1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:07,480
Speaker 1: Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones. Good afternoon, sir, Good afternoon, guys.

2
00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,640
Speaker 1: How are you doing. We're doing really well. We are

3
00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,840
Speaker 1: doing very well. We appreciate you jumping on with us,

4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:14,840
Speaker 1: and I gotta know, as we get closer to the draft,

5
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,280
Speaker 1: only nine days away, I don't know what you can

6
00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,840
Speaker 1: or cannot say about all of this, but do the

7
00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:25,239
Speaker 1: situations involving Kelvin Joseph impact your thoughts about the defensive

8
00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:30,240
Speaker 1: backfield and drafting cornerbacks going into the draft. We are

9
00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,680
Speaker 1: always into taking the best player on our board, as

10
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,919
Speaker 1: you know, and not unlike we did with Sheety. You know,

11
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,280
Speaker 1: we took the best player there when we weren't necessarily

12
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,559
Speaker 1: needing a wide receiver. So you know, we try to

13
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,479
Speaker 1: have the depth, have what we need on our roster

14
00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,559
Speaker 1: going into the draft so that we're not affected by

15
00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:54,640
Speaker 1: being able to take the best player on the board.

16
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,960
Speaker 1: We got word that and I'm hoping you can confirm

17
00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,040
Speaker 1: this that Kelvin Joseph was part of y'all voluntary workouts.

18
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:04,120
Speaker 1: Is that the case? And if that is the case,

19
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,320
Speaker 1: do y'all believe he is in the clear legally? Then

20
00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,840
Speaker 1: the investigations ongoing we're waiting to get all the information,

21
00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,520
Speaker 1: but in the meantime, you know, we're uh, he was

22
00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,479
Speaker 1: here yesterday and participating in the offseason program. And then

23
00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,640
Speaker 1: the last question I'm curious about that is, can you

24
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,120
Speaker 1: tell us when y'all found out that there could be

25
00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,200
Speaker 1: an issue? Were you surprised by this since it had

26
00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,640
Speaker 1: happened a month before? When did y'all find out that

27
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,080
Speaker 1: there could be issues involving Kelvin Joseph. We're not going

28
00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,080
Speaker 1: to come in any further on any of the details

29
00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:45,240
Speaker 1: at this point. The investigations ongoing. We're obviously getting you know,

30
00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,160
Speaker 1: a lot of details here, but that's all we're gonna

31
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,600
Speaker 1: say at this point. All right, Stephen, I'm kind of

32
00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,800
Speaker 1: I'm kind of curious as the you know, you're looking

33
00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,320
Speaker 1: at the personalities of players that you're drafting. You're you're

34
00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:56,880
Speaker 1: looking at guys and you're going, Okay, this is a

35
00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,160
Speaker 1: college kid. I know what I was like in college.

36
00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:00,800
Speaker 1: You know what you were like in college, and you're

37
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,440
Speaker 1: you're trying to kind of go through the mind of

38
00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,960
Speaker 1: what they will grow into. What are those conversations like

39
00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,079
Speaker 1: whenever you're you're having discussions about Okay, was this player,

40
00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,200
Speaker 1: Did he have a problem, was he was he a

41
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,120
Speaker 1: great leader? Like? What are the discussions about personality and

42
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,959
Speaker 1: how how important that is whenever you're bringing a guy

43
00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,760
Speaker 1: in and drafting him. Well, I think it's huge. I mean,

44
00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,720
Speaker 1: you go into that with every player and you certainly

45
00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:30,600
Speaker 1: give grades on their character risk and we go in debt.

46
00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:33,280
Speaker 1: I would say, you know, at least twenty five percent

47
00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,880
Speaker 1: of the report is based on the guy's character. Football character,

48
00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:43,080
Speaker 1: personal character on and off the field, all the things

49
00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,720
Speaker 1: that go into the makeup of what a football player

50
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,359
Speaker 1: is going to be like and what you project him

51
00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,040
Speaker 1: to be like when he gets into the NFL. But

52
00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,959
Speaker 1: it's certainly a big part of the evaluation process when

53
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,360
Speaker 1: we're taking a look at how he will fit in

54
00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,800
Speaker 1: for the Dallas Cowboy. Is what we project him, uh

55
00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,400
Speaker 1: to be like both on and off the field, and

56
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,160
Speaker 1: uh certainly a big part of the evaluation. So Kevin

57
00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,840
Speaker 1: and I and and Mike, whenever we're you know, pitching

58
00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,519
Speaker 1: ideas and topics for our show, we like to call

59
00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,680
Speaker 1: Kevin the red team because he tries to shoot bullets

60
00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,080
Speaker 1: and everything that we're trying to say, what and uh,

61
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,000
Speaker 1: and so I'm just gonna cure who's the who's the

62
00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,280
Speaker 1: voice in that room that's like, yeah, but is he this?

63
00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,840
Speaker 1: Is this player this? And like when are there lots

64
00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,480
Speaker 1: of voices or is there one that's just like me?

65
00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,600
Speaker 1: And I want to know more about this specifically. No,

66
00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,840
Speaker 1: I think it's uh, it's a it's throughout the room.

67
00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,560
Speaker 1: I mean, it's part of and I assume we're stiff

68
00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,560
Speaker 1: on the evaluation of uh, you know, football and personal character,

69
00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,920
Speaker 1: but uh, you know, it comes out in a big way,

70
00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,680
Speaker 1: uh from the scouts, and then the questions, uh come

71
00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,280
Speaker 1: from not only the head coaches, but the coordinators, the

72
00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,080
Speaker 1: position coaches, and then naturally of course, uh, Will and

73
00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:02,200
Speaker 1: Jerry and myself are all over it as well. And uh,

74
00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,320
Speaker 1: it's just something that you know, you really you compare

75
00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,360
Speaker 1: them to players in the past who may have had

76
00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:10,840
Speaker 1: you know, we can go down a laundry list of

77
00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,480
Speaker 1: players who've had who've had character issues that didn't have

78
00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,720
Speaker 1: high grades and character that went on to be very successful.

79
00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,400
Speaker 1: And we've certainly, uh you know, had had players that

80
00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,720
Speaker 1: that we've taken a risk on that hadn't worked out.

81
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,000
Speaker 1: So it is a risk reward thing, but it's certainly

82
00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,359
Speaker 1: a huge part of it, not unlike the medical is.

83
00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,480
Speaker 1: And then certainly you get into uh, you know, their

84
00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,120
Speaker 1: physical traits, and then you just get into what, uh

85
00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,440
Speaker 1: what type of football player they are. So there's certainly

86
00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,640
Speaker 1: a lot that goes into the final grade. It's the

87
00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:51,120
Speaker 1: full body of work. Is this the most exhausting offseason

88
00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:56,280
Speaker 1: that you can recall for yourself and for the Cowboys specifically? Yeah,

89
00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,560
Speaker 1: I think the biggest reason, uh, you know, for well,

90
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,120
Speaker 1: wouldn't call it exhausting. I just call it. Hey, it's

91
00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,960
Speaker 1: a you know, it's it's a challenge, it's work, it's uh,

92
00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,520
Speaker 1: you know, a lot that went into it, mainly because

93
00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,080
Speaker 1: of the unique situation of the last two years with

94
00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:17,200
Speaker 1: the pandemic and how it affected the salary cap in

95
00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:23,600
Speaker 1: terms of not having its natural uh you know, if

96
00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,400
Speaker 1: you will increase each year. You weren't able to project that,

97
00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,960
Speaker 1: and you knew that the cap was not going to

98
00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:35,839
Speaker 1: be uh naturally going up as you normally build into

99
00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:40,279
Speaker 1: your contracts. So consequently we had to really step back

100
00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,039
Speaker 1: and uh and be conservative, if you will, in terms

101
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:48,039
Speaker 1: of signing extensions to players. Uh. The other thing that

102
00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,479
Speaker 1: played into that for us, obviously was a new coaching

103
00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,680
Speaker 1: staff with coach McCarthy coming in, you want to make

104
00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,040
Speaker 1: sure that the players that you have on the roster,

105
00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,960
Speaker 1: how they're playing, uh, you know, how they fit the

106
00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,279
Speaker 1: schemes both offensively, defensively and special teams, how they're going

107
00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,120
Speaker 1: to fit in under the new staff. Obviously, unfortunately we

108
00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,400
Speaker 1: had to make a quick change on defense, so we

109
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:16,440
Speaker 1: had two different coordinators there in two years. So there

110
00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,440
Speaker 1: were some challenges that aren't normally there which kept us

111
00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,840
Speaker 1: from you know, signing extensions to players we might normally

112
00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,960
Speaker 1: would have, as well as having the challenge of having

113
00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,560
Speaker 1: to make some tough decisions because the cap didn't necessarily

114
00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,520
Speaker 1: project as high as we would have taught pre pre pandemic,

115
00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,000
Speaker 1: and so they're in lied the challenges that we had

116
00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,960
Speaker 1: to work through. So it did create you know, one

117
00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,360
Speaker 1: of our biggest I think probably our biggest free agent class,

118
00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,400
Speaker 1: especially players that we feel like we're really good football players.

119
00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,520
Speaker 1: So that was our challenge out there. We feel like

120
00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,880
Speaker 1: we did do a good job with it in terms

121
00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,440
Speaker 1: of resigning for the most part, the players that we wanted,

122
00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,640
Speaker 1: it felt like we could keep under the current salary

123
00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,720
Speaker 1: cap environment, and I do think that we were able

124
00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,560
Speaker 1: to fill you know, for the most part, we're not

125
00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:16,600
Speaker 1: done yet. In free agency. We'll see what opportunities come

126
00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,800
Speaker 1: up out there, but we feel like we can go

127
00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,080
Speaker 1: into the draft here again and pick the best players

128
00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,080
Speaker 1: on our board. When you say the players that you

129
00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:28,480
Speaker 1: could keep, I've always been fascinated by that, because I

130
00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,160
Speaker 1: know every team has a different philosophy. What would you

131
00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,880
Speaker 1: say to the fan base, because, as I'm sure you're aware,

132
00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,000
Speaker 1: a lot of fans are upset about some of their

133
00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,000
Speaker 1: favorite players going away or feeling like the talent level

134
00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,880
Speaker 1: on this team has gone down. What would you say

135
00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,120
Speaker 1: that people who look at the Los Angeles Rams, who

136
00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,040
Speaker 1: maybe don't pay as much attention to the long term

137
00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,280
Speaker 1: cap implications because they're like, we want to win now.

138
00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,640
Speaker 1: I think if we see the player that makes the

139
00:07:54,680 --> 00:08:00,600
Speaker 1: difference in terms of whether we're gonna win or lose games, Uh,

140
00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,760
Speaker 1: then we're all in on stretching in terms of the

141
00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:08,440
Speaker 1: salary cap and and uh and making something work. I

142
00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,760
Speaker 1: think at the end of the day, Uh, you know,

143
00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,560
Speaker 1: when you look at our team last year, we came

144
00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,800
Speaker 1: up short, and although we have some really good football players,

145
00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:20,560
Speaker 1: you know, from a perception standpoint, we have to make

146
00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,520
Speaker 1: the decision. Uh, you know, in collaboration with our coaching staff,

147
00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:29,280
Speaker 1: in collaboration with our personnel staff, is that good value

148
00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,280
Speaker 1: for your CAB dollars and what that does enable you

149
00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,440
Speaker 1: to do? If the right situation comes to you, then

150
00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,880
Speaker 1: you can certainly make that decision and understand completely that

151
00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,800
Speaker 1: they're you know, there's the situations out there where our

152
00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:49,240
Speaker 1: fans uh you know, half thoughts as to where they

153
00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,560
Speaker 1: would be spending the cap dollars. But uh, uh, you know,

154
00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,000
Speaker 1: I like the situation that are that we're in. I

155
00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,880
Speaker 1: think we made some really good decisions and I like

156
00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,760
Speaker 1: where we're heading. Stephen. When it comes to depth, where

157
00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,760
Speaker 1: do you like your depth more right now? At the

158
00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:08,480
Speaker 1: wide receiver position or your offensive line? I mean, you

159
00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,280
Speaker 1: want all the above if the truth be known. I mean,

160
00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,680
Speaker 1: you look at what happened last year. Certainly Tyrant Smith

161
00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,480
Speaker 1: miss games. You had the pandemic situation where Zac missed

162
00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,559
Speaker 1: a game. I mean, you know the year before we

163
00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,640
Speaker 1: had you know, a handful of injuries that you know,

164
00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,640
Speaker 1: really uh put us in a tough situation. And at

165
00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,280
Speaker 1: the same time, you know, you look at receivers and

166
00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,360
Speaker 1: you know we had guys missing games there as well,

167
00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,880
Speaker 1: but obviously Gallup missed quite a bit uh cd miss

168
00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:43,000
Speaker 1: from a concussion standpoint, and then uh certainly am already

169
00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,840
Speaker 1: did from a from a COVID standpoint. So, you know,

170
00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,080
Speaker 1: and in the right situation, you want to you know,

171
00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,000
Speaker 1: you want to be able to have guys step up,

172
00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,200
Speaker 1: and you need depth in all areas, whether it's via

173
00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,839
Speaker 1: the draft or free agency. You hope you get that accomplished.

174
00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,120
Speaker 1: Executive as president for the Cowboys, Steven Jones joined us

175
00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,080
Speaker 1: here on the KNC masterpiece You're Home of the Dallas

176
00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,720
Speaker 1: Cowboys one or five through the fan And as we're

177
00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:08,319
Speaker 1: looking at the draft for you know, a couple of

178
00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,280
Speaker 1: weeks away here getting really excited about it, do you

179
00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,760
Speaker 1: have a do you have a good feel for the

180
00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,160
Speaker 1: price to trade up and is there like a logical

181
00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,840
Speaker 1: target you would like to aim for it? I just think, uh,

182
00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,240
Speaker 1: you know, you you do have a feel in terms

183
00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,679
Speaker 1: of the historic values that it takes to move up

184
00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,760
Speaker 1: certain spots, and uh, certainly, uh, you know in the

185
00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,400
Speaker 1: first round, is you know, in particular to move up,

186
00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,680
Speaker 1: you're going to be giving up you know, a really

187
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,400
Speaker 1: good football player. You're going to be going uh in

188
00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,600
Speaker 1: a one player for two, so it's got to be

189
00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,480
Speaker 1: worth it. There are certainly players that were very interested

190
00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:50,160
Speaker 1: in as you move up, But we also know that

191
00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,600
Speaker 1: this draft is probably deeper than it's been in years

192
00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:57,240
Speaker 1: because of the uh because of the COVID years, players

193
00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,320
Speaker 1: were allowed. A lot of guys stayed in school and

194
00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,120
Speaker 1: made the most of it, and I've gotten themselves a

195
00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:07,000
Speaker 1: boo from a you know, from a late to undraftable

196
00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:11,080
Speaker 1: player to a very much a draftable player. So you know,

197
00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:12,760
Speaker 1: there's gonna be a lot of things that we have

198
00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:17,400
Speaker 1: to consider, but we're certainly uh always open minded to

199
00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,120
Speaker 1: uh moving up if the right player in the right situations.

200
00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,560
Speaker 1: There any particular positions, y'all have got the sense that

201
00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:30,160
Speaker 1: this deepest draft, This draft is deeper than other positions.

202
00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,360
Speaker 1: I think there's a great group of defensive linemen in

203
00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,880
Speaker 1: this draft as well as a great group of receivers.

204
00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,680
Speaker 1: They seem to uh seems to be pretty deep in

205
00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,800
Speaker 1: both places, and uh certainly those are places that and

206
00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:49,480
Speaker 1: now us in particular after losing a bar and said that, uh,

207
00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,319
Speaker 1: you know, to add some uh a skill set there,

208
00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,000
Speaker 1: to add a player there that would could help us

209
00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,280
Speaker 1: win football games. And then at the same time, you

210
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,880
Speaker 1: never have defensive linemen, as we all know, and so

211
00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,240
Speaker 1: those are great places for there to be a lot

212
00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,280
Speaker 1: of death. And there's also I think some unique players

213
00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,440
Speaker 1: in this draft at both spots as well. So it's

214
00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,160
Speaker 1: been very interesting in the you know, in our draft

215
00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,600
Speaker 1: preparations seeing who might be there and who might can

216
00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,280
Speaker 1: help us and where we think the strength is. But

217
00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,680
Speaker 1: you know, this time last year, we got to be honest,

218
00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,120
Speaker 1: we didn't necessarily think. We weren't thinking Mike at this

219
00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,920
Speaker 1: point that day, two weeks away from the drafts. So

220
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,640
Speaker 1: you just have to really do your homework. You have

221
00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,760
Speaker 1: to really prepare no one that you never know what

222
00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,200
Speaker 1: situation you're going to be presented with, and you certainly

223
00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,160
Speaker 1: want to have done your work up and down the board.

224
00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,240
Speaker 1: Stephen brought us and I were talking Friday, and we

225
00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,560
Speaker 1: were having just kind of a discussion about the offensive line,

226
00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,640
Speaker 1: and I think one of the things that I kind

227
00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:58,479
Speaker 1: of missed last year was maybe nastiness on the offensive

228
00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:02,000
Speaker 1: line and like just real gritty, nasty offensive lineman. And

229
00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,920
Speaker 1: I'm kind of curious. We've kind of penned guard as

230
00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,880
Speaker 1: the spot. What what are you looking for in a

231
00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,080
Speaker 1: guard whenever you're looking for the entire package there. Well,

232
00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:16,559
Speaker 1: Zach Martin is a perfect example of a gas another

233
00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,160
Speaker 1: guy who wasn't on our really on our mind if

234
00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,480
Speaker 1: you would ask us a week before the draft started.

235
00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,640
Speaker 1: We've had four or five defensive players we really liked

236
00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,600
Speaker 1: in the draft and really thought we were leaning more

237
00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,800
Speaker 1: toward defense. And those guys went off the board and

238
00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,920
Speaker 1: fairly quick order, right in front of us. And then

239
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,320
Speaker 1: you have a guy who's a dominant guard type like Zach.

240
00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,680
Speaker 1: But if you find me another Zach Martin, I agree

241
00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,319
Speaker 1: with you. I'd take that all day long. The other thing, uh,

242
00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,800
Speaker 1: you know, to me that's interesting is the versatility of

243
00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,120
Speaker 1: these offensive linemen are important too. As we all know,

244
00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,560
Speaker 1: Zach's very capable of playing tackle if we needed him to.

245
00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,360
Speaker 1: There's not a doubt in my mind he could move

246
00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,560
Speaker 1: in and play center if we needed him too. Now

247
00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,680
Speaker 1: he's one of the premier guards playing right guard. You

248
00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,760
Speaker 1: don't want to, you know, you really don't want to sacrifice.

249
00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,200
Speaker 1: No one wants you have there as a dominant player

250
00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,600
Speaker 1: in the NFL and Zach Martin. But if you were

251
00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:17,320
Speaker 1: to draw one up, I just say, go look at

252
00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,120
Speaker 1: Zack Martin, and you weren't mentioned in some defensive players.

253
00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,240
Speaker 1: You can blink twice if it was Aaron Donald, were

254
00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,880
Speaker 1: we had him right there? And of course you're talking

255
00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,560
Speaker 1: about to the greatest players at their positions and Aaron

256
00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,360
Speaker 1: Donald and Zach Martin. But yeah, you gotta say, if

257
00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,880
Speaker 1: you were going to draw up a three technique in

258
00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:38,800
Speaker 1: the NFL, he's got to be one of the best

259
00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:40,880
Speaker 1: to ever play the position. Now, I know we'll get

260
00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,360
Speaker 1: the opportunity to talk with you again on Friday. I

261
00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,880
Speaker 1: am curious, we were kind of joking about it earlier.

262
00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,360
Speaker 1: Is there are players that fans would like to spend

263
00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,000
Speaker 1: their money on and everything like that in terms of

264
00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,600
Speaker 1: the salary cap. How much are you maybe on social

265
00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,920
Speaker 1: media or how much are you in tune with the

266
00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:01,240
Speaker 1: perception of Cowboys fans when it comes the off season, because,

267
00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,560
Speaker 1: as I'm sure you can probably guess, this has been

268
00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,600
Speaker 1: a frustrating offseason for a lot of Cowboys fans, myself included. Well,

269
00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:10,760
Speaker 1: I don't think you ever win the Super Bowl in

270
00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,600
Speaker 1: the off season. I think it's a full body of

271
00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,200
Speaker 1: work which you put together over time, and I certainly

272
00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:21,320
Speaker 1: appreciate that. I mean, the biggest thing of all is, uh,

273
00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,080
Speaker 1: you know, is it's been a long time since we

274
00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,240
Speaker 1: have won a championship and no one appreciates that more

275
00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:31,000
Speaker 1: than myself, than Jerry, than the people in this organization

276
00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,760
Speaker 1: that we've you know, you've got to get over the hump.

277
00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,760
Speaker 1: At the same time, we didn't last year with that

278
00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,720
Speaker 1: same group of players. And you know, sometimes you let

279
00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,120
Speaker 1: a player move on and it allows other players to

280
00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:46,200
Speaker 1: step up in even a bigger role. And whether that's

281
00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,760
Speaker 1: a CD Lamb or a Michael Gallup, I know, uh,

282
00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,000
Speaker 1: you know, Amari was a great player for us, but

283
00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:59,040
Speaker 1: this uh you know might allow certainly CD and Michael

284
00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,000
Speaker 1: to step up and play an even bigger rolling. Who

285
00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,400
Speaker 1: knows what they're upside may be. So you know, there's

286
00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,400
Speaker 1: a same thing with a Doran's Armstrong. I mean, you know,

287
00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,720
Speaker 1: we hated to lose Randy. We went down to the

288
00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,800
Speaker 1: wire with him. But at the same time, you look

289
00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:19,160
Speaker 1: at production, you look at what Doran's Armstrong's done. You know,

290
00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:23,160
Speaker 1: he's he's right there from a production standpoint, you know,

291
00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,280
Speaker 1: with Randy. So I just feel good about where our

292
00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,120
Speaker 1: football team is. I think we'll we'll be a better team,

293
00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,160
Speaker 1: and I think we can take the next step. Appreciate

294
00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,440
Speaker 1: your telling very much. Good sir. As we get closer

295
00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:36,960
Speaker 1: and closer to the draft, will catch up with you.

296
00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,720
Speaker 1: Get on Friday. Thank you guys. Great being on