Ex-NFL WR: ‘Cowboys ceiling is roofless’, Super Bowl – Patrik “No C” Walker, 247 Sports
We aren’t unused to seeing a former NFL wide receiver be optimistic about the Cowboys. But this isn’t Michael Irvin.
Former NFL wideout Nate Burleson sees it all as things coming together for the Cowboys this year, if they can execute the new blueprint.
“We’ve seen them do some special things in this league, but turn around in an opposite weekend and play like a team that doesn’t have their stuff together,” Burleson said on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “But for me, I think their ceiling is roofless. When it comes to their expectations, it’s being the organization — the standard in the NFL that is constantly in the playoffs and has a chance to win the Super Bowl. Now they haven’t been that team in quite some time, but when they go 10-6 last year and you look at all the moving pieces — Jason Witten coming back, Ezekiel Elliott [and Dak Prescott] needs a contract, Amari Cooper in a full season now with the Cowboys, why wouldn’t they have a chance to win a Super Bowl?
“…I would love for Dak to just come out and say ‘The pressure’s on. We need to go to the Super Bowl.’ …That’s what the expectations are.”
Dallas Cowboys 2019 Job Security Rankings: Defense ✭ Jess Haynie, Inside the Star
This is an exercise you are going to see done in various ways over and over until the 53 man roster is determined. Some good stuff here, but the most interesting is probably this group.
Tier 4 – Bubble Players
DE Kerry Hyder, DE Joe Jackson, DT Christian Covington, DT Daniel Ross, LB Justin March-Lillard, LB Chris Covington, CB Michael Jackson, CB Donovan Olumba, S Kavon Frazier, S Darian Thompson, S Donovan Wilson
We’ve used up 19 of our 25-26 roster spots already. That means only 6-7 of these 11 players will make the team.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper clicked in connection – Jori Epstein, USA Today
The immediate chemistry between Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper basically saved Dallas’ season last year. And that has grown into quite the mutual admiration society.
“It’s his competitive nature, his will to win,” Cooper said of Prescott. “He’s literally putting his body on the line to get a first down because winning is the most important thing to him.
“You don’t really see every quarterback willing to do that.”
Prescott said he “may second” Cooper’s assessment of his greatest strength. But Cooper chases greatness in atypical ways, too. Already the receiver has taught himself chess, to solve a Rubik’s Cube and now to speak Spanish in pursuit of “practicing being great at things you can’t do overnight.” That desire to learn and grow knows no bounds, Prescott said Tuesday from his high school cafeteria in Haughton, Louisiana, minutes after he was inducted into the Northwest Louisiana Walk of Stars.
Prospects PFF was too low on in NFL drafts over the past five years | Michael Renner, Pro Football Focus
The headline probably tipped you as to a certain Cowboy that would be on this list.
QB DAK PRESCOTT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
The jury is still out on whether the 135th overall pick from the 2016 NFL Draft is worthy of a franchise-type deal in Dallas, but what isn’t up for debate is that he’s better than Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook, Brandon Allen, Cody Kessler, Brandon Doughty, Matt Johnson, Vernon Adams Jr., Trevone Boykin, Kevin Hogan and Jeff Driskel. Unfortunately, back in 2016, we ranked all those quarterbacks ahead of Prescott. The Mississippi State product had an up-and-down grading profile in college, finishing with overall grades of 72.1 in 2014 and 76.4 in 2015.
Michael Jackson Could Make Things Interesting at Nickel Corner ✭ Matthew Lenix, Inside the Star
He didn’t get picked until the fifth round of the draft, but Mike Jackson brings some things to the table that should have him squarely in the mix in camp.
Jackson is in the perfect position to make his move up the depth chart, and here are a few reasons why.
First, he has all the measurables needed to succeed in the Cowboys defensive scheme. At 6’1 210 pounds, with a 40.5-inch vertical, 32.5-inch arms and 4.4 speed he’s definitely an early Christmas present for Defensive Coordinator Rod Marinelli, and more specifically Defensive Backs Coach and Passing Game Coordinator Kris Richard. Long and physical corners are what built the infamous “Legion of Boom” in Seattle under his watch.
His ability to be effective in press coverage is a huge tool in his bag. He does an excellent job jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. So much so, that quarterbacks only completed 5 out of 18 passes on go routes against Jackson last season at Miami. Good for a passer rating of 54.4 and a completion percentage of 27.7, with no touchdowns allowed.
Larry Allen Jr. “Ready To Give It All I Have” – Rob Phillips, DallasCowboys.com
In the interests of full disclosure, Larry Allen Jr. is my pet cat.
Role/Roster Chances: Allen Jr. worked at backup guard in OTAs and minicamp as one of five rookie offensive linemen vying for snaps. Like most positions on the roster, offensive line is thick with competition. The line is actually deeper than last year now that Travis Frederick is returning from last year’s battle with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Joe Looney, last year’s fill-in starter at center, can be a valuable reserve at both center and guard. It looks like an uphill climb for Allen Jr. in terms of numbers on the roster, but the rookie will have a chance this summer to continue his development.
2019 NFC Coach Confidence Rankings: Where Garrett’s staff resides – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire
This has the Cowboys’ staff ranked tenth in the NFC (but ahead of both Washington and the Giants, it should be noted). But the write-up really reads like it should be higher, especially if, like me, you don’t think the head coach has all that much impact during the actual games (if he isn’t calling plays).
Garrett’s record is among the best in the conference, and he’s accomplished it with two different franchise quarterbacks, including a fourth-round comp pick rookie. When his starting QBs play, he has an immaculate record, but he has enough bad coaching moments that extend far beyond the time management issues most coaches go through. The Cowboys have never been bad under his reign, and they’ve won enough division crowns that he must be respected. He was coach of the year, once, but is firmly on the hot seat if Dallas doesn’t move past the divisional round.
Garrett’s coaching issues come down to game days, as he’s an excellent communicator and his teams fight for him to the final whistle, but he’s lost games as much as he’s won them.
19) How Does The Suspension Affect Rico? – DallasCowboys.com staff
The writers at the mothership consider the situation of the enigmatic Rico Gathers.
David Helman: Am I crazy for thinking this might help Rico in the long run? You’d obviously prefer not to be suspended, but this gives the Cowboys an extra week to make a decision on him. If they’re not convinced they want him on the roster, he can go to the suspended list for a week. There’s no telling what could happen in Week 1 that might open up a roster spot. And if Gathers has an amazing preseason and locks down a spot on the team, then a one-week suspension won’t be nearly as big of a setback as some of the four-game suspensions we’ve seen over the years. I honestly don’t know what to expect from the tight end situation this year. With Jason Witten back in the starting lineup, will this coaching staff want to go heavy at the position? It’s up to Gathers to prove that they should. But, as weird as it sounds, this suspension could give them an extra week to make up their minds.
Finally, a nice look inside the facilities at the Star, and a reminder of the celebrities that follow the Cowboys. Which of course are the reasons you will click to get the link and watch it. Wink, wink.
