WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Is 12-4 Possible? 0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:04.280 To our very first edition of The Break live from Oxnard, California. 0:00:04.320 --> 0:00:07.320 It is day two of Cowboys camp. Here. It's our 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:09.760 first time on the air this uh, this camp, and 0:00:09.800 --> 0:00:11.840 we're excited to be back, excited to be on the air, 0:00:11.880 --> 0:00:15.160 excited to be talking Cowboys football for the twenty nineteen season. 0:00:15.440 --> 0:00:18.160 Got my crew here, Nick, Amber, Dave, how's everybody doing 0:00:18.160 --> 0:00:23.520 this morning? Awesome? So good? That's awesome. All right. So 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:25.959 we got a lot to get into today. Since we 0:00:25.960 --> 0:00:27.480 haven't been on the air in a while, I thought 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:29.120 it would be a good idea for us to start 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.000 with some questions. I have a little game I'm gonna play. 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:34.280 It's it's gonna be a fill in the blank. I 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:36.960 have four questions, or actually four sentences for you guys, 0:00:36.960 --> 0:00:39.000 and I will leave a blank and I'll ask each 0:00:39.000 --> 0:00:41.239 of you guys to fill in that blank. All right, 0:00:41.240 --> 0:00:43.280 So let's start with the first one. We've arrived in 0:00:43.360 --> 0:00:48.200 sunny Oxnard, and expectations for this team are blank, Nick, 0:00:49.040 --> 0:00:53.400 very high, very high, very high, higher than they've been 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:58.600 in the last ten years. Got it, Dave? Sky high? Oh, 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:01.640 very high in sky high? Okay? I high, right, Amber, 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:03.920 I don't know how to surpress that in my English 0:01:04.080 --> 0:01:08.720 vocabulary doesn't expand that much. But to the Galaxy, Yeah, 0:01:08.720 --> 0:01:11.920 I mean we talk about contracts, we talk about young 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:15.480 guys are are making creating a new team, and yes, 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:19.120 that's fresh and everything. He's exciting, but that's not necessarily 0:01:19.400 --> 0:01:22.360 the case for Jason Garrett, who is coming to an 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:25.319 end of from his contract. So this is a very 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:28.720 important year. It's either he makes it or he doesn't. 0:01:28.720 --> 0:01:32.399 Everything that's happened since last season indicates that the divisional 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:34.880 rounds not good enough. The head coach won the division 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:36.600 and got to the second round of the playoffs, he 0:01:36.640 --> 0:01:38.640 does not have a new deal. As it stands right now, 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:41.720 everybody and their mother on this team is asking for 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:44.880 astronomical amounts of money. Whether it's the running back who's 0:01:44.920 --> 0:01:48.120 not here, or the quarterback, or the receiver or even 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:50.760 you know, guys like Jalen Smith that aren't on the radar. 0:01:50.840 --> 0:01:53.000 They want money too. It sounds like they got a 0:01:53.000 --> 0:01:55.560 hell of a lot of good players, and it sounds 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:58.280 like they're not happy enough with their coach getting to 0:01:58.280 --> 0:02:00.280 the second round of the playoffs. They've added a couple 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:03.600 Pro bowlers in the off season. Yeah, like, what what 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:06.680 about what they've done suggests that the expectations or anything 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:09.160 other than high. All right, So with that being said, 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:12.639 we all agree expectations are extremely high. What's the biggest threat, Well, 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:17.240 the biggest threat to this expectation is blank, Nick, I 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:19.720 think it's injury. I mean, I know that's probably an 0:02:19.720 --> 0:02:22.000 easy thing to say, but but you know, like Dave said, 0:02:22.040 --> 0:02:24.560 this is a really good roster. It was a good 0:02:24.639 --> 0:02:27.760 roster last year. It got better. We think it got 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:30.520 better this year with Frederick coming back, went and coming back, 0:02:30.600 --> 0:02:34.360 Randall Cobb, Robert Quinn. So the thing that's gonna stop 0:02:34.400 --> 0:02:37.400 it is injuries, and especially at positions were the backups 0:02:38.080 --> 0:02:40.640 just it's a huge drop off and so that I 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:43.320 think that that's going to derail most teams, especially this one, 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:46.000 because it's very top heavy with good players. I don't 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:48.840 know from one to fifty three how great it is amber, 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:51.920 you know, going back to injuries, that is something that 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:54.400 always scares me when you think about guys that ask 0:02:54.480 --> 0:02:57.480 for big contracts, and we have several guys that are 0:02:57.520 --> 0:03:00.600 in that situation right now. And I always go back 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:03.080 to like dus Brian and what happened to him when 0:03:03.120 --> 0:03:05.520 he asked for a contract and then he got injured. 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:09.320 And for some reason, that always stays in my mind, 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:12.280 like when you have a big contract coming up, there 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:15.240 may be a possible injury coming up, and then all 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:17.920 of a sudden you're screwed. So I would say injuries 0:03:17.960 --> 0:03:20.840 as well. Injuries is an eternal answer. Of course, I 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:23.760 agree with that. But if that's not it, then it's coaching. 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:26.520 I just said it. They've had three straight winning seasons, 0:03:26.560 --> 0:03:28.680 They've won the division two out of the last three years. 0:03:29.040 --> 0:03:30.760 Jason Garrett has been to the second round of the 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:35.160 playoffs twice, no three times, three times, and there is 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:37.040 not a fan base in the history of sports that 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:39.440 is less satisfied with the coach of a guy with 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:44.160 those credentials. Clearly, ownership might not light the ownership wants 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:46.120 him to succeed. Jerry Jones says that all the time, 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:48.240 but not so much that they're going to hand out 0:03:48.240 --> 0:03:50.920 a deal ahead of time. And you know, Jerry Jones 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:52.760 kind of made a joke of it, not wanting to 0:03:52.800 --> 0:03:55.280 talk about what's good enough for Jason Garrett to get 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:56.960 a new deal. He said, he was like, I can't 0:03:57.000 --> 0:03:59.720 hear you, what next question? On top of that, I 0:03:59.760 --> 0:04:02.880 mean what we scapegoaded Scottlandahan last year for a mediocre 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:05.480 to bad offense. It's all on Kellen Moore. Now. I 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:07.760 think people are pretty excited about what he might do, 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:11.160 but now it's time to prove that. So we just said, 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:13.720 how many great players does this team have? The expectations 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:17.040 are sky high, assuming everybody's healthy. It's gonna be coaching 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:18.840 that holds them back in my opinion. You know, the 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:22.280 one thing that Jason Garrett and his teams have not done, 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:25.240 but really this franchise hasn't done, and I think it's 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.520 about twenty years, maybe more twenty three years, is they 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:30.800 haven't won the division back to back years. When the 0:04:30.880 --> 0:04:34.919 expectations are there and you've done well, they haven't handled 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:38.040 success very well. I know in OH seven they were 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:40.000 thirteen and three lost to the Giants, and then in 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:41.800 O eight there were supposed to be a really really 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:44.080 good team three and oh to start and then and 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:46.839 then it just it tanked. And so you know, I 0:04:46.839 --> 0:04:48.960 think that's one thing this team has to do, is 0:04:49.000 --> 0:04:51.960 the target is on their chest number. You know, good schedule, 0:04:52.160 --> 0:04:54.160 really good schedule for what it looks like right now 0:04:54.560 --> 0:04:56.640 and at first place, schedule and you've got to be 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:59.719 able to handle that, and so far in the last 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:02.120 twenty something years, they have not done that. So that's 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:03.800 gonna be a big thing. And for whatever the reason, 0:05:03.839 --> 0:05:06.000 I don't think it's injuries every year. I just don't 0:05:06.000 --> 0:05:09.640 think it's handling success the right way. So now go ahead. 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:12.440 I was just gonna add, so, Okay, I don't think 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:14.880 any of us really think that Zeke is gonna hold 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:17.240 out for that long. But if that was to happen, 0:05:17.440 --> 0:05:21.200 I mean, do you believe that everything changes for this team? Yes, yes, 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:24.239 if he's if he's not here when the games start, 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:27.440 absolutely and he and he knows that, and that's the 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:30.400 only thing that's gonna really matter on this is this 0:05:30.520 --> 0:05:33.839 August sixth deadline or whatever. I don't think we'll do anything. 0:05:33.920 --> 0:05:35.480 I think he's gonna have to go all the way 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:38.279 into September and threaten to lose some games, because we 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:40.440 know if you miss one game, if you lose one 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.680 game you're not supposed to like to the Giants at home, 0:05:43.640 --> 0:05:45.479 that could change everything. That could be ten and six 0:05:45.520 --> 0:05:47.279 to nine and seven, and now you're out of the playoffs. 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:48.920 And we'll get into that a little bit deeper when 0:05:48.920 --> 0:05:50.440 we get into Zeke, I want to talk a lot 0:05:50.480 --> 0:05:53.640 about what's happening with Zeke Elliott continuing on those line 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:57.239 of questionings though, although those sentences, despite those big threats, 0:05:57.520 --> 0:06:00.240 Blank should give the Cowboys confidence that they will reach 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:07.280 their goal. Amber should give confidence. Well, I mean, I'm 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:11.080 confident on what Amari Cooper can bring to the offense. 0:06:11.240 --> 0:06:14.559 Let's say, whatever happens with Zeke, I know that Amri 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:18.320 showed a lot last year and this year should be better, 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:22.200 especially with him asking for a contract. Also, Dak Prescott, 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:24.960 the way that he has improved. I feel that this 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:28.520 is the first time since he's been here where we've 0:06:28.560 --> 0:06:32.719 been able to see a significant change growth. This is 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:35.480 the first time that he has a noticeable growth since 0:06:35.480 --> 0:06:38.000 he's been here. At his footwork. He keeps talking about 0:06:38.040 --> 0:06:40.640 that and John Kinna what he has been coaching up 0:06:40.680 --> 0:06:42.919 and how that has been helping him. So I have 0:06:43.080 --> 0:06:46.280 confidence that at least the passing game should improve this 0:06:46.360 --> 0:06:49.520 year and they would be able to rely on or 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:52.200 lean on that a little more this year. Dave, the 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:54.240 talent that you have on hand, I mean, you know, 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:57.120 whether it's Dak Prescott taking another step forward, which I 0:06:57.120 --> 0:06:59.839 think he will, whether it's even if it's a small edition. 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:02.560 But I think having Jason wittenback can help you in 0:07:02.640 --> 0:07:06.600 small measures. Obviously, Travis Frederick is enormous. You add him 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:10.040 to the other All pros on this offensive Linemari Cooper, 0:07:10.400 --> 0:07:13.400 Michael Gallup, Ezekiel Elliott, who I do think will be 0:07:13.440 --> 0:07:15.680 there when it matters. And then you know the defense. 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:18.520 You got some of the brightest young stars in the 0:07:18.600 --> 0:07:20.520 NFL on that side of the ball, whether it's Jalen, 0:07:20.560 --> 0:07:22.960 whether it's Late and Vander esh I think Byron Jones 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:25.240 and DeMarcus Lawrence. That's something to watch. But I think 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.680 they'll they'll be more ready than not as far as 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:30.920 injuries go. So what I mean what you got like 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:33.200 eight of the top one hundred players in the league. 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:37.520 You got five All Pros and eight Pro Bowlers. I mean, yeah, 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:39.880 the talent is going to carry this team and hopefully, 0:07:39.960 --> 0:07:42.280 like I said, hopefully the coaching goes with it. What 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:44.280 you give the Cowboys confidence sake. I don't think the 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:46.840 backbonus changed. I think of the offensive line is going 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:50.920 to still give me confidence for this team to do well. Um. Yeah, 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:53.560 obviously Zeke makes a big difference. I don't think that 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:57.720 the backups here would be able to sustain it and 0:07:57.760 --> 0:07:59.400 do it as as good of a job. I don't 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:01.480 think they. They would probably get some outside help. But 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:04.080 I think whoever it is we've seen de Marco Murray 0:08:04.080 --> 0:08:07.360 can set records behind the line, Darren McFadden can can 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:11.040 rejuvenate his career behind the line, and I think you know, 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:13.720 the special backleg Zeke can take it to another level. 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:16.000 But I still think this offensive line and if Frederick 0:08:16.000 --> 0:08:18.320 can get back, I think offensive line is gonna gonna 0:08:18.360 --> 0:08:21.440 help that do his job. Cooper and whatever running back 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:23.880 is back there, but I we'll talk more about and 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:25.960 at least we feel good about the backup seeing the 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:28.520 offensive line. Yeah, when you talk about injuries, at least 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:31.000 you have guys that you are like, not, oh my god, 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:33.480 we're screwed. He's gonna be a good player. If there's 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:35.720 if there's one spot where you feel good about the depth, 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:37.680 it's got to be that offensive line. YEA. All right, 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:39.839 So final sentence that you'll fill in the blank. My 0:08:39.960 --> 0:08:43.280 way too early on the record. Prediction for this team 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:46.800 is Dave, Oh you start with me, all right, don't 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:48.800 get mad at me. I think this is a ten 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:51.920 or eleven win team. I really do. But I think 0:08:51.920 --> 0:08:53.920 this is a ten or eleven win team that's sharing 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:56.040 the division with one of the best rosters in the 0:08:56.120 --> 0:08:59.959 league in the Philadelphia Eagles. So right now, July twenty eight, 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:02.520 I think they win ten or eleven games and it's 0:09:02.520 --> 0:09:07.600 only good enough for a wild card. Okay, Amber, Um, 0:09:08.160 --> 0:09:10.480 I hate this. I'm just gonna go with eleven. I 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:13.360 think that sounds about Yeah, eleven sounds about good. It 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:16.040 sounds good. Yeah, eleven and five. Dave is ten and six? 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:19.280 You're eleven and five? Yes, all right, Nick, I'm I'm 0:09:19.280 --> 0:09:22.520 ten and six and that. And that's gonna be hard, 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:24.240 you know, with with some of the teams that they 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:26.360 have to face. But you know, just when you when 0:09:26.400 --> 0:09:30.320 you throw in the Redskins and the Giants and you know, 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:32.560 just you're saying those are easy wins. No, I'm not. 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:35.520 I'm just saying those games are always tough. They're always tough, 0:09:35.559 --> 0:09:38.559 and so you know when and every team's got division, 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:41.120 you know, games like that. But but you know, who 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:43.480 knows what the Jets and Dolphins and Bills and they're 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:45.560 gonna do. But I know what the Patriots are gonna 0:09:45.600 --> 0:09:48.480 bring um. You know, they'll win some of those games, 0:09:48.520 --> 0:09:50.079 they'll lose some a couple that they should not. I 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:52.920 think ten and six and I I don't know, ten 0:09:52.920 --> 0:09:54.800 and six might win the division. I mean it did 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:58.040 last year. It did. I think ten and six is 0:09:58.240 --> 0:10:01.840 and again this is Stills Parcels line from by fifteen 0:10:01.920 --> 0:10:04.120 years ago. I think this is gonna be a much 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:06.880 better team than last year. The record may not show it, 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:08.600 but it will be a better team. I do agree 0:10:08.640 --> 0:10:10.199 with that, because I mean ten and six would be 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.440 the same record as last year, but I think this 0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:15.120 team will look more impressive even if they finished with 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:17.520 that record. There are a lot of topics we need 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:20.959 to hit, and none is bigger than Ezekiel Elliott. It 0:10:21.080 --> 0:10:23.080 started when we first saw you don't have to make 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.160 a prediction. Would you like me to make it? Yes? Yea, 0:10:25.200 --> 0:10:27.920 if we're all putting our butts out there, Yeah, okay, 0:10:29.080 --> 0:10:31.400 all right, I'm gonna go with their fifteen and one. 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:33.839 No no, no, okay, sorry, I'm gonna go with twelve 0:10:33.880 --> 0:10:35.600 and four because the way I look at the way 0:10:35.640 --> 0:10:38.000 I look at this team, what they did in the 0:10:38.040 --> 0:10:42.000 second half of the year last year, was really impressive. 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:44.079 It would have been a better record than that if 0:10:44.120 --> 0:10:46.440 they could have sustained that four full year before they 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:48.200 got a Mark or after they got a Mark Cooper. 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:51.520 But I actually think they got better. I think really 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:53.720 the big one is the adding of Robert Quinn. I 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:58.680 think you've now given yourselves two legitimate top end pass 0:10:58.800 --> 0:11:01.480 rushers on either side. I think you've got guys that 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:04.240 can spell those guys who still can get some pressure. 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:07.000 If what we're hearing about Randy Gregory suggests that he 0:11:07.040 --> 0:11:10.040 really will be back and playing for this team, I 0:11:10.080 --> 0:11:12.240 feel really good about what you got. The pass rush 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:14.360 I think you got. I actually expect a little bit 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:16.079 more this year from a guy like Malie Collins and 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:17.800 a contract here we see this happen all the time. 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:19.920 Guy's getting contract years, and all of a sudden they're 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:21.920 playing in a much better level than they were before. 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:25.120 You got those two linebackers in the middle, who are, 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:27.280 in my opinion, two of the best in the league, 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:30.120 and they are young and they are only going to 0:11:30.200 --> 0:11:33.080 be getting better. I think the secondary, I'm very excited 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:34.760 to see what Xavier Woods can do, so I think 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:37.040 the defense is really air. That gives me a lot 0:11:37.080 --> 0:11:39.280 of confidence to say I think this team is even 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:41.600 better than it was last year at in even the 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:43.760 guys that you brought back with your Trivis Fredick coming 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:46.160 back from injury, Randall Cobb being signed, I think you've 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:48.880 got a lot of weapons to make this team even 0:11:48.920 --> 0:11:50.800 better than they were last year. I know the schedule 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:53.760 is going to be tough, but I think that's also 0:11:53.800 --> 0:11:55.880 what separates the good teams from the teams that are 0:11:55.960 --> 0:11:58.000 up there is the teams that can actually figure out 0:11:58.000 --> 0:11:59.360 a way to get wins. And I think this team 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.680 is mentally tough. I think they'll be able to manage that. 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:04.000 I think I can get to twelve wins. You got 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:07.320 me believing after that field, so we'll see if that 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:09.160 actually works out that way. But I do think we 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:11.439 need to talk about Zeke Elliott. There are a lot 0:12:11.559 --> 0:12:15.200 of unknowns in this story. But I do think that 0:12:15.360 --> 0:12:16.880 one thing that stood out to me in the opening 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:18.760 press conference, and that's how I want to frame our 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:23.160 conversation is we heard three different things from the three 0:12:23.200 --> 0:12:26.480 primaries on this Jerry, Stephen and Jason, and I thought 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:29.120 it gave these three different perspectives of how you look 0:12:29.160 --> 0:12:31.880 at situations like this, and I want us to talk 0:12:31.880 --> 0:12:34.880 about talk about it from that standpoint first, Jerry. The 0:12:35.160 --> 0:12:37.320 whole mantra of what Jerry was saying, I think, and 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:39.240 you guys can correct me if you took something else 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:41.679 from from his words, But I thought, really what he's 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:44.840 focused on was the fact that, look, I'm in speaking 0:12:44.960 --> 0:12:47.480 as I'm Jerry. I'm not worried about this. This is 0:12:47.520 --> 0:12:49.880 business as usual. I've been doing this for thirty years. 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.120 This is a part of the business in football. Pro 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:54.600 football is a business. So there's nothing to be worried 0:12:54.600 --> 0:12:57.160 about at this point. We'll negotiate, we'll talk about it, 0:12:57.160 --> 0:12:59.560 we'll figure out what we're gonna do. There really are 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:01.640 no words at this point. Is that what you guys 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:04.120 took from from his words? As a general I think 0:13:04.400 --> 0:13:06.720 I need to direct quote though, because it was such 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:08.600 a flex when he was like, this is the air 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:11.240 we breathe, like this is our life. Like you know, 0:13:11.400 --> 0:13:13.120 y'all can stress about it if you want to, but 0:13:13.200 --> 0:13:15.800 this is nothing to me. Which yeah, no, I mean 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:17.960 you yeah, one hundred percent, that's what they're saying. And 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:20.600 I also think, you know, that's kind of his I'm 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:22.880 not call it arrogance, but I mean, they sit up there, 0:13:22.880 --> 0:13:24.640 they know more than us, and they know that, and 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:27.600 so it's like, even if they were worried about it, 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:29.960 they're not, you know, gonna say it right there because 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:32.959 there's no reason to worry about it then. But if 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:35.920 we're in a month, they'll be worried about it. And 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:38.760 that's why I you know, that's why I think that 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:41.920 if Zeke's gonna be serious about this, then you know, 0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:44.480 he's gonna have to wait a little bit longer, you know, 0:13:44.720 --> 0:13:47.600 I don't think I mean, if they were to say, hey, 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:50.720 he's not coming back until you know, August six, it's like, great, 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.840 can't get hurt, you get in trouble. But you know, 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:56.680 you could do that anywhere, you know what I mean, 0:13:56.760 --> 0:13:58.679 You're ain't gonna get hurt, which is kind of a 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:01.200 good thing. So so should fans be more concerned? I 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:03.560 know Jerry's not concerned from the standpoint that he's done 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:05.920 this before. He knows these things tend to work themselves out. 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:08.400 But let's assume for a second that Zeke takes the 0:14:08.480 --> 0:14:11.040 route that you're talking about, and now it pushes into 0:14:11.120 --> 0:14:13.280 the season because he really has to play. He feels 0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:15.040 like he really has to play hardball right now, when 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:17.720 he may feel like this is his best leverage should 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:20.320 be fans be concerned that that could play out, and 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:22.440 then you go into the season without one of your 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:24.280 best players, if not your best player. If I was 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:26.840 a fan, I would probably think about this the same 0:14:26.880 --> 0:14:29.280 way that I think Jason Garrett is, which is to say, 0:14:29.440 --> 0:14:32.160 right here in Oxnard, cool, he's not gonna get hurt. 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:34.600 We'll get a better look at Darius Jackson and Tony 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:37.960 Pollard and Mike Weber and Jordan Chun. You know, see 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:40.560 what these guys got. Maybe they'll do something for this year. 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:43.320 Maybe they could be trade bait when roster cuts come. 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:45.320 This is this is a net positive. We're gonna see 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:47.840 what these guys got. And you get back from Oxnard 0:14:47.840 --> 0:14:50.720 if he's still not there, it's like, I don't love this, 0:14:51.480 --> 0:14:53.240 you know, kind of it's in the back of my 0:14:53.280 --> 0:14:55.000 mind now, you know, I'd like to see my guy. 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:57.360 I'd like to know he's getting reps, but is he 0:14:57.440 --> 0:15:00.240 in shape? Still not freaking out because we got two 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:03.480 more weeks so that's fine. And then you know, roster 0:15:03.600 --> 0:15:05.960 cuts and now we're prepping for the Giants. He's still 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:09.680 not here. Now we're ringing alarm bells. Now we're freaking out, 0:15:09.720 --> 0:15:12.400 We're not sleeping at night. That's I mean, Jason Garrett 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:14.440 won't admit that, but that's how he's going to approach this. 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:16.400 I feel very confident, and that's how I would feel 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:18.920 as I was a fan too. If we're game planning 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:22.120 for the Giants and we're not making moves to get 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:25.160 him back, then it's time to panic. Until then, I'm 0:15:25.240 --> 0:15:27.080 kind of I'm cool to see what the rest of 0:15:27.120 --> 0:15:29.240 these guys have. You know, what worries me is the 0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:32.160 fact him not being here and where he's at right now, 0:15:32.200 --> 0:15:34.760 the people that he's with are gonna be in his ear. 0:15:34.880 --> 0:15:37.880 These people his agents are wanting money. They get money 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:40.280 from him. So it's like having those people around you 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.280 telling you like, this is what you should do. You know, 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:44.320 we should this is the game plan and stuff. You 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:47.280 start putting those thoughts in your head and then you 0:15:47.320 --> 0:15:51.640 start acting that way towards that specific goal, you know, 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:55.200 as opposed to let's say, okay, this is a different story. 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:57.680 The Marcus Lawrence's hurt. That's different, and he has a 0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:01.000 contract obviously, but he mentioned that him being here is 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:04.480 completely different than when you're at home. So the thought 0:16:04.520 --> 0:16:08.160 of that aspect of it, I wonder how that would 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:12.240 affect his thought process. Yeah, we're playing the Dolphins in 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:15.200 Week three at home and the Dolphins have gone down 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:18.320 and scored a touchdown. That's where we are. In my opinion, 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:20.800 that's like, Okay, well, you know, plenty of time I 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:24.280 got to come back and on that. But yeah, quarter 0:16:24.600 --> 0:16:26.480 and they've got the ball and the night we're in 0:16:26.480 --> 0:16:28.960 trouble worried? Yeah not yet. All right, let's talk about 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:32.360 Steven Jones his I think the takeaway from Steven was, 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:35.320 in my opinion, camps where these things get done. And 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:38.000 he made that point. Um, if you haven't seen our 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:39.920 show special edition, Dave, you had to sit down with 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:42.040 him and ask him about that as well. And I 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:44.720 think they'd be interviewing Steven all year. He will be 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:50.360 interviewing It'll be your weekly We could give um. But 0:16:50.360 --> 0:16:52.240 but I think the point of that was that and 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:53.880 we've seen this, those of us have been covering the 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:55.520 team for a while. You've seen that. Like there have 0:16:55.600 --> 0:16:58.480 been number of guys that have gotten deals during training camp. 0:16:58.760 --> 0:17:00.680 This tends to be the area the time when the 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:02.600 Cowboys kind of dig in on those a little bit 0:17:02.640 --> 0:17:05.000 and see if they can get something done. That all 0:17:05.040 --> 0:17:07.879 being said, he's not the only deal. There are a 0:17:07.920 --> 0:17:11.040 lot of new deals that have to be done, particularly 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:14.000 with DAK and to Mary. So talk to me a 0:17:14.040 --> 0:17:16.239 little bit about the timing of this and how that 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:19.080 might affect what's happening with DAK and with the Mark. 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:22.800 A big difference between the guys you're alluding to, Tyrant Smith, 0:17:22.920 --> 0:17:25.760 Zach Martin, Travis Frederick and then the two guys that 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:28.920 are here that they're here, you know, And I think 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:32.359 that one thing that the Jerry and Stephen have proven 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:34.520 is that you're not going to strong arm them. You're 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:36.800 just not. I mean him and even went two games 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:39.440 twenty five years ago and they had to lose both 0:17:39.440 --> 0:17:42.240 of those games for it to happen. So I think 0:17:42.240 --> 0:17:44.480 he would have probably been better served to say, listen, 0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:47.439 I have a big problem with this, and then if 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:50.760 they can say, yah, come in, let's get this thing done. 0:17:50.840 --> 0:17:53.480 Let's talk about it. You know. But but I don't 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:55.200 know if they're gonna hit the panic button now because 0:17:55.200 --> 0:17:58.320 they're not gonna let the whole team though that that's 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:01.399 what you gotta do to set precedence, so I might 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:03.440 this might be a little tougher to get done now 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:07.840 because he's done this. I want. I mean, I wonder 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:10.199 and that's why I do, you know. And Stephen and 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:12.400 Jerry Jones both kind of said like, look, we're gonna 0:18:12.560 --> 0:18:14.359 talk about all of this today and then we're not 0:18:14.359 --> 0:18:16.360