[h=1]The new OC, and other minicamp things[/h]
By Matt Mosley FRISCO — I took a couple steps inside the Dallas Cowboys’ locker room Tuesday and realized some things never change: Jason Witten is the unquestioned leader of this team despite his sabbatical.
He greeted me with the most bone-crushing handshake this side of DeMarco Murray, and then launched into a discourse about how ESPN’s Monday Night Football ratings actually increased 10% last season. This man is back in his element, but he’ll be fueled, in part by the criticism that dogged him in the TV booth.
The idea he’ll play only 25 snaps per game is ludicrous, and Witten knows it. He started to reveal what he thinks will actually happen, but decided to keep the number to himself. His animated appearance on the first day of minicamp reinforced my belief he’ll be coaching this team sooner rather than later. I think Jason Garrett is genuinely happy to have Witten back on campus, but I assure you he knows coaching is in the tight end’s future.
I saw All-Pro running back Zeke Elliott peek out to see the reporters still gathered, and he quickly retreated. He may be the centerpiece of this offense, but this is Witten’s and Dak Prescott’s team. Elliott hasn’t spoken to the media since his incident in Las Vegas was filmed by TMZ, and that probably won’t change until training camp. Why would Elliott say anything when he can send the actual leaders of the team out to speak on his behalf?
Other than Witten’s vice-grip on this locker room, it’s this team’s receiving corps that grabbed my attention. I’m told new slot receiver Randall Cobb ran a perfect scramble drill to catch a touchdown pass from Dak Prescott toward the end of practice. Second-year receiver Michael Gallup seems poised to be the perfect complement to Amari Cooper.
“I just kind of look down the line and think, ‘They don’t even need me out here,’” Gallup said. “It’s exciting. Jason Witten comes back to the huddle and even if you weren’t in the play, he has something to say to you. Randall Cobb, he’s an older head, too. I appreciate both of them.”
Gallup is also leaning into the Kellen Moore era at offensive coordinator. I continue to believe Garrett will call the plays, but it appears Moore is putting his stamp on this offense. Every offensive player I talked to Tuesday indicated the offense should be much more unpredictable.
“He was up there at Boise State and ran a bunch of trick plays,” Gallup said of Moore. “He’s made it flavorful for everybody. He’s closer to our age group. He knows what we’re thinking, knows what we’re good at.
“He wants everyone to know each position. Line up and go, and the [defensive backs] don’t know how to guard that.”
It’s not often you see a team rally around the firing of an offensive coordinator, but the Cowboys seem to be emboldened by the absence of Scott Linehan. And what makes it a bit awkward is that Linehan was Moore’s mentor in the NFL. But the Cowboys fervently believe Moore will bring some of the pre-snap magic Sean McVay has given the Los Angles Rams.
Before I left the locker room Tuesday, I checked in with Randall Cobb. This is the man who’s supposed to replace Cole Beasley, which is no easy task. Cobb is close friends with Aaron Rodgers, which ought to count for something. Troy Aikman has told me more than once that a team’s third receiver can make all the difference. There’s a chance Cobb could be one of the better under-the-radar signings of free agency, but I will be the first to say Beasley could be a big loss for this team.
Cobb said Tuesday that Garrett and Moore had both solicited his ideas from the Green Bay offense. Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks in league history, and he was highly disappointed to lose Cobb.
Linehan was fired, essentially, for convincing Jerry Jones the Cowboys were OK last season without a true No. 1 wide receiver. The results were so disastrous the Cowboys traded a first-round pick for Raiders receiver Amari Cooper. I now believe the Cowboys have a much better receiving corps than the Redskins and Giants, and one that is comparable to the Eagles.
If this team somehow has the best receiving corps in the NFC, I don’t think a Super Bowl is out of the question. And it may not take long for me to regret writing that last sentence.