WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Why Not Draft A Safety? 0:00:01.280 --> 0:00:03.760 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:03.800 --> 0:00:06.520 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Let's go. Are you 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:10.680 ready for a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:10.840 --> 0:00:15.000 Ready for a break? Yeah? And so much for that. 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:19.360 It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:25.520 Wait with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, and bar Garcia and 0:00:25.840 --> 0:00:30.240 Derek Eagleton. It is Tuesday, May first, two, eighteen, Season fourteen, 0:00:30.240 --> 0:00:33.120 episode number seven. Welcome to another edition of The Break, 0:00:33.479 --> 0:00:37.040 live from the SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Star, and 0:00:37.040 --> 0:00:38.519 we appreciate you guys to take us some time to 0:00:38.520 --> 0:00:41.720 talk to some Cowboys football with us today. Post draft, 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:46.800 Cowboys completed the NFL twenty eighteen NFL Draft picked up 0:00:47.320 --> 0:00:51.440 what's the total number, five, six, seven, eight, nine players? Um? 0:00:51.720 --> 0:00:54.279 Nine players they drafted. I should say, we're gonna talk 0:00:54.320 --> 0:00:56.120 about a few of those guys, talk about some of 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:58.920 the moves they did and did not make, and give 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:01.600 you guys our opinions on where this team goes from here. 0:01:01.680 --> 0:01:05.520 How's everybody doing today? Great? Wonderful? Good? All right, so 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:08.360 let's jump right in. M As I said, the Cowboys 0:01:08.360 --> 0:01:12.640 got nine nine draft picks. There were two players that 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:16.520 they traded for Um. Let's talk first about just overall. 0:01:16.600 --> 0:01:19.480 What were your thoughts coming out of the draft based 0:01:19.560 --> 0:01:22.240 upon I guess it's hard to do that without talking 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:24.600 about whatever your expectations were for them and what they 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:27.320 were going to do. Based upon each of your expectations, 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:29.120 how did you feel about what they were able to 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:31.320 accomplish in the draft. Let's start with you, Nick. I 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:34.919 thought they drafted for need. Um. I think that they 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:36.520 you know, they'll say all the time that they got 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:41.160 best available player, and maybe maybe they did in certain cases. 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.720 But I thought they had a need going in and 0:01:43.760 --> 0:01:47.600 they drafted for need, especially with the first pick. In 0:01:47.680 --> 0:01:49.960 the second pick, I still think that was a need 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:52.680 pick because Connor Williams is going to play guard. So overall, 0:01:52.720 --> 0:01:54.600 I just thought that that they went in here with 0:01:54.720 --> 0:01:57.400 some glaring needs. They didn't address all of them. There's 0:01:57.440 --> 0:02:00.680 one still sitting out there, and I think it to 0:02:00.720 --> 0:02:02.560 that they'll get to it, and they will get to it. 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:04.840 But I thought overall they had some needs that they 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:07.760 didn't address a free agency and they drafted that way. Amber. 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:09.720 What were your thoughts? I like it. I liked the 0:02:09.760 --> 0:02:13.520 overall everything that they did. I was surprised though, to 0:02:13.560 --> 0:02:17.280 see how many wide receivers they got. I really didn't 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:21.959 believe wide receiver was that big of a need, you know, so, 0:02:22.440 --> 0:02:24.560 I mean it is, but as of right now, if 0:02:24.560 --> 0:02:26.960 you're wanting to get right wide receiver, I would have 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:30.320 expected someone way higher than the guys that got. And 0:02:30.600 --> 0:02:32.720 I guess that falls down to what Nick was saying, 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:35.840 kind of getting best player available, and that's kind of 0:02:35.880 --> 0:02:38.399 what they said to along the draft when it goes 0:02:38.480 --> 0:02:42.239 to those rounds, you just go for the best one available. 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:44.320 I didn't say that, I said that they got. I 0:02:44.320 --> 0:02:47.799 think they got best available need, yeah, which is very well, 0:02:47.960 --> 0:02:51.400 very way to put yeah. Yeah, and then they have 0:02:51.520 --> 0:02:54.840 plenty of needs. I mean, I mean it's pretty broad. 0:02:55.200 --> 0:02:59.080 So I just it still surprised me, and it surprised 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:01.880 me not to see the whole safety situation. I mean, 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:05.320 you get, you got very close to Derwin James and 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:08.320 nothing happened there. But it just shows that they really 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:11.359 weren't interested in someone like him, and in fact, they 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:15.400 just believe linebacker was a bigger need. That is. Yeah. 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:17.600 I think that last thing you said is right. And 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:19.919 I've said this a million times in the last couple 0:03:19.919 --> 0:03:22.320 of weeks. Like the biggest secret in the NFL is 0:03:22.360 --> 0:03:24.799 that they all draft for need. That's my opinion. I mean, 0:03:25.120 --> 0:03:26.880 you do the homework and you lay it all out 0:03:26.880 --> 0:03:28.200 the best that you can, but at the end of 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:30.040 the day, you're going to opt for the guy that 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:32.959 addresses the needs on your team. I think there's maybe 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:35.240 five teams in the league that don't operate that way, 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:37.360 and their teams like New England, who have had enough 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:41.040 success that they're not worried about their jobs. So I 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:43.200 don't think it's a coincidence. You go down the line 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.920 of their picks, with the exception of ignoring safety, almost 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:48.880 all their picks addressed a need. I mean, what are 0:03:48.920 --> 0:03:51.640 the odds that that would continually happen down the course 0:03:51.640 --> 0:03:53.880 of seven rounds in the draft? You know, But I 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.000 think they got good value. I said this in our 0:03:56.080 --> 0:03:58.440 draft coverage over the weekend. I think even if you 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:01.480 think that Layton Van was a bit of a reach, 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:04.000 I think if you factor that in with I think 0:04:04.000 --> 0:04:06.680 they got amazing value in Connor Williams. I think, you know, 0:04:06.720 --> 0:04:08.680 they looked at Justin Reid in the second round. I 0:04:08.760 --> 0:04:11.000 think they decided Connor Williams was a better pick. I 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:14.360 agree with that they got great value with Michael Gallup, 0:04:14.400 --> 0:04:16.640 a guy that they said they thought about drafting at fifty, 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:19.640 and then all down the line. I thought they got 0:04:19.680 --> 0:04:21.760 really good value with their picks, and most of them 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:25.560 addressed the need. It's interesting that they ignored safety, but 0:04:25.680 --> 0:04:28.200 I understand that that's the way the draft breaks. I 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:31.080 think when you factor it all into one big picture, 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:33.640 what they did makes a lot of sense. We'll see 0:04:33.640 --> 0:04:35.559 if the players are any good. We will talk about 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:37.560 the safety position because I think there's a lot to 0:04:37.600 --> 0:04:40.080 dive into there Before we do that, though, I do 0:04:40.120 --> 0:04:42.880 want to talk about the first round pick Vander I'm sorry, 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:47.159 um Um Layton Vanderesh at the time when he when 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:49.599 the Cowboys were on the on the clock, you had 0:04:49.680 --> 0:04:52.279 Rashaun Evans, who was a linebacker who was still available. 0:04:52.360 --> 0:04:55.479 You had Dj Moore and Calvin Ridley, both of the 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:57.640 two highest rated wide receivers that you guys on the 0:04:57.680 --> 0:05:00.000 draft show. It talked quite a bit about heading into 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:03.200 to the draft, as Amber said, a couple picks before 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:05.600 Derwin James was there, which nobody expected him to get 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:08.080 to that range. And I think we talked about even 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:12.520 last week that if he got to thirteen fourteen, we 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:14.279 would you know, be okay with the idea if the 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:16.000 Cowboys are willing to jump up to try to make 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:19.159 a play for him. All that being said, do you 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:21.680 think the Cowboys or would you have preferred the Cowboys 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:24.880 go a different direction than vander Esh in the first 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:26.880 round With all of those other options sitting there on 0:05:26.880 --> 0:05:29.599 the board, you got to go off of what they wanted, 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:33.479 and they they evaluated vander Esh higher than all of 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:36.240 those players. Every one of them was higher, So there's 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:39.240 no reason to trade up in their mind and get 0:05:39.240 --> 0:05:42.240 a player that's rated lower than vander Esh. And I 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:44.799 think Derwin James was right there. If someone takes Vanderesh, 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:49.839 then you know they'll probably they'd probably take the safety. 0:05:50.240 --> 0:05:53.560 But you know, I still think it's not all complete 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:56.120 because they haven't addressed safety, and they will. They have to. 0:05:56.360 --> 0:05:58.440 There's no way they're not going to get a safety. 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:02.120 So let's see what happened here, and then I think 0:06:02.160 --> 0:06:04.320 when you you know, lay it all out there, you're 0:06:04.320 --> 0:06:06.839 gonna be like, well, probably worked out better to go 0:06:06.920 --> 0:06:08.760 this route than this route, because who's going to be 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:11.320 the be the linebacker? If you would have taken trade 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:13.760 it up and taken Derwin James. You probably don't have 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.359 Gallop right right, do either? You guys wish that they 0:06:16.360 --> 0:06:18.880 would have done something different in the first round. I've 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:21.880 I've said it from the very beginning, like I am 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:24.919 not in love with Layton vander Esh as a player 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:29.200 right now, but I have zero qualms with what they did. 0:06:29.360 --> 0:06:31.200 I you know, I loved Derwin James all through the 0:06:31.279 --> 0:06:34.880 draft process. I love DJ Moore too, But again, you 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:37.159 look I look at it as a puzzle, like you 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:39.560 have to look at it all within context. If you 0:06:39.800 --> 0:06:42.919 and if you don't take a linebacker there, I feel 0:06:43.040 --> 0:06:45.119 terrible about what you're gonna find later in the draft. 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:48.240 I feel especially terrible about what's going to happen if 0:06:48.240 --> 0:06:51.120 you trade up for Derwin James. Now you're probably not 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:54.039 picking Michael Gallup. Maybe you can't address tight end the 0:06:54.080 --> 0:06:57.039 way you want to. And I hear people at home 0:06:57.120 --> 0:06:59.080 you don't pick for need, don't pick for need, but 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:01.920 you can well not only that, but like you can 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:05.120 do both. I legitimate I agree if Derwin James had 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:07.000 been there, I still think they would have picked Laton 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:10.720 vander Esh. And you can draft a linebacker who is 0:07:10.760 --> 0:07:13.960 capable of starting at nineteen while still holding onto picks 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:18.280 that help you address other things, and so um, you know, 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:20.480 I I had other guys that I liked more than him, 0:07:20.520 --> 0:07:22.880 But I think that I think the pick makes perfect 0:07:22.960 --> 0:07:24.760 sense and I don't have a single problem with that. 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.360 All right, let's talk about the free safety position. Obviously, 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:31.040 the big name that everybody was talking about was the 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:34.960 possibility that the Cowboys would trade for Earl Thomas. So 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.160 I'm gonna ask you guys straight up, if there were 0:07:37.200 --> 0:07:39.600 a scenario in the draft where the Cowboys could have 0:07:39.680 --> 0:07:42.880 given up their second round pick for Earl Thomas, would 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:44.480 you have been willing to do that or would it 0:07:44.520 --> 0:07:46.840 had to have been a third or lower pick for 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:51.040 you to go for Earl Thomas? If you had if 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:54.080 there was a scenario where where fifty would would be 0:07:54.120 --> 0:07:56.360 what had to be given up, would you have been 0:07:56.360 --> 0:07:58.560 willing to give that up? And again, you got to 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:00.680 do it in the context of you're giving it up 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:02.920 as opposed to taking Connor Williams. Can we just say 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:05.680 that the right? Can we just say that because I 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.720 know that I'm pretty sure that there was Okay, Seattle 0:08:09.880 --> 0:08:12.520 was ready to do it. I think the Cowboys looked 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:15.400 at it and said, Connor Williams, is it fits our 0:08:15.520 --> 0:08:18.480 need right now? And if we don't take him, then 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:21.200 we're not addressing this need. And yes, we could. We 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:24.720 address the safety position for one year at least um 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:27.440 and and then by not doing it, you draft the 0:08:27.480 --> 0:08:30.360 guard or you draft Connor Williams, and it's still open 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:33.800 to maybe get a veteran safety. If it's Earl Thomas 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:35.439 or somebody else, you can still do it. So you 0:08:35.440 --> 0:08:38.040 don't close the door there. So I understand what they 0:08:38.160 --> 0:08:41.040 what they did there. Yeah, I wanted to. I still 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:43.320 want that thing to happen, and I think it can 0:08:43.400 --> 0:08:46.840 and I still think it will. But I understand what 0:08:46.880 --> 0:08:50.240 they did there. It Okay, tell me who the veteran is, 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:53.280 because it's Exaca Woods is not that your safety started, 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:55.800 So it's gonna be somebody. He's gonna be. Just you're 0:08:55.800 --> 0:08:59.480 closing the door on that, yep. Okay, because he's because 0:08:59.480 --> 0:09:02.240 he's short, and he's fifth round and he's he's sixth round. 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:03.960 They had a third round grade on him though, sorry, 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:07.280 sixth round, sixth round pick. And I just don't think 0:09:07.280 --> 0:09:10.040 he's I mean, you don't think that this front office 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:12.520 has shown a willingness to bank on their hopes for 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:15.120 a player rather than the reality of the situation. They 0:09:15.160 --> 0:09:16.760 do it all the time. They do it all the time. 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:20.240 I'm just saying they will back it up with somebody else. 0:09:20.679 --> 0:09:23.000 It'll be one of those three veterans or Earl Thomas. 0:09:23.160 --> 0:09:25.200 They'll be one of the three free agents out there. Oh. 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:27.520 I agree, they're going to add a safety this summer. 0:09:27.600 --> 0:09:30.400 I would bet money on that they will add a safety, 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:33.160 like an accomplished safety. And they'll tell us they like 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:36.400 Xavier and he can compete in Caven. Oh yeah, cave 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:39.280 On too and all that. I really, I mean, I 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:42.280 don't know that it'll be anything worth getting excited about it. 0:09:42.280 --> 0:09:44.600 I mean, and I don't know anything. I don't I 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:46.400 don't know that I think this is likely. I don't 0:09:46.400 --> 0:09:49.440 think they'll do anything to this position until the summer. 0:09:49.800 --> 0:09:52.600 But I wouldn't be surprised if it's JJ Wilcox. Just 0:09:52.720 --> 0:09:56.160 he just got cut yesterday. I'm that serious. You can 0:09:56.200 --> 0:09:58.520 be as upset about it, but honestly, I'd already have 0:09:58.600 --> 0:10:00.960 that guy, right. They have like four of those guys. 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:03.280 I don't think. I don't think he gives you anything 0:10:03.720 --> 0:10:06.560 and that's probably I don't think JJ really gives you 0:10:06.559 --> 0:10:08.360 anything based upon the other guys that are out there. 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:10.560 At least maybe there's an upside within that you haven't seen. 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:12.600 He gives you a veteran who knows how to run 0:10:12.600 --> 0:10:14.280 the scheme and has shown that he can do it 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:17.080 all right, as long as you limit his snap count, right, which, 0:10:17.280 --> 0:10:20.400 but again, we've seen this team do stuff like that 0:10:20.440 --> 0:10:23.000 before where they're just like, well, Heath can do it, yeah, 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:25.640 like they do. I mean, this team has a lot 0:10:25.679 --> 0:10:28.160 of faith in their coaching and their scheme. And I'm 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:32.400 not saying I agree with it, but I mean, this 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:34.400 isn't a team that has done a ton of like 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:37.679 bold swing for the fences type stuff over the last 0:10:37.720 --> 0:10:40.040 four years. And that's not to say that that's always 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:42.480 been wrong, but they just they have a lot of 0:10:42.520 --> 0:10:46.720 confidence that their way can work. So I don't feel 0:10:46.760 --> 0:10:49.000 super confident that they're going to do something drastic. I 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:51.800 do think they'll add to the position, but I don't 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:54.440 know to answer. If you'd told me Friday morning that 0:10:54.480 --> 0:10:56.760 pick fifty would get me Earl Thomas, I would have 0:10:56.800 --> 0:11:00.200 been so all in, But knowing now that it was 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:02.360 that it got you, Connor Williams. I'm a little more 0:11:02.400 --> 0:11:05.520 reluctant because I mean that that was a guy. He 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:07.720 probably would have been a top fifteen pick if he'd 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:12.280 come out after his junior year. And even still, I 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:14.600 mean Brian had him rated higher than Layton vander Esh. 0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:16.200 I mean, this was a guy we talked when we 0:11:16.240 --> 0:11:18.600 went down to Austin for that pro day tour. We 0:11:18.720 --> 0:11:21.080 talked about him maybe being the first or second tackle 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:23.360 off the board and maybe you draft him at nineteen. 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:27.600 So again, you got insane value on that. So I'm 0:11:27.640 --> 0:11:31.320 reluctant to give that up for a thirty year old safety. Yeah. 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:34.840 You know, I don't know how real or true this is, 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:39.880 but sometimes I get to thinking and feeling that they 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:43.560 might be focusing too much on their strength. You know, 0:11:44.240 --> 0:11:48.040 let's reinforce the old line, let's take care of the offense. 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:51.200 You know, wide receiver lists, build this great offense. And 0:11:51.240 --> 0:11:53.720 I get it, that is your strong point and you 0:11:53.760 --> 0:11:55.880 should do that. But at the end of the day, 0:11:56.120 --> 0:11:58.839 they I feel like they remember seeing what they can 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:01.840 do with Zeek and a great old line right now 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:05.480 they're wanting to get that back. And it's like, once 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:08.280 you get to a point in the season playoffs, we've 0:12:08.320 --> 0:12:11.080 seen that if you don't have a good defense that 0:12:11.400 --> 0:12:16.160 can go out there and stop the offense, you don't 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:21.240 necessarily win games, right, So I just get afraid of 0:12:21.280 --> 0:12:24.040 them focusing too much on that aspect and kind of 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:28.080 forgetting those little areas. As far as safety, when you 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:30.959 talk about safety, they they've shown that it's not I mean, 0:12:31.200 --> 0:12:33.800 according to them, they're like, Okay, well, we're fine with 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:36.520 what we got right now, Savior Woods. If we need 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:39.600 to move back some guys back from a corner that 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:42.120 they can play safety, you can do that. That's not 0:12:42.240 --> 0:12:44.680 what I'm wanting to hear. You know, that's a big 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.920 need and it's disappointing to see that it was an address. 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:51.120 And as far as linebacker, that came down to an 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:53.440 obvious thing that they all know, shan Lee and we 0:12:53.480 --> 0:12:56.199 saw what happened last year. You got Tyren Smith, al 0:12:56.240 --> 0:12:58.640 shan Leel. You know what that causes. But at the 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:02.520 same time, you can't forget about those other areas. But 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:05.160 I think I think that's the key if you look 0:13:05.160 --> 0:13:07.440 at last season, and you guys may disagree, but I 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:10.440 feel like last season when things went wrong, it was 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:12.320 when Sean Lee was out of the lineup. It was 0:13:12.320 --> 0:13:15.319 when Tyren Smith was out of the lineup. And I think, 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:18.040 obviously you can talk about Zeke as well, but I 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:20.640 think those two players. I think we figured out very 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:24.040 quickly that without those two players, they had bigger ramifications 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:26.480 on a lot of other positions. And that's why I 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:28.600 look at this draft and say, when you talk about 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:31.400 them drafting for Need, I think was absolutely about Need. 0:13:31.440 --> 0:13:33.560 I think they looked at that too and said, even 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:35.280 when you go back to free agency, the fact that 0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:37.679 they went and picked up Fleming, I think what they 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:39.880 said with Fleming and what they said with Connor Williams 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:42.599 is we are not going to be in a situation 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:45.679 this year where if our left tackle goes down, we're screwed. 0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:47.680 We're going to give ourselves a chance to still be 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:49.959 able to play. Because what we saw in that Atlanta 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:53.480 game specifically, was after that Atlanta game, I don't think 0:13:53.559 --> 0:13:55.760 Dak was the same beyond that. And I think what 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:57.680 they don't want to see as a young quarterback that 0:13:57.720 --> 0:14:00.760 gets ruined because an offensive line camp protect him, and 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:03.080 that's what happened in Atlanta. So I think when you 0:14:03.120 --> 0:14:05.200 look at vander Esh and you look at Connor Williams. 0:14:05.360 --> 0:14:07.360 Those two picks were all about the fact that last 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:10.199 season those two positions held your hostage and they don't 0:14:10.240 --> 0:14:12.439 want that to happen again. Now you have to make 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:16.000 sure that you're not holding Dak's hand this whole season, 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:19.520 and by that, I mean overprotecting him and the whole 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:23.200 saying of making this offense Dak friendly. You're at the 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.120 point that you can't do that. We need to find 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:27.600 out who Dak really is and what he can really do. 0:14:27.880 --> 0:14:31.520 So there's some and it's great obviously we know we've 0:14:31.520 --> 0:14:34.600 seen the success they can have. But at the same time, 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:38.200 it's you gotta be careful how much help you give 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:42.520 that guy. I don't know. I mean, you can't over 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:44.720 protect your quarterback on my opinion. That's I mean, I 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:47.160 get it, but I guess where I'm trying to get at. 0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:49.400 It's like, I don't want them to just fully rely 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:52.200 on the running game. I need to see Dak throwing 0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:55.720 those passes. I need to see him connecting with his receivers. 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:58.680 You know, That's my point. It's like, Okay, let's not 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:01.720 protecting that much, like and the fact like let's give 0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:04.240 him those easy throws again, or let's go back to 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:07.040 what he did in twenty and sixteen. No, now we 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:09.040 need to see some improvement there. Now we need to 0:15:09.040 --> 0:15:11.600 see that they can throw the ball down the field. 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:15.440 Teams with NFL MVPs on their roster make picks to 0:15:15.480 --> 0:15:17.840 help and protect their quarterbacks. I mean, I yeah, I 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:20.520 don't think you can do enough for that. And I 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:22.520 get your point. You want to see some growth, You 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:25.040 want to know that he can do stuff beyond just 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:29.360 make the easy read. But I can't. I can't complain 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:32.040 about making that running game as good as possible because 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:35.040 I mean the running game fueled their run deep. You know, 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:37.360 when they had a shot with Tony Romo, it was 0:15:37.400 --> 0:15:39.560 the run game. I mean, DeMarco ran for more yards 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:43.600 than Zeke did, So that's I mean, that's something every 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:45.640 quarterback should want. So I don't have a problem with that. 0:15:45.720 --> 0:15:47.640 And again, I see your point that you want to 0:15:47.640 --> 0:15:49.960 see Dak developed, But I think all of these picks 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:53.160 will help in his development. So don't you just never 0:15:53.240 --> 0:15:55.760 know what can happen, And of course you want to 0:15:55.800 --> 0:15:59.360 be sure that your guy is able to do other things. 0:16:00.240 --> 0:16:02.560 Then hand off the ball and you have a great 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:04.840 running game. You want to make sure you have other 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:07.480 weapons and that you're able to succeed in that way 0:16:07.480 --> 0:16:09.320 because you never know what can happen. Well, that's a 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:11.160 good point, and we're going to hold that right there. 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:12.640 I do want to take a break. When we come back, 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:14.400 we're going to talk about one of those other weapons 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:16.480 that we'll see how he fits into this offense. But 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:19.280 the Cowboys got and get speech to Tavon Austin. Let's 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:20.680 talk about that when we come back. 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What 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:54.400 does it mean to be a Dallas Cowboys fan. It 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:56.640 means you've got the passion of the heart to do 0:16:56.680 --> 0:17:00.000 your part supporting the Boys no matter what. That's why 0:17:00.040 --> 0:17:02.400 when the game's on the line, you're on your feet, 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:05.200 whether you're at home or in the stands. Actually, you're 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:08.280 more than a fan. You are a member of Cowboys Nation, 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:11.320 and so is AT and T doing their part to 0:17:11.400 --> 0:17:15.560 keep you connected to America's team all season law AT 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:19.159 and T is a proud member of Cowboys Nation. I 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:21.960 am craving a Doctor Pepper. I got some soda. I 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:25.880 asked not for soda, I asked for ice cold, cravable 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:29.400 doctor Pepper. 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John Deer was first in the 0:18:03.880 --> 0:18:06.280 Texas Fields and we're proud to be on the field 0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:09.320 as the official agg and turf equipment of the Dallas Cowboys. 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:12.320 Find Texas sized deals and my John Deer Dealer dot 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:16.200 Com slash Flippall durms conditions, exclusions, who warranty limitations apply. 0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:20.080 So can you love for details? Family? Back to the Break, 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:22.480 Welcome back. We're in the second segment of the Break 0:18:22.520 --> 0:18:24.800 live from the s WBC Mortgage studio that the Star 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:27.760 were talking draft and we're talking a little bit of 0:18:28.240 --> 0:18:30.920 a little bit of trade action. Cowboys traded for a 0:18:30.960 --> 0:18:34.280 couple players this last week, busy weekend, and one of 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:37.240 those players who I thought was a very interesting trade 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:40.119 was Tavon Austin. This is a guy that when he 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:42.760 was drafted, was drafted I think number eight overall, is 0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:45.199 that correct? It was first round, was high. It was 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:48.239 definitely a top ten pick. It feels like he's been 0:18:48.240 --> 0:18:50.000 in the league a lot longer than I mean, he 0:18:50.040 --> 0:18:52.080 was in six years of twenty thirteen, so he was 0:18:52.119 --> 0:18:54.280 Travis's year. It seems like he's been in the league 0:18:54.280 --> 0:18:56.879 since like two thousand and seven. But it doesn't seem 0:18:56.920 --> 0:18:59.439 like and you guys can can have different opinion on this, 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:01.960 but it doesn't seem like he's had the kind of 0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:06.480 impact that that you would probably expect from an eight 0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:10.280