion and expertise are highly respected in Dallas.

“He’s very important to our operation, without a doubt. The most important thing you want in an organization is, when things are right, to build off of consistency,” said head coach Mike McCarthy.

“This is obviously great for the Dallas Cowboys.”

Other than the rumored monetary compensation and the unfinished business of building a team, McClay may have had other reasons to stay not related to the football field.

In his first draft,  McClay oversaw the Cowboys draft operation in 2014 and selected a likely first-ballot Hall of Fame player in guard Zack Martin. In the second round, Dallas completed a trade with division rival Washington, netting them defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. Quarterback Dak Prescott, pass rusher Micah Parsons, wideout CeeDee Lamb, and cornerback Trevon Diggs are just a few of the elite players McClay helped bring to Dallas.

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Collectively, the selection of those 86 players in his ten drafts has yielded 10 first-team All Pro and 33 Pro Bowl selections. That doesn’t even include undrafted free agents such as the recently added return man KaVonte Turpin and kicker Brandon Aubrey.

With McClay back in the fold, perhaps others in the building could opt to stay another year, too.

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Reported GM candidate for Panthers decides to remain with Cowboys

The Panthers reportedly had some interest in Dallas’ Will McClay, but never requested an interview with him. Now we know why.

Despite numerous reports of their interest in Will McClay, the Carolina Panthers never officially extended an interview request to the Dallas Cowboys big-wig. Well, now we know why.

As reported by ESPN’s Todd Archer on Friday afternoon, the Cowboys’ vice president of player personnel will remain the Cowboys’ vice president of player personnel. McClay, who is “very happy” in Dallas, will not interview with other organizations for their respective general manager jobs this offseason.

The 57-year-old has been with the Cowboys since 2003. In addition to his current role, he’s also served as a scout, the pro scouting coordinator, the director of football research, the assistant director of player personnel and the senior director of scouting.

This past Monday, the Panthers announced that they requested interviews with eight individuals for their general manager position. McClay, who had been linked to the franchise by a handful of reporters, was not included on their list.

McClay did receive requests from the Los Angeles Chargers and the Washington Commanders, who are now set to hire San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters for their opening.

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Report: Longtime Cowboys exec Will McClay sought by multiple teams for top jobs

From @ToddBrock24f7: The No. 3 man in the Cowboys organization is no secret in NFL circles. Now others may try to woo him away from the Jones family.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was named Monday as a target of at least three teams’ searches for a new head coach, with more surely to come. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and special teams coordinator John Fassel could also get looks this hiring cycle from outside clubs.

But some are also looking to raid the Cowboys’ front office.

According to a Tuesday morning report from NFL insider Albert Breer, multiple NFC teams are eager to see if they can woo Will McClay, the No. 3 man inside the organization and the highest-ranking executive not named Jones, away from Dallas.

The Carolina Panthers have requested to speak with the 57-year-old about their open general manager position, and the Washington Commanders are reportedly interested in him becoming their head of football operations.

McClay has been with the Cowboys organization since 2003, starting as a scout and working his way up to VP of Player Personnel, his current role, in 2017.

McClay’s position inside the Cowboys front office is unique in that he assumes many of the duties of a traditional GM- acting as the club’s top talent evaluator- but without the title or the spotlight.

Whenever there’s a camera or microphone around, Jerry Jones is the great and powerful Oz. McClay, in many ways, is the man behind the curtain.

Jones has never kept McClay’s importance to the Cowboys organization a secret, even if he jokes, as he did just last spring, “I don’t want anybody to know about Will.”

But McClay’s knack for building a contending roster more years than not and his quiet influence within the highest-profile sports franchise on the planet has been clear and obvious to the rest of the league for a long time. Some of the biggest stars of the Cowboys’ last two decades have worn the silver and blue because of McClay’s eye and acumen, not only leading up to draft day but then throughout free agency and training camp and on into the season itself.

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And yet, when asked over the years, McClay has always explained that letting Jerry and Stephen Jones be the front-facing personalities of the team while he continues to work in the background has never bothered him.

“[Job] titles don’t mean anything to me. Unless you own something, you’re always reporting to somebody,” McClay has said, explaining that his desire to help the Cowboys- and specifically, the Jones family- hoist a sixth Lombardi Trophy has played a large part in persuading him to remain in Dallas.

“I pride myself on not having an ego,” he said. “If you don’t have an ego, you can listen to people, you can formulate ideas. … I don’t make the decisions — Jerry does along with Stephen — but my input is greatly valued. … It’s pooling together that information and making sure we’re as meticulous as we can be and getting all the details. I talk to our scouts all the time about how the job we do is [like] we’re lawyers: We’re presenting the case.”

And now, as the Cowboys prepare to make a legitimate run at that Super Bowl title, several teams around the league hope to be presenting their case to McClay that maybe it’s time for him to take on a new challenge.

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‘Going to be growing pains’, Cowboys’ McClay preaches rookie-class patience

The personnel chief recently set expectations in discussing the Cowboys draft process, traits, and the jump in competition. | From @ReidDHanson

Every NFL team has a team-building strategy. Some teams prefer veteran players who are dependable. Some teams like the high risk/reward element young players offer. Some teams like proven rookies who can hit the ground running. Others like rookies who have translatable traits that can be developed.

The Cowboys appear to be the last category of team.

Since Will McClay joined the franchise in 2009, Dallas has been a traits-driven franchise. College success and film study obviously matter, but if the prospect doesn’t have NFL-caliber traits, the Cowboys will turn their attention elsewhere.

Whether it’s size, speed, agility, explosiveness, or arm length, Dallas is probably interested in the measurement. Many great college players go on to have disappointing professional careers. Just like many average players go on to have better professional careers. The traits need to translate.

McClay recently spoke to 105.3 The Fan after the draft. He talked draft picks and expectations of draft picks.

“College football is not played like the NFL,” McClay said bluntly. “So when you draft a kid out of college, there’s going to be growing pains, but you want to pick guys with the traits, with the mental fortitude and the ability to continue to grow.”

McClay was on the topic of offensive line at the time, but he mentioned various traits in just about every corner of his analysis across the positions. He explained why traits matter in scouting and also set the expectation that “there will be growing pains” because the pro game is different and everyone must take a step up in order to compete.

This inside look at how the Cowboys debated a first-round pick was so cool

The Cowboys showed fans how they came to making their first-round pick in the draft.

The Dallas Cowboys have already shared one look at their draft room over the weekend, and now they’ve given a breakdown of how they made their first-round pick.

A new video shows Dallas’ front office debating whether or not to take Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith and Syracuse offensive lineman with the 26th pick in Thursday’s start to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Will McClay, the Cowboys’ vice president of player personnel, advocates for taking Smith with the pick, and that’s what the team wound up doing.

They seemed happy with having both players available, but it’s the Michigan defender that got his name called for Dallas in the first round.

It’s just not common for an NFL team to show the decision process in making a draft pick, and it’s clear that Bergeron had plenty of fans in the league since he went early in the second round to the Atlanta Falcons.

It’s really fascinating to see this close a look at the draft room in such a pivotal moment, so kudos to Dallas for providing a glimpse.

Will McClay, Cowboys reach new agreement to keep personnel guru in Dallas

The Cowboys have kept the most important piece to long-term success, making sure no outside overtures would entice their personnel guru to leave. | From @KDDrummondNFL

While most of the attention of Cowboys Nation is centered around the playoff hunt, the not-so-under the radar concern isn’t just advancing, but whether or not Dallas will be able to keep their coaching tree intact. Both coordinators Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn seem highly sought after with the half-dozen openings that have sprung up around the NFL. Some of those coaching searches are going hand in hand with discovery periods for potential new GMs.

Wherever those teams find solutions for the latter chase, they won’t be sniffing around Dallas. It’s long been a discussion there will never be a GM without the last name Jones as long as the family owns the team. However Will McClay is the personnel man for the last decade and he’s done a tremendous job building the roster that has helped make Moore and Quinn so attractive. On Thursday, he took his name off the market by inking a new deal to remain in Dallas as VP of Player Personnel.

McClay is integral to the Cowboys’ front office, working well with new head coach Mike McCarthy and former HC Jason Garrett. While Stephen Jones deals with negotiating contracts, it’s McClay in charge of the scouting departments, both pro and collegiate. He elevated to the big chair after the 2013 draft-day fiasco that saw the Cowboys ignore their board to trade back away from a needed three-tech, but salvage things with the selection of Travis Frederick.

McClay has been at the helm for many key decisions over the years, and the draft hauls from 2020 and 2021 – bringing the club cornerstone pieces such as CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons, along with later-round finds, has cemented his status as one of the league’s best personnel men.

McClay is so integral, when the defensive staff was ravaged with COVID, there he was helping out with a headset, calling back to his days as a former head coach of the Dallas Desperados. The former Arena League defensive back was their head coach from 2004 through 2008 before moving to the Cowboys in 2009.

He’s gone from Pro Scouting Coordinator to Director of Football Research in 2011. In 2014 he was given the title of Assistant Director of Player Personnel and finally got the big chair in 2017. Teams have come calling relentlessly but McClay has made it clear in the past how much he enjoys having his family in the Dallas area.

While the Cowboys might be fishing for new coordinators on either or both sides of the ball soon after their season concludes, they know that whomever takes over will continue to reap the benefits of one of the league’s better evaluation wings of the front office.

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GM candidates the Giants could consider if they fire Dave Gettleman

With the New York Giants likely to part ways with general manager Dave Gettleman, here are several potential options to replace him.

The New York Giants are likely to move on from general manager Dave Gettleman following the season. Whether he’s fired or retires remains to be seen but either way, Big Blue will be thrust into another GM search.

If the Giants are firm in their commitment to head coach Joe Judge, that may thin out their pool of options. It may also strengthen the likelihood of landing a new GM that has previous ties to Judge.

Is that good or bad? We’ll let you decide.

With a GM swap all but a certainty, here’s a look at several potential options who could replace Gettleman in 2022 and beyond.

Cowboys News: Prescott’s most important relationship, changing of the guard at LB

A look at lessons learned during Dak Prescott’s painful 2020, who’s primed for a defensive bounceback, and why a boring Hard Knocks is good. | From @StarConscience and @ToddBrock24f7

Dak Prescott is on the cusp of beginning his real comeback. But Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy doesn’t want to be the person with whom his quarterback has the strongest bond; he’s built his entire system in Dallas from Day One on strengthening Prescott’s relationship with someone else. And as No. 4 looks to put a painful 2020 behind him, he’s made it through unimaginable darkness with unexpected clarity and light. It’s a powerful story well worth reading.

Elsewhere in Cowboys Nation, the team has shuffled the deck with its kickers, and the two-time rushing champ is earmarked as a top red-zone threat once again. But defense dominates the buzz today: Maurice Canady’s surprising (or not surprising camp), Jourdan Lewis’s bounceback season, Reggie Robinson’s disappearing act, and diminishing roles for Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch all make the headlines. Plus, a Friday Night Lights-style showdown to mark the end of Cowboys camp, and why it’s a good thing that Hard Knocks has been so boring thus far. Here’s the News and Notes.

News: Cowboys-Cardinals coverage, Will McClay speaks, Zack’s rare gift

The desert loss was costly. Also, catching up with Terrance Williams, Moose’s HoF chances, and a rookie stays out of trouble with Mama. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Friday evening got off to a promising start, with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott out on the field throwing in pregame warmups, even though he wouldn’t be playing versus the Cardinals. But things in Glendale turned gloomy as the team not only lost a close game, but lost a handful of players in the process.

Apart from the second preseason contest of the offseason, we take a deep dive into one of the things that makes Zack Martin so good, the seldom-heard-from Will McClay talks about what’s impressed him in training camp, and there are roster predictions to mull over. Also, where does the Cowboys offense rank heading into 2021? One rookie is watching his mouth around the HBO cameras, one former Dallas receiver has found a new way to extend his football career, one iconic fan favorite remains outside gold-jacket talk, and the team says goodbye to Cali and comes home to Texas. Welcome to the News and Notes.