WEBVTT - Mick Shots: Free For All 0:00:04.320 --> 0:00:06.840 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:06.880 --> 0:00:16.759 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. This is Mick Shot 0:00:16.920 --> 0:00:20.920 screaming live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the official 0:00:21.079 --> 0:00:25.640 Dallas Cowboys out now Here are Bill Jones, Everson Wolves, 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:32.720 and Nicky Spagnola. And here it is. We are on 0:00:32.760 --> 0:00:37.600 the eve of the NFL's new league year. So I 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:41.760 guess we can call this new Year's Eve, Mickey, Mickey 0:00:41.800 --> 0:00:48.680 Spagnola inside inside the s WBC Mortgage studios there in 0:00:48.720 --> 0:00:53.760 the Star in Frisco. Everson Walls is not with us 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:57.400 this week. I am Bill Jones, and wow do we 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:00.520 have a lot to get to on this edition of 0:01:00.800 --> 0:01:05.480 Mick Shots. As as expected, the Cowboys are not active 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:09.720 so far in the one. They call this the tempered 0:01:09.800 --> 0:01:14.160 then tampering period or the tampering period of the last 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:19.800 over a two day period. It's an opportunity for agents 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.080 to do their negotiating with teams, and there's a lot 0:01:23.120 --> 0:01:26.279 of players that have already come off the board. But Mickey, 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:28.800 most of these players are not players the Cowboys had 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:30.880 eyes on because they're out of their price range a 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:33.479 little bit. And I think, probably Bill, that's where we 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:37.600 probably need to start with this to quell the uproar 0:01:37.760 --> 0:01:41.399 out there that well, this is typical Cowboys, they're not 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:44.520 doing anything. Well, it's hard to do things when you 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:48.520 don't have very much money available, and that's one of 0:01:48.520 --> 0:01:53.280 the things that continues to haunt them in free agency. 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:56.760 I understand the caps one hundred and eighty two point 0:01:56.800 --> 0:01:59.840 five million, so that went down from one hundred ninety 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:06.760 eight point four, but the Cowboys cap space, especially after 0:02:06.880 --> 0:02:13.640 signing Dak Prescott to his deal last week and taking 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:16.680 up twenty two point two million of the salary cap, 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:22.160 which was significantly less right Bill than had he remained 0:02:22.160 --> 0:02:25.560 on the franchise tag at thirty seven point seven million, 0:02:25.960 --> 0:02:28.639 they still don't have that much money. And I keep 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:32.800 seeing this figure being floated out there that the Cowboys 0:02:32.840 --> 0:02:36.000 have eighteen million dollars in space. Well, the one thing 0:02:36.360 --> 0:02:39.320 you need to remember is they do have to fund 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:42.480 a draft and right now, and I can't imagine they 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:46.679 would they would use all ten draft choices, but their 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:51.160 rookie pool for the draft is ten point three one 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:54.560 nine million, So take that off and now you're left 0:02:54.600 --> 0:02:59.680 with eight million, and that's very little space right now, 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:02.560 not a lot of wiggle room, and they're gonna have 0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:09.000 to basically, unfortunately, do some bargain hunting. Even after they 0:03:09.040 --> 0:03:13.440 did the restructuring of the contracts with Tyrn Smith, Zach Martin, 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:19.600 and Lele Collins. My understanding is that they've probably got 0:03:19.600 --> 0:03:22.360 a couple more they need to do just to facilitate 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:27.600 signing back some of their own guys along with you know, 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:30.120 trying to keep a little nest egg of five to 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:34.760 eight million going in the season for other costs that 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:38.600 cop rop during the season. So yeah, I just don't 0:03:38.640 --> 0:03:42.640 see them being big players in free agency. So let's 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:47.280 just start right there and quell the outroar that happens 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:52.920 every year at this time. And let's also start with 0:03:52.960 --> 0:03:59.000 what has transpired reportedly up to this point as we 0:03:59.040 --> 0:04:02.680 sit here at just after eleven thirty on Tuesday morning, 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:08.880 and we are constantly monitoring social media to see the 0:04:09.080 --> 0:04:12.080 get the very latest on what might happen as we 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:15.000 over the course of the next hour, because things are 0:04:15.040 --> 0:04:19.120 happening very quickly, as a lot of you know, following 0:04:19.120 --> 0:04:23.279 it throughout the day on Monday, but most recently this morning, 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.720 it looks like Cheetaowoozier has found a new home with 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:29.680 the Cincinnati Bengals. I haven't seen the money figures on 0:04:29.760 --> 0:04:32.320 that yet, but it sounds like it's a three year 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:37.280 deal deal for a Woozier with the Bengals. And of course, 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:42.160 yesterday cam Irving agreed to a deal's reportedly with the 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:46.280 Carolina Panthers that was reported as two years, ten million 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:49.760 on I'm not sure where the guarantees was. It was 0:04:49.920 --> 0:04:58.560 eight eight million, okay, eight million, yeah, And so I'm 0:04:58.560 --> 0:05:00.760 gonna I'm gonna go through these then we'll break them 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:05.160 down here as I after I run through these. Houston 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:09.359 Joe Thomas one year, two million dollars. And it looks 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:14.040 like the Cowboys are moving away from LP Lattissar after 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:19.159 sixteen years and two hundred fifty three games, two games 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:22.559 shy of Jason Witton's all time record of two hundred 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:25.520 and fifty five games played with the Cowboys, as the 0:05:25.560 --> 0:05:29.960 Cowboys reportedly are bringing in the long snapper from the Rams, 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:35.480 Jake McQuaid, and of course with coach Fossils passed in 0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:41.080 with the Rams organization going back Greg Zurline going back 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:44.200 basically nine to ten years, and McQuaid came in the 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:47.359 same time that Zerline did when the Rams were in 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:50.280 Saint Louis, and so he's very familiar with them. But 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:54.680 LP just turned forty the other day, and it sounds 0:05:54.720 --> 0:05:59.640 like he may like to entertain some offers. If there 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:02.480 are offers out there, why wouldn't there be, even at 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:04.880 age forty as good as he's been in his career. 0:06:05.360 --> 0:06:11.200 But boy, he practically perfect. I say practically because there's 0:06:11.240 --> 0:06:13.960 no way you can be perfect, but he is about 0:06:13.960 --> 0:06:16.280 as perfect as you could be at his position over 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:20.240 the last sixteen years. Mackey. Yeah, I think I saw 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:25.160 one snap this past season come in like low and 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:28.880 that's but that's how perfect that was. Yeah, I mean 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:31.840 I don't remember anything. You know, there's nothing up here 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:35.880 or out wide or bouncing in or you know, sailing 0:06:36.000 --> 0:06:40.320 over someone's head. He's been awfully, awfully good since they 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:43.880 signed him in two thousand and five. He was a 0:06:43.960 --> 0:06:47.960 rookie free agent that I hadn't signed with anybody, And 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:52.359 I could remember the day Bill at San Jose State 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:56.280 when the Cowboys were practicing. They had played San Francisco 0:06:57.120 --> 0:06:59.120 on a Sunday and the next Sunday they were going 0:06:59.160 --> 0:07:02.360 to play the Raider. So the Bill Parcels decided to 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:06.520 stay out there, and he had just about had no 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:10.680 he already had enough with John Condo, the rookie deep 0:07:10.680 --> 0:07:15.960 snapper that was taken over for Robinson. Uh. Oh, I 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:19.800 forgot his first day. Jeff Jeff Robinson, Jeff Jeff Robins. 0:07:19.800 --> 0:07:23.200 That's it. Uh. And so it was like, Okay, we're 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:26.360 gonna have tryouts. And it was like, well, you know what, 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:29.840 there's this kid that was at CAW by the name 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:33.600 of LP Latissour and he's still out here on the 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:37.880 coast and he can drive in for a workout because 0:07:37.920 --> 0:07:43.360 he had still remained around the San Francisco area. Uh. 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:45.920 And he drives in and they worked him out in 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:49.120 the morning and before practice. He was signed and ready 0:07:49.160 --> 0:07:53.200 to go. And here it is twenty twenty one, and 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:57.200 he had still been with the Cowboys for sixteen seasons 0:07:57.960 --> 0:08:02.880 before they've decided to move along. So inauspicious beginning for him. 0:08:02.880 --> 0:08:05.880 But he was awfully good during his two hundred and 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:09.640 fifty three games, as Bill pointed out, And you know what, Bill, 0:08:09.720 --> 0:08:13.320 they must have been ready to move along because what 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:17.280 he had been doing these last couple years is he 0:08:17.400 --> 0:08:20.640 basically is playing on a one year minimum contract with 0:08:20.720 --> 0:08:25.040 a very modest signing bonus so they can give him 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:29.520 the veteran exception. Like last year he made one point 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:32.880 seventy five million, but he only counted eight hundred and 0:08:32.920 --> 0:08:36.960 eighty seven thousand against the salary cap. So I would 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:39.680 imagine he would have been willing at age forty to 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:42.840 do the same thing. But maybe they decided it was 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:46.680 time to move along. Who knows, Maybe you know, he's decided. Well, 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:50.480 unless somebody really convinces me with a contract, this you know, 0:08:50.720 --> 0:08:53.560 could be it. So we'll see what happens there with him. 0:08:54.360 --> 0:08:57.840 But as you said, McQuaid had ten seasons with the 0:08:57.920 --> 0:09:05.400 Rams and several of those with John Fossil, all right. 0:09:05.440 --> 0:09:09.320 In fact, I would assume every year and until last 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:12.360 year he has been with Fossil, I believe, because Fossil 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:15.079 was there starting in twenty eleven or twenty twelve, which 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:17.320 is when McQuoid came into the league same year that 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:20.760 Zerline did, as well as Johnny Hecker, their punner for 0:09:20.800 --> 0:09:24.280 so many years out there. All right, So let's go 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:28.920 by player on here. How about Cheeto to Cincinnati. What 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:31.000 are your thoughts on that? You know that that one. 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:34.640 You know a lot of people were saying Wow, they 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:38.040 don't want him back. He's no good, And I was thinking, well, 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:39.920 maybe they can get him back on a prove it 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:43.800 deal because he only played like five games last year 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:48.680 between the injuries he suffered and missing a game I 0:09:48.720 --> 0:09:51.640 think it was a game or two with on COVID 0:09:51.840 --> 0:09:56.520 nineteen reserve, and I thought, maybe, you know, somebody might 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:01.240 shy away. But evidently the Bengals saw how talented he was, 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:03.960 and you know, and I know he wasn't perfect and 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:06.200 he didn't have a bunch of interceptions, but to me, 0:10:07.000 --> 0:10:10.480 you know, he was their best, most consistent corner over 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:13.320 these last several years, and he including the games he 0:10:13.400 --> 0:10:16.840 played last year. So the Bengals kind of saw it 0:10:16.920 --> 0:10:19.400 the same way. It'll be interesting to see the numbers, 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:24.520 but this just kind of puts a big circle around 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:28.679 the cornerback position, saying, Okay, they've got to do something here, 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:32.120 whether it be the draft or at least something in 0:10:32.280 --> 0:10:35.160 free agency as a bridge to whatever they're going to do. 0:10:35.679 --> 0:10:40.240 And I understand everybody's given the Cowboys a cornerback in 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:45.400 the draft, either filey or certain, but boy, would you 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:47.720 hold your breath just a little bit that your two 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:50.960 starting corners as a second year guy in a first 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:56.760 and a rookie at cornerback. And we saw the transition 0:10:57.000 --> 0:11:01.320 problems Trey Von Diggs had. Uh. And that's not to 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:03.640 you know, you're the other guys aren't going to come in. 0:11:03.720 --> 0:11:07.120 There's still a transition there. But who knows when you 0:11:07.160 --> 0:11:14.480 find an Everson Walls right as a rookie while you're 0:11:14.520 --> 0:11:17.000 playing up to Everson and he's not even here? He 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:24.160 did hopefully. Yeah when ever since said he couldn't be here? 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:27.439 I uh, I said, what Belichick, get a hold of it. 0:11:27.440 --> 0:11:29.960 You're signing with Belichick. Everybody else is signing with the 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:35.800 Patriots right now, going going back uh in time? Um, 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:39.120 but yeah, good for Cheeto if he uh And again 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:41.040 we haven't seen the money on that yet. I mean 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:45.160 good for him if that he got the money that 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:48.960 he was looking for, apparently signing with Cincinnati. All right 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:53.560 to Cam Irving and uh, I'm you know, I'm surprised 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:57.120 where Cam Irving was in his career, although you know, 0:11:57.679 --> 0:12:03.400 it just goes to show, especially offensive tackle position, it's 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:07.280 very rare that tackles even get to the open market 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:12.280 unless they've got some wartz injury issues or lack of production. 0:12:12.320 --> 0:12:15.000 In the past, and here's Cam Irving, a former first 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:17.360 round draft pick. Yeah, he did start eight games for 0:12:17.480 --> 0:12:19.800 Kansas City in a Super Bowl year the year before, 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:24.600 but and didn't you know, had some injury issues here 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:28.800 with Dallas and didn't start a whole lot of game, 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:30.880 didn't see a whole lot of action here in Dallas. 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:35.160 But he lands two years, eight million guaranteed in Carolina. 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:38.800 He played here, he managed to play six games in 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:43.240 five starts, so he basically missed all of training camp. 0:12:44.679 --> 0:12:47.520 I think he had about a COVID that got kind 0:12:47.520 --> 0:12:50.800 of covered up, and then he had knee problems and 0:12:50.880 --> 0:12:54.640 he ended the season on injured reserve. Bill. I just 0:12:54.679 --> 0:12:57.000 didn't think he was very good when he did play, 0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.800 you know, I don't know that he was better than 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:05.240 almost average maybe, And he signs like a two year 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:08.440 deal like that with eight million guaranteed. But you're right, 0:13:08.520 --> 0:13:12.840 the desperation for veteran tackles is high in this league. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:18.320 So that leaves the Cowboys, and we're going to assume 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:22.520 that Tyran Smith is good. Leal Collins is good. I've 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:25.120 seen Lal working out. He seems to be doing all 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:30.120 the kind of rehab stuff on the the resistant chords. Well, 0:13:31.320 --> 0:13:35.160 so if we assume that, then what they have here 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:41.199 potentially as backups, Brandon Knight, Terrence Steele, and Mitch Hyatt 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:45.880 are the guys that are on the roster. To me, Bill, 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:52.720 here's what they have to do. If anybody gets either 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:55.960 of those starting tackles gets hurt, they don't need to 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:58.680 sit there and deliberate what to do with Zach Martin. 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:02.320 Just move him to one of the tackle positions and 0:14:02.480 --> 0:14:07.160 insert with Connor McGovern at the other guard. If if indeed, 0:14:07.520 --> 0:14:10.520 Connor Williams is still the starting left guard, because I 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:14.520 think Connor McGovern showed that he can play well enough 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:17.400 at guard that you can move Zach Martin to tackle. 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:22.080 And this doesn't preclude the fact that I always have 0:14:22.320 --> 0:14:27.480 been thinking that third fourth round draft an offensive tackle draft. 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:31.280 A guy that might be good enough to be the 0:14:31.320 --> 0:14:35.800 backup swing tackle and your tackle of down the line future, 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:38.720 or maybe a guy that can play guard and tackle 0:14:38.760 --> 0:14:41.440 and challenge for one of those spots. So I think 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:43.920 in the draft, I'm not a fan of doing it 0:14:43.960 --> 0:14:47.400 in the first round, but third, fourth, fifth round get 0:14:47.480 --> 0:14:52.680 you a tackle. Well, and then you know one thing 0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:55.320 that did come out of the twenty twenty season, is 0:14:56.640 --> 0:15:00.400 Terrence Steele and Brandon Knight got playing time and so 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:04.800 they are not. Yeah, they're still in their recent past 0:15:05.240 --> 0:15:10.560 college free agents right deemed quality enough to be drafted 0:15:10.560 --> 0:15:13.760 into this league, but they do have And as far 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:18.480 as competing for a backup offensive tackle spot on the roster, 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:21.600 you have a little bit of depth there guys that 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:24.360 have played snaps in this league now. But I'm with 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:27.560 you on as far as the draft is concerned, they 0:15:27.640 --> 0:15:33.320 really need to comb over these offensive tackles and especially 0:15:33.480 --> 0:15:37.000 guys that can play inside compete right off the bat. 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:40.960 Let's assume and hopefully that Tyron Smith and Lyle Collins 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:43.600 are healthy and good to go and can start. But 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:46.040 if you if you've got a rookie who can in 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:49.760 the meantime work in and maybe compete with Connor Williams 0:15:49.800 --> 0:15:55.040 at left guard, someone I'm talking a tackle who's going 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:58.640 to be a guy that's going to eventually because obviously 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:04.000 Tyrn and Lyle or getting up there and there's not 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:07.200 as much tread on the tire anymore for either one 0:16:07.240 --> 0:16:11.040 of the those guys. And so I'm looking at a 0:16:11.680 --> 0:16:14.400 top one hundred pick, first, second or third round where 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:17.320 you probably need to make an investment in an offensive 0:16:17.320 --> 0:16:21.080 tackle who can compete inside until those guys, until there's 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:23.760 an opening on the outside with the Cowboys. And you know, Bill, 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:26.880 here's the other thing that they might consider. If you've 0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:30.360 been watching what's been happening for cap reasons, there's a 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:35.600 bunch of veteran offensive tackles who have been pretty decent 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:39.760 in their careers have been released, and I'm sure those 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:43.080 guys are sitting around waiting for a big deal, right Well, 0:16:43.120 --> 0:16:45.720 if they don't, you might be able to sign one 0:16:45.760 --> 0:16:48.000 of those guys for a prove it deal one year 0:16:48.920 --> 0:16:52.400 and you know, and maybe you can re enter the 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:57.120 market next year, because look, with the cap going down, 0:16:57.280 --> 0:17:01.080 I'm just be surprised because I don't think there's more 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:05.880 than a handful of teams six eight that have enough 0:17:05.960 --> 0:17:09.520 cap space to put out some big deals. I think 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:11.399 there's gonna be a lot of one year prove it 0:17:11.520 --> 0:17:13.919 deals this year, and maybe you can get one of 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:18.080 those guys. You know, and you know, and and I 0:17:18.160 --> 0:17:21.560 know what happened in Kansas City, but you know, they 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:24.639 basically got rid of their two starting tackles that didn't 0:17:24.640 --> 0:17:27.399 play in the Super Bowl. That really cost them. And 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:32.000 I know Eric Fisher tore his achilles h in the 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:36.560 in the AFC Championship game. So that was late January. 0:17:37.359 --> 0:17:40.160 You know, in nine nine months or so, he could 0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:44.000 be ready to go. Uh. Speaking from experience, by the way, 0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:47.600 on that injury, you know, you might be able to 0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:49.800 pick him up for one year. And you know, if 0:17:49.800 --> 0:17:51.800 he wants a play now, a lot of these guys 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:54.160 may be too proud to come in and play for 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:57.760 you know, one year, two million dollars, even if the 0:17:57.800 --> 0:18:00.560 Cowboys have that available. But you might might be able 0:18:00.560 --> 0:18:03.680 to pull one of those off, and those guys could say, Okay, 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:07.560 I'm gonna you know, re establish my market value for 0:18:07.680 --> 0:18:10.520 twenty twenty two when the salary cap goes back up. 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:17.720 And then Joe Thomas one year, two million dollars deal 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:21.000 with the Texans. Texans made a lot of under the 0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:27.080 radar moves yesterday and they so Thomas will play the 0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:29.560 same kind of role with the Texans that he did 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:33.600 in Dallas as a backup linebacker, special teamer and but 0:18:33.760 --> 0:18:35.880 a dependable guy if you have an injury with one 0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:38.720 of your starters. Uh. He's a guy who can play 0:18:38.760 --> 0:18:43.320 some can start some games for you. So he's a value. 0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:46.000 I know he was a valued member of not only 0:18:46.040 --> 0:18:50.200 the Cowboys organization, but also when he was in Green 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:52.640 Bay with the Packers as well. What do you think 0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:57.840 the Cowboys when you look at the linebacker situation? Uh? 0:18:58.240 --> 0:18:59.760 What do you what do you think the Cowboys are 0:18:59.800 --> 0:19:05.760 thinking beyond uh Jalen Smith and uh Layton Vanderish right now? 0:19:05.800 --> 0:19:09.200 You know, I would think that depending on how they 0:19:09.280 --> 0:19:14.359 evaluate some of these guys in the draft, if if 0:19:14.400 --> 0:19:17.840 if one of those top linebackers is available in the 0:19:17.880 --> 0:19:22.280 first ground, I'm grabbing him. I'm I'm I'm not sitting 0:19:22.359 --> 0:19:25.320 still and saying, Okay, I've got a couple of young 0:19:25.400 --> 0:19:30.600 guys that came onto the squad as undrafted free agents rookies. 0:19:31.359 --> 0:19:35.080 Uh And and you know I've and you know, you 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:39.480 guys probably get tired of me saying this, but I 0:19:39.840 --> 0:19:42.160 and one of them, and you know this putting your 0:19:43.000 --> 0:19:47.600 big green notebook together, right that you gotta be larry 0:19:47.720 --> 0:19:52.879 of of relying on highlight film on guys. But this 0:19:53.080 --> 0:19:57.520 Micah Parson is a baller. Uh And if he was 0:19:57.560 --> 0:20:01.680 available at ten boll, I seriously think about doing that 0:20:01.760 --> 0:20:04.119 as long as I can cover myself at some point 0:20:04.880 --> 0:20:08.080 at the cornerback position, because I think linebacker is a 0:20:08.200 --> 0:20:12.119 need on this team, especially now that you know the 0:20:12.760 --> 0:20:15.560 Swiss Army Knight. Joe Thomas, a good play all three 0:20:15.560 --> 0:20:19.320 spots and special teams is no longer here and Bill, 0:20:19.560 --> 0:20:23.919 here's the deal. And this I think just signifies the 0:20:24.040 --> 0:20:28.480 cap problems the Cowboys are facing. Joe Thomas played last 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:33.840 year for one point nine three million, and it sounds 0:20:33.880 --> 0:20:37.159 like they couldn't cut They couldn't qualify two million for 0:20:37.240 --> 0:20:40.199 a guy that might be a versatile backup for you. 0:20:40.880 --> 0:20:45.159 So and the other thing I'm thinking this year and 0:20:45.800 --> 0:20:48.680 I hope to God that you know they're gonna need 0:20:48.720 --> 0:20:52.000 a third starting linebacker, that they're not going to play 0:20:52.080 --> 0:20:54.679 nickel all the time, that sometimes they'll have to be 0:20:54.720 --> 0:20:57.520 forced to play a strong side linebacker on the field. Right. 0:20:58.680 --> 0:21:02.280 But maybe that extra million they were sitting there going, Ah, 0:21:02.280 --> 0:21:05.080 I don't know about Joe Thomas, but Houston had no 0:21:05.200 --> 0:21:08.400 problems agreeing to a one year, two million dollars deal 0:21:08.520 --> 0:21:16.080 with him. Yep. And the other thing with linebacker, you know, 0:21:16.560 --> 0:21:21.200 first off, you know we've heard it throughout Sean Lee's career, well, 0:21:21.240 --> 0:21:24.240 if he could only stay healthy, if I think if 0:21:25.040 --> 0:21:27.800 you're seeing it early in Laton vander Esh's career where 0:21:27.840 --> 0:21:31.280 he's had a hard time staying on the field. Jalen 0:21:31.359 --> 0:21:34.480 Smith obviously had the devastating knee injury in the Fiesta 0:21:34.520 --> 0:21:38.000 Bowlers last year at Notre Dame. But you look around 0:21:38.040 --> 0:21:42.359 the league in linebacker, it's a very difficult position to 0:21:42.480 --> 0:21:46.000 stay healthy at and I think you're always have to 0:21:46.000 --> 0:21:50.720 be looking at linebackers, and in the meantime, they're always 0:21:50.760 --> 0:21:55.720 good on special teams and with sub packages. In the NFL, 0:21:55.920 --> 0:21:59.520 there's ways of getting even a first round pick, even 0:22:00.000 --> 0:22:02.919 if you have two starting linebackers like the Cowboys have 0:22:03.000 --> 0:22:05.879 with Jalen Smith and vander Esh, there would be a 0:22:05.920 --> 0:22:11.280 way if there's somebody you love at number ten, to 0:22:11.320 --> 0:22:14.879 get him on the field where he's playing, say thirty 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:18.879 three percent of the snaps his rookie season in the 0:22:18.960 --> 0:22:23.960 regular defense, also contributing on special teams. So I agree 0:22:24.000 --> 0:22:26.919 with you. I think I think it's it's a priority, 0:22:27.880 --> 0:22:31.040 and it gets back to my draft philosophy of best 0:22:31.080 --> 0:22:35.680 player available. When you've got positions of need, whether it 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:42.879 be cornerback, offensive line, linebacker, defensive line, I think that 0:22:43.040 --> 0:22:45.200 you've got to have your you have to go into 0:22:45.200 --> 0:22:48.920 it with your eyes wide open. But at linebacker, there 0:22:48.920 --> 0:22:52.720 are ways to get that player on the field, even 0:22:52.760 --> 0:22:56.680 if he's not quote unquote one of your starting eleven. Yeah. 0:22:56.720 --> 0:22:59.040 And if you look at if you look at Parsons, 0:22:59.560 --> 0:23:01.239 you know, and he's one of these guys. And this 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:03.960 is going to be a difficult part, uh, part of 0:23:04.000 --> 0:23:06.879 the draft this year. He didn't play last year, so 0:23:06.920 --> 0:23:10.120 he's got two years of you know, college experience at 0:23:10.160 --> 0:23:14.840 Penn State. Now do you trust what you've seen? Especially Uh? 0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:17.600 You know, he didn't start every game as a freshman, 0:23:17.640 --> 0:23:21.239 but he played every game and ended up UH. And 0:23:21.280 --> 0:23:23.080 I can't remember if it was this freshman year or 0:23:23.160 --> 0:23:25.439 sophomore year. He ended up being the MVP at the 0:23:25.480 --> 0:23:29.840 Cotton Bowl, the defensive m MVP for UH Penn State. 0:23:30.080 --> 0:23:33.200 And he can from some of the stuff I saw, 0:23:33.320 --> 0:23:36.240 he can he can rush the quarterback, he can penetrate, 0:23:37.080 --> 0:23:39.760 So that one will be interesting. And if you look 0:23:39.840 --> 0:23:44.399 at the linebacker position now with Joe Thomas uh having 0:23:44.480 --> 0:23:48.320 look or getting ready to leave the only and Sean Lee, 0:23:48.359 --> 0:23:50.680 you know who knows at thirty five do they want 0:23:50.720 --> 0:23:53.840 him back? Does he want to play again? Might he retire. 0:23:54.240 --> 0:23:57.320 That means the only other linebacker they would have under 0:23:57.359 --> 0:24:03.479 contract would be Luke Giffer, undrafted free agent in twenty 0:24:03.600 --> 0:24:07.840 nineteen and Francis Bernard, undrafted free agent this past year. 0:24:08.240 --> 0:24:13.800 That's it. And and you're two yeah, and you're two 0:24:14.119 --> 0:24:18.600 assume starters, probably not playing special teams at all or 0:24:18.680 --> 0:24:23.360 hardly at all. Uh So yeah, linebacker to me. Uh, 0:24:23.520 --> 0:24:27.840 and cornerback right now our huge needs, especially knowing that 0:24:27.880 --> 0:24:31.680 you're not going to have a woozierum. Jordan Lewis is 0:24:31.720 --> 0:24:35.000 a nice third fourth corner, but I don't think you 0:24:35.080 --> 0:24:37.399 want him starting on the outside. Now. You do have 0:24:37.480 --> 0:24:41.719 Anthony Brown, and you can, but you need three of them, uh, 0:24:42.040 --> 0:24:45.359 three guys that are at least four and I'm not 0:24:45.400 --> 0:24:51.280 sure they have that all right, when we come back 0:24:51.320 --> 0:24:53.679 here on Mick Shots, let's take a look around the 0:24:53.760 --> 0:24:58.439 league and uh, let's see apparently Andy Dalton is getting 0:24:58.480 --> 0:25:02.200 some nibbles around the li Let's talk about the backup 0:25:02.280 --> 0:25:05.879 quarterback situation and what else is going on as free 0:25:05.920 --> 0:25:09.359 agency is underway, whether they call it that or not, 0:25:09.520 --> 0:25:12.119 whether it's they have to wait until three o'clock on 0:25:12.200 --> 0:25:15.919 Wednesday to start signing these deals. Free agency has already started, 0:25:16.000 --> 0:25:19.840 and it's exciting time. 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The Cowboys Way We're sixteen Hall of Famers 0:25:57.359 --> 0:26:01.600 and five championships, shows us what's successful, like where turkey 0:26:01.680 --> 0:26:04.760 is always the second best part of Thanksgiving Day, where 0:26:04.800 --> 0:26:08.160