2020 Training Camp Thread
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Ranking the most impressive players in training camp and 25 other Cowboys notes
By Jon Machota 1h ago
FRISCO, Texas — Five training camp practices have taken place at The Star; basically the equivalent to one full week of what a normal year in Oxnard, California would look like for the Cowboys. The first two practices were in shells. The last three have been in full pads.
It’s still very early, but a few players have stood out. My top five list goes as follows: 1.) DeMarcus Lawrence, 2.) CeeDee Lamb, 3.) Jaylon Smith, 4.) Aldon Smith, 5.) Cedrick Wilson. Honorable mention: undrafted rookie linebacker Francis Bernard.
Lawrence has dominated in every way coming off the left edge. Granted, starting right tackle La’el Collins and swing tackle Cam Erving haven’t practiced, so Lawrence has been having his way with players like Wyatt Miller and Terence Steele. Lamb’s early impact was the focus of this recent story.
Jaylon Smith has looked very natural in his move over to weakside linebacker, where he played at Notre Dame. Although players aren’t tackling to the ground, the former middle linebacker has been flying around, putting himself in position to make stops near the line of scrimmage and on the perimeter. He put a pretty good hit on Tony Pollard near the left sideline during Thursday’s practice. Pollard was knocked to the ground, much to the pleasure of recently added edge rusher Everson Griffen, who was standing near where the hit took place.
Aldon Smith has taken part in some good battles with Tyron Smith. There was plenty of skepticism about the kind of impact Aldon Smith would make after not playing in the NFL since 2015, but he has looked the part of a standout edge rusher so far in camp. Wilson is a little bit of a forgotten man because he’s on a depth chart that includes Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Lamb. But the 2018 sixth-round pick has been very consistent. We’ll discuss his play a little more later in this article. Bernard deserves to be mentioned because he recorded back to back interceptions during the first two days of padded practices. One came on a pass from Dak Prescott in individual drills. The other was thrown by Clayton Thorson in team drills. Bernard certainly has a shot to make the final 53-man roster.
Following the first two practices, we published 30 camp observations. With three more practices added to the total, we now take a look at 25 camp notes.
1.) Injury updates. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones provided some updates during a weekly interview Thursday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. Tyron Smith was dealing with some hamstring tightness when he left Thursday’s practice during individual drills. La’el Collins, who has been limited to resistance cord work during practice up to this point, was involved in what Jones characterized as a “minor” car accident on Thursday.
“Overall,” Jones said, “we feel good that all of our offensive line group. We don’t think there’s anything out there going on that keep them from being any type of question mark as we head towards our first game.”
Jones said he expects Cam Erving to return next week. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis appeared to injure his left ankle in team drills on Thursday. He did not return to practice but Jones did not believe it was significant.
“[Mike McCarthy’s] going to take good care of them,” Jones said. “I think he’ll have them ready. “He told me, ‘They’re going to be ready. It may not be until 24 hours before the first game, but they’ll be ready by the time the game rolls around.’”
2.) Cedrick Wilson and Dak Prescott have been building a pretty good rapport. The top two offensive highlights from Thursday’s practice were plays from Prescott to Wilson. First was a 20-yard TD pass to Wilson across the middle during a two-minute drill on fourth and 5. Prescott then found Wilson in the back left corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion. Prescott said after practice that the two spent a good amount of time working out together in the offseason.
“Ced’s a great player,” Prescott said. “Injuries have kind of bummed him out in the past and maybe not allowed him to show what he’s quite capable of. He’s been healthy. And he’s been healthy all offseason … We’ve created some chemistry there and he’s a guy that can come in and show his worth. He’ll definitely help this offense. He’s talented, athletic, very, very smart, makes all the catches. He’s exactly what you want in pretty much that swing receiver, or just coming in and playing in the slot, or whatever he’s asked to do. Ced’s the type of guy that’s going to do it with a big smile and with enthusiasm and ready to go make a play. Those are the players that you love to have on your side.”
3.) Dak Prescott’s offseason. The Cowboys QB went a little more in-depth on Thursday about the football field he had put in his backyard. One of the reasons is that he says he’d rather put in the work behind the scenes. “I’m a guy that kinda likes to work in the dark,” he said. But it also provides privacy for teammates to come over and work out. He had several over throughout the offseason. He did something similar last year when he hosted private workouts for a group of teammates in San Diego.
“You’ve got to build chemistry,” Prescott said. “You want to get to know your guys. It’s been great to have them at my house, getting to know some of my friends, my brother, my family. Just a little bit better, I’d say, over the time. Then you just get to get out there without the distraction of anyone else. Whether it’s fans or whether it’s, just other people like that. It’s the privacy of creating this special bond that you guys have because when it’s the heat of the moment, when it’s the fourth quarter, two-minute drive, you’ve got to know who you’ve got on your side. You’ve got to know what those guys are going to do for you, and they’ve got to know how hard you’re going to go and how prepared you’re going to be for them. I think that’s where all that is created and it’s just created naturally when you’re able to do it in those types of settings while still working.”
4.) Helmet visor. Prescott wore a helmet visor at times in college but hadn’t done so during his time with the Cowboys. Since the start of camp, he’s worn a clear visor during practice. It sounds like it’s staying during the season.
“No particular reason,” Prescott said. “Changing things up, I guess. I threw it on to see if I liked it, to see if I want to keep it. I’ve worn one before. It’s nothing new, it’s nothing different. Just gives you a little bit different feel for yourself. I like it. I think I’ll keep it for now.”
5.) First impressions of Aldon Smith. The veteran pass rusher has closed in on Prescott a few times during team drills. Players aren’t allowed to hit the quarterbacks, who are wearing bright red jerseys this year in practice. Prescott is glad Smith is rushing off the right side for the Cowboys.
“He’s a man,” Prescott said. “He’s a monster. Damn sure doesn’t look like he hasn’t played in five years. Doesn’t play like it. Energy would never tell you that. Very fortunate to have him. Very fortunate to have him on my team and not rushing me. He’s going to make all of us better. He’s a great player.”
What would McCarthy’s first impressions of Smith be if he had no idea who he was?
“You’d say, ‘Hey, who the hell was No. 58?’ That’s my thought when he walked out on the field for the first time,” McCarthy said. “He looks good. I think his process back has been not a gradual one, but he’s hitting all the targets. You can see his power, his length is extraordinary. I’m very, very happy with where Aldon is right now. You’ve got so much new around him, not only hasn’t he played, but he’s done a great job in training and preparing for this opportunity. … Aldon is off to a very good start. He’s impressive.”
6.) First big play. Aldon Smith turned heads when he batted a Prescott screen pass out of the air and nearly intercepted it at the line of scrimmage in the first camp practice. Some would think that would be a huge moment for someone who hasn’t played football in the last four seasons. Smith wasn’t that impressed. He thought he should’ve gotten the interception as well.
7.) Aldon Smith on the defensive scheme. Smith has the ability to play a traditional 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker spot. He’s expected to do both from the right side, the spot that opened up when Robert Quinn signed with the Chicago Bears in March. We haven’t seen Everson Griffen in practice yet, but the expectation is that Smith and Griffen will get the bulk of the work rushing opposite of Lawrence.
“I like the scheme because it makes everybody a playmaker,” Smith said. “It puts everybody in a situation where they can make plays and the way (defensive coordinator Mike Nolan) has it drawn up, I’m going to be in situations where I can use my skill set and be able to make plays. So I’m just looking forward to being able to put it all on film against people.”
8.) Why did Everson Griffen sign with the Cowboys? Several things factored into the equation, one being the fact that he grew up a Cowboys fan and is named after former Dallas defensive back Everson Walls.
9.) Did Quinn’s big season play a role? Robert Quinn played one year in Dallas, collected 11.5 sacks in 14 games and then signed a five-year, $70 million contract with Chicago two months before his 30th birthday. Did the possibility of turning in a similar season and then cashing in during free agency next year factor into Griffen’s decision to choose the Cowboys?
“My agent takes care of all that contract stuff,” the 32-year-old Griffen said. “My job is to go play on the field. It’s a business. At the end of the day, you play good, as they say, you get paid good. As long as you’re playing good, you’re going to get paid good. I know I can still play ball at a high level. I’m excited. I’m confident but not comfortable, and I’m here to win, and I’m here to use the resources and whatever they need me to do, I’m here. I’m excited.”
10.) Griffen off the field. He had a surprise absence from the Minnesota Vikings during the 2018 season. Griffen voluntarily checked into a hospital over mental health concerns. He spent two months away from the team. He returned last season to start 15 games. Griffen was asked Thursday about how he’s grown since then.
“I just took the proper steps,” he said. “When people say, ‘Go talk to somebody, do therapy, do counseling,’ I think that’s the right thing to do. You can’t be afraid to talk to people. You can’t be afraid to open up and just talk about what’s going on in your life, the stress, the anxiety, the pressures, just the world in general. And that’s what I did. I took it upon myself and the team of people I work with, and we attacked it.
“It got me to this place right now. I’m confident, but I’m not comfortable because you always got to keep on pushing to get better. But it’s been a very — I’ve been blessed. I’ve been blessed to be here. I’ve been blessed to still be able to play football. And I’m excited. I’m excited (about) where this thing is going to go. Yeah, I did all the work. People talk about that, you just need to put in the work.”
11.) When will Griffen be ready? Up to this point, Griffen has been attending practices, but his work has been limited to a small amount of individual drills and strength and conditioning. Sunday sounds like the target date for him to start working more into practice.
“It’s a gradual build,” he said. “I think they have a good system. I’m listening to the strength staff’s input. I think we’re doing the right thing, acclimating me in day by day. I’ll be ready. I’m ready to go right now.”
12.) Zeke’s COVID-19 experience. Ezekiel Elliott tested positive for the coronavirus in June. He said he experienced mild symptoms for a couple of days, mainly a cough and some shortness of breath. The toughest part for him was not being able to work out for an extended period of time.
“I’d probably say I didn’t work out for a month because there’s some complications COVID can cause to your organs,” Elliott said. “So you’ve got to make sure your heart and lungs are working all together before you get back out there. It was frustrating, for sure. But I think even more frustrating was that I couldn’t leave the house, in isolation. It definitely was good to get back out and moving once I got out of quarantine.”
13.) Extra work. Elliott said he spent extra time in the offseason working on his pass-catching. While he’s expected to continue carrying the ball around 20 times per game, Elliott will have plenty of opportunities in the passing game. His offseason work included running more routes and working on his game from the slot receiver position.
“Just trying to evolve my game (catching out of the backfield and from in the slot),” he said, “just so I can be a more viable source in the passing game.”
14.) Backup QB. Andy Dalton is embracing his role as a backup quarterback after being the Cincinnati Bengals’ starter for the last nine seasons. Dalton talked about this week about this being the halfway point in his career. He believes there’s still a lot of football for him to play in the NFL. But for this season, Dalton said he has told Prescott that he’s here to help him any way he can.
“I had several opportunities out there and when looking at it, I think this was the best spot for me this year,” he said. “To sign a one-year deal here in Dallas, to be a part of a good organization, a team that is very talented and to be around a great coach, and to be able to stay at home. I think that all those factors played into it, and I’m excited. I’m excited to be here and excited that I get to stay here in Dallas, especially during a time like this with the whole COVID situation going on.”
15.) McCarthy in meetings. During a Wednesday conference call, new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Nolan praised McCarthy for how good he is in team meetings, at one point saying, “He does as good a job in front of the football team as any head coach I’ve ever been associated with, and I’ve been with a few Hall of Famers.”
What does McCarthy think is the key to being good in that area?
“I think coaching is so much about being yourself,” he said. “I’ve never tried to be somebody else. I’ve been fortunate to have a knowledge base of just from being around the people I’ve coached with in the past and, frankly, more so the players. You always learn so much from the players, and it’s a constant message today that I continue to bang home with the younger coaches because the interactions of those conversations that you have, it brings clarity to the gray area and ultimately it’s our job to eliminate the gray area. I’ve just been very fortunate in my experiences.”
16.) Greg Zuerlein’s off to a good start. The new Cowboys kicker is 12-for-12 on his field-goal attempts in training camp. His longest has been from 44 yards. New special teams coordinator John Fassel made his confidence in Zuerlein clear while talking with reporters on Wednesday. He said the former Rams kicker didn’t have his normal year last season because he was dealing with a groin pull.
“In all honesty, he was going into the last year of his contract, and he wanted to kick through a pretty good groin pull,” Fassel said. “So for about a six- to eight-week stretch (of) that, we didn’t even kick him during the course of the game week. And he had been so great, so reliable for us for so many years — especially a couple previous years — that we just wanted to try to ride him through it. And not to make excuses, and Greg would be the last one to do it, but that has a lot to do with it. It has a factor on your ability to swing like you normally would. So, fully healed. I expect Greg to be one of the top, if not the top kicker in the league for the next couple of years for us Cowboys.”
17.) Special teams. What exactly is Fassel looking for in a special-teams player? He caught himself before saying what he really wanted to, which probably included a few expletives.
18.) Play-caller. McCarthy provided an interesting answer when asked Wednesday on the NFL Network about having Kellen Moore call the offensive plays after McCarthy was the play-caller for so many years in Green Bay.
“I think the most important thing coming from the head coach position is you have to do what’s best for the football team,” McCarthy said. “Personally, I know I’ll miss it. I miss a lot of components of it already. But my sole responsibility is to make sure I can help Kellen be the best play-caller possible. He’s still young at it. He has a great mind. I’ve been extremely impressed with him every step of the way, from building the installs, the way he’s delivered it in the meetings to players and his on-the-field coaching. So it’s the best decision for this football team. There is so much more that I want to and need to focus on as far as building the program the way I see it needs to be done.
There’s a lot of energy that goes through it, and I just didn’t want to short the offense. I felt like I did that at times in Green Bay.”
19.) Kellen Moore had a quick laugh. The second-year Dallas offensive coordinator was asked this week about the possibility of the Cowboys’ offense being a 70/30 pass-to-run ratio this season.
“Whatever we need to do to score points,” he said. “We’ve got some good running backs, some good receivers. We’ll see what defenses do to try to attack one way or another.”
20.) Different defense. The expectation is that Dallas will be much more multiple on defense this season, disguising their plan more than in previous years. Mike Nolan addressed the changes this week.
“First off, the things they did last year I felt were very helpful to the things we’re doing,” the new DC said. “We’re adding a few things here and there, but nonetheless the experience of those things, the things that a lot of teams play, and we’ll use them as well. There’s a lot of carryover in that regard. Outside of that, there are some things we’re doing, but I think that’s the case any time you bring in a new staff. Everything from language to the way we align, things like that, but I think they’re picking up very well. There’s a tremendous amount of energy. And I’m sure they had great energy before, not just because we’re here but because of the makeup of the players that we have.
But they have been very receptive to the things we’re doing, and we’re making some progress. Obviously it’s real early, and we just got a little time to get ready.”
21.) One noticeable change: DeMarcus Lawrence is standing up more while rushing off the edge in multiple formations. McCarthy mentioned this week how nine-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers transitioned well to the change when joining McCarthy in Green Bay. Peppers had played with his hand on the ground in Carolina to begin his career.
22.) Trevon Diggs working with Al Harris. The Cowboys’ rookie corner was viewed by some as a potential first-round pick. Diggs fell to Dallas in the second round and figures to be a major part of their plans going forward. Not having a traditional offseason has limited the rookie’s workload, but two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris has been working to bring him up to speed. The former Packers defensive back is now Dallas’ cornerbacks coach. Like Diggs, Harris had good size for the position (6’1, 190). Diggs is listed at 6’2, 195. The Cowboys have a few veterans ahead of him on the current depth chart, but look for Diggs to be a factor early on this season.
23.) Gerald McCoy injury. The veteran defensive tackle had surgery Wednesday on his right quad and revealed on his Instagram account that everything went “great.” Although he was released by the Cowboys, McCoy plans to still mentor the young Cowboys defensive linemen, even if he has to do it from afar. “I meant what I said earlier,” McCoy said in a video, “I’m going to continue to mentor these young boys, only thing is I can’t go in the building and do it. But I have these guys’ numbers. I’m gonna be watching.”
The door hasn’t been closed on the possibility of Dallas bringing McCoy back next season after he recovers. In his absence, Trysten Hill has seen an increased workload. Rookie Neville Gallimore is also working into the mix. But keep an eye on Tyrone Crawford moving inside more than what was originally expected this season. Dallas currently looks to have good top-end depth on the outside with Lawrence, Smith and Griffen. Crawford will still see snaps there, but his services might be better served at tackle. The Cowboys currently don’t have any plans to sign or trade for a veteran at the position.
24.) Turnover talk. Maybe we need to pump the brakes a little on the talk of the turnover drills going on in practice. Is there an emphasis on intercepting passes and forcing fumbles in practice? Absolutely. The problem is that it’s leading to this belief that the previous coaching staff didn’t work on similar things. Forcing turnovers was an emphasis in practice under Rod Marinelli. The lack of causing them on Sundays had more to do with the scheme than not preparing players during the week.
25.) Training camp first on Thursday. Mike McCarthy would have the team practice on the grass every day if it was possible. The Texas heat and only having one grass field makes that difficult. McCarthy got creative on Thursday, having the team start on the grass and then move inside the Ford Center for the second half of practice. I can’t say we’ve ever seen that before from the Cowboys. The total now is two full practices outside, two full practices inside and one split between each.
“Well, the thought process of how we practice it really, it’s really focusing on what we’re doing that particular day,” McCarthy said. “For example, we’re going to practice outside and do all the fundamentals and group and combo drills out on the grass, and then we’re going to take our situational work and the team environment inside. So it’s something that may adjust daily based on the practice schedule.”
By Jon Machota 1h ago
FRISCO, Texas — Five training camp practices have taken place at The Star; basically the equivalent to one full week of what a normal year in Oxnard, California would look like for the Cowboys. The first two practices were in shells. The last three have been in full pads.
It’s still very early, but a few players have stood out. My top five list goes as follows: 1.) DeMarcus Lawrence, 2.) CeeDee Lamb, 3.) Jaylon Smith, 4.) Aldon Smith, 5.) Cedrick Wilson. Honorable mention: undrafted rookie linebacker Francis Bernard.
Lawrence has dominated in every way coming off the left edge. Granted, starting right tackle La’el Collins and swing tackle Cam Erving haven’t practiced, so Lawrence has been having his way with players like Wyatt Miller and Terence Steele. Lamb’s early impact was the focus of this recent story.
Jaylon Smith has looked very natural in his move over to weakside linebacker, where he played at Notre Dame. Although players aren’t tackling to the ground, the former middle linebacker has been flying around, putting himself in position to make stops near the line of scrimmage and on the perimeter. He put a pretty good hit on Tony Pollard near the left sideline during Thursday’s practice. Pollard was knocked to the ground, much to the pleasure of recently added edge rusher Everson Griffen, who was standing near where the hit took place.
Aldon Smith has taken part in some good battles with Tyron Smith. There was plenty of skepticism about the kind of impact Aldon Smith would make after not playing in the NFL since 2015, but he has looked the part of a standout edge rusher so far in camp. Wilson is a little bit of a forgotten man because he’s on a depth chart that includes Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Lamb. But the 2018 sixth-round pick has been very consistent. We’ll discuss his play a little more later in this article. Bernard deserves to be mentioned because he recorded back to back interceptions during the first two days of padded practices. One came on a pass from Dak Prescott in individual drills. The other was thrown by Clayton Thorson in team drills. Bernard certainly has a shot to make the final 53-man roster.
Following the first two practices, we published 30 camp observations. With three more practices added to the total, we now take a look at 25 camp notes.
1.) Injury updates. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones provided some updates during a weekly interview Thursday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. Tyron Smith was dealing with some hamstring tightness when he left Thursday’s practice during individual drills. La’el Collins, who has been limited to resistance cord work during practice up to this point, was involved in what Jones characterized as a “minor” car accident on Thursday.
“Overall,” Jones said, “we feel good that all of our offensive line group. We don’t think there’s anything out there going on that keep them from being any type of question mark as we head towards our first game.”
Jones said he expects Cam Erving to return next week. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis appeared to injure his left ankle in team drills on Thursday. He did not return to practice but Jones did not believe it was significant.
“[Mike McCarthy’s] going to take good care of them,” Jones said. “I think he’ll have them ready. “He told me, ‘They’re going to be ready. It may not be until 24 hours before the first game, but they’ll be ready by the time the game rolls around.’”
2.) Cedrick Wilson and Dak Prescott have been building a pretty good rapport. The top two offensive highlights from Thursday’s practice were plays from Prescott to Wilson. First was a 20-yard TD pass to Wilson across the middle during a two-minute drill on fourth and 5. Prescott then found Wilson in the back left corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion. Prescott said after practice that the two spent a good amount of time working out together in the offseason.
“Ced’s a great player,” Prescott said. “Injuries have kind of bummed him out in the past and maybe not allowed him to show what he’s quite capable of. He’s been healthy. And he’s been healthy all offseason … We’ve created some chemistry there and he’s a guy that can come in and show his worth. He’ll definitely help this offense. He’s talented, athletic, very, very smart, makes all the catches. He’s exactly what you want in pretty much that swing receiver, or just coming in and playing in the slot, or whatever he’s asked to do. Ced’s the type of guy that’s going to do it with a big smile and with enthusiasm and ready to go make a play. Those are the players that you love to have on your side.”
3.) Dak Prescott’s offseason. The Cowboys QB went a little more in-depth on Thursday about the football field he had put in his backyard. One of the reasons is that he says he’d rather put in the work behind the scenes. “I’m a guy that kinda likes to work in the dark,” he said. But it also provides privacy for teammates to come over and work out. He had several over throughout the offseason. He did something similar last year when he hosted private workouts for a group of teammates in San Diego.
“You’ve got to build chemistry,” Prescott said. “You want to get to know your guys. It’s been great to have them at my house, getting to know some of my friends, my brother, my family. Just a little bit better, I’d say, over the time. Then you just get to get out there without the distraction of anyone else. Whether it’s fans or whether it’s, just other people like that. It’s the privacy of creating this special bond that you guys have because when it’s the heat of the moment, when it’s the fourth quarter, two-minute drive, you’ve got to know who you’ve got on your side. You’ve got to know what those guys are going to do for you, and they’ve got to know how hard you’re going to go and how prepared you’re going to be for them. I think that’s where all that is created and it’s just created naturally when you’re able to do it in those types of settings while still working.”
4.) Helmet visor. Prescott wore a helmet visor at times in college but hadn’t done so during his time with the Cowboys. Since the start of camp, he’s worn a clear visor during practice. It sounds like it’s staying during the season.
“No particular reason,” Prescott said. “Changing things up, I guess. I threw it on to see if I liked it, to see if I want to keep it. I’ve worn one before. It’s nothing new, it’s nothing different. Just gives you a little bit different feel for yourself. I like it. I think I’ll keep it for now.”
5.) First impressions of Aldon Smith. The veteran pass rusher has closed in on Prescott a few times during team drills. Players aren’t allowed to hit the quarterbacks, who are wearing bright red jerseys this year in practice. Prescott is glad Smith is rushing off the right side for the Cowboys.
“He’s a man,” Prescott said. “He’s a monster. Damn sure doesn’t look like he hasn’t played in five years. Doesn’t play like it. Energy would never tell you that. Very fortunate to have him. Very fortunate to have him on my team and not rushing me. He’s going to make all of us better. He’s a great player.”
What would McCarthy’s first impressions of Smith be if he had no idea who he was?
“You’d say, ‘Hey, who the hell was No. 58?’ That’s my thought when he walked out on the field for the first time,” McCarthy said. “He looks good. I think his process back has been not a gradual one, but he’s hitting all the targets. You can see his power, his length is extraordinary. I’m very, very happy with where Aldon is right now. You’ve got so much new around him, not only hasn’t he played, but he’s done a great job in training and preparing for this opportunity. … Aldon is off to a very good start. He’s impressive.”
6.) First big play. Aldon Smith turned heads when he batted a Prescott screen pass out of the air and nearly intercepted it at the line of scrimmage in the first camp practice. Some would think that would be a huge moment for someone who hasn’t played football in the last four seasons. Smith wasn’t that impressed. He thought he should’ve gotten the interception as well.
7.) Aldon Smith on the defensive scheme. Smith has the ability to play a traditional 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker spot. He’s expected to do both from the right side, the spot that opened up when Robert Quinn signed with the Chicago Bears in March. We haven’t seen Everson Griffen in practice yet, but the expectation is that Smith and Griffen will get the bulk of the work rushing opposite of Lawrence.
“I like the scheme because it makes everybody a playmaker,” Smith said. “It puts everybody in a situation where they can make plays and the way (defensive coordinator Mike Nolan) has it drawn up, I’m going to be in situations where I can use my skill set and be able to make plays. So I’m just looking forward to being able to put it all on film against people.”
8.) Why did Everson Griffen sign with the Cowboys? Several things factored into the equation, one being the fact that he grew up a Cowboys fan and is named after former Dallas defensive back Everson Walls.
9.) Did Quinn’s big season play a role? Robert Quinn played one year in Dallas, collected 11.5 sacks in 14 games and then signed a five-year, $70 million contract with Chicago two months before his 30th birthday. Did the possibility of turning in a similar season and then cashing in during free agency next year factor into Griffen’s decision to choose the Cowboys?
“My agent takes care of all that contract stuff,” the 32-year-old Griffen said. “My job is to go play on the field. It’s a business. At the end of the day, you play good, as they say, you get paid good. As long as you’re playing good, you’re going to get paid good. I know I can still play ball at a high level. I’m excited. I’m confident but not comfortable, and I’m here to win, and I’m here to use the resources and whatever they need me to do, I’m here. I’m excited.”
10.) Griffen off the field. He had a surprise absence from the Minnesota Vikings during the 2018 season. Griffen voluntarily checked into a hospital over mental health concerns. He spent two months away from the team. He returned last season to start 15 games. Griffen was asked Thursday about how he’s grown since then.
“I just took the proper steps,” he said. “When people say, ‘Go talk to somebody, do therapy, do counseling,’ I think that’s the right thing to do. You can’t be afraid to talk to people. You can’t be afraid to open up and just talk about what’s going on in your life, the stress, the anxiety, the pressures, just the world in general. And that’s what I did. I took it upon myself and the team of people I work with, and we attacked it.
“It got me to this place right now. I’m confident, but I’m not comfortable because you always got to keep on pushing to get better. But it’s been a very — I’ve been blessed. I’ve been blessed to be here. I’ve been blessed to still be able to play football. And I’m excited. I’m excited (about) where this thing is going to go. Yeah, I did all the work. People talk about that, you just need to put in the work.”
11.) When will Griffen be ready? Up to this point, Griffen has been attending practices, but his work has been limited to a small amount of individual drills and strength and conditioning. Sunday sounds like the target date for him to start working more into practice.
“It’s a gradual build,” he said. “I think they have a good system. I’m listening to the strength staff’s input. I think we’re doing the right thing, acclimating me in day by day. I’ll be ready. I’m ready to go right now.”
12.) Zeke’s COVID-19 experience. Ezekiel Elliott tested positive for the coronavirus in June. He said he experienced mild symptoms for a couple of days, mainly a cough and some shortness of breath. The toughest part for him was not being able to work out for an extended period of time.
“I’d probably say I didn’t work out for a month because there’s some complications COVID can cause to your organs,” Elliott said. “So you’ve got to make sure your heart and lungs are working all together before you get back out there. It was frustrating, for sure. But I think even more frustrating was that I couldn’t leave the house, in isolation. It definitely was good to get back out and moving once I got out of quarantine.”
13.) Extra work. Elliott said he spent extra time in the offseason working on his pass-catching. While he’s expected to continue carrying the ball around 20 times per game, Elliott will have plenty of opportunities in the passing game. His offseason work included running more routes and working on his game from the slot receiver position.
“Just trying to evolve my game (catching out of the backfield and from in the slot),” he said, “just so I can be a more viable source in the passing game.”
14.) Backup QB. Andy Dalton is embracing his role as a backup quarterback after being the Cincinnati Bengals’ starter for the last nine seasons. Dalton talked about this week about this being the halfway point in his career. He believes there’s still a lot of football for him to play in the NFL. But for this season, Dalton said he has told Prescott that he’s here to help him any way he can.
“I had several opportunities out there and when looking at it, I think this was the best spot for me this year,” he said. “To sign a one-year deal here in Dallas, to be a part of a good organization, a team that is very talented and to be around a great coach, and to be able to stay at home. I think that all those factors played into it, and I’m excited. I’m excited to be here and excited that I get to stay here in Dallas, especially during a time like this with the whole COVID situation going on.”
15.) McCarthy in meetings. During a Wednesday conference call, new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Nolan praised McCarthy for how good he is in team meetings, at one point saying, “He does as good a job in front of the football team as any head coach I’ve ever been associated with, and I’ve been with a few Hall of Famers.”
What does McCarthy think is the key to being good in that area?
“I think coaching is so much about being yourself,” he said. “I’ve never tried to be somebody else. I’ve been fortunate to have a knowledge base of just from being around the people I’ve coached with in the past and, frankly, more so the players. You always learn so much from the players, and it’s a constant message today that I continue to bang home with the younger coaches because the interactions of those conversations that you have, it brings clarity to the gray area and ultimately it’s our job to eliminate the gray area. I’ve just been very fortunate in my experiences.”
16.) Greg Zuerlein’s off to a good start. The new Cowboys kicker is 12-for-12 on his field-goal attempts in training camp. His longest has been from 44 yards. New special teams coordinator John Fassel made his confidence in Zuerlein clear while talking with reporters on Wednesday. He said the former Rams kicker didn’t have his normal year last season because he was dealing with a groin pull.
“In all honesty, he was going into the last year of his contract, and he wanted to kick through a pretty good groin pull,” Fassel said. “So for about a six- to eight-week stretch (of) that, we didn’t even kick him during the course of the game week. And he had been so great, so reliable for us for so many years — especially a couple previous years — that we just wanted to try to ride him through it. And not to make excuses, and Greg would be the last one to do it, but that has a lot to do with it. It has a factor on your ability to swing like you normally would. So, fully healed. I expect Greg to be one of the top, if not the top kicker in the league for the next couple of years for us Cowboys.”
17.) Special teams. What exactly is Fassel looking for in a special-teams player? He caught himself before saying what he really wanted to, which probably included a few expletives.
18.) Play-caller. McCarthy provided an interesting answer when asked Wednesday on the NFL Network about having Kellen Moore call the offensive plays after McCarthy was the play-caller for so many years in Green Bay.
“I think the most important thing coming from the head coach position is you have to do what’s best for the football team,” McCarthy said. “Personally, I know I’ll miss it. I miss a lot of components of it already. But my sole responsibility is to make sure I can help Kellen be the best play-caller possible. He’s still young at it. He has a great mind. I’ve been extremely impressed with him every step of the way, from building the installs, the way he’s delivered it in the meetings to players and his on-the-field coaching. So it’s the best decision for this football team. There is so much more that I want to and need to focus on as far as building the program the way I see it needs to be done.
There’s a lot of energy that goes through it, and I just didn’t want to short the offense. I felt like I did that at times in Green Bay.”
19.) Kellen Moore had a quick laugh. The second-year Dallas offensive coordinator was asked this week about the possibility of the Cowboys’ offense being a 70/30 pass-to-run ratio this season.
“Whatever we need to do to score points,” he said. “We’ve got some good running backs, some good receivers. We’ll see what defenses do to try to attack one way or another.”
20.) Different defense. The expectation is that Dallas will be much more multiple on defense this season, disguising their plan more than in previous years. Mike Nolan addressed the changes this week.
“First off, the things they did last year I felt were very helpful to the things we’re doing,” the new DC said. “We’re adding a few things here and there, but nonetheless the experience of those things, the things that a lot of teams play, and we’ll use them as well. There’s a lot of carryover in that regard. Outside of that, there are some things we’re doing, but I think that’s the case any time you bring in a new staff. Everything from language to the way we align, things like that, but I think they’re picking up very well. There’s a tremendous amount of energy. And I’m sure they had great energy before, not just because we’re here but because of the makeup of the players that we have.
But they have been very receptive to the things we’re doing, and we’re making some progress. Obviously it’s real early, and we just got a little time to get ready.”
21.) One noticeable change: DeMarcus Lawrence is standing up more while rushing off the edge in multiple formations. McCarthy mentioned this week how nine-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers transitioned well to the change when joining McCarthy in Green Bay. Peppers had played with his hand on the ground in Carolina to begin his career.
22.) Trevon Diggs working with Al Harris. The Cowboys’ rookie corner was viewed by some as a potential first-round pick. Diggs fell to Dallas in the second round and figures to be a major part of their plans going forward. Not having a traditional offseason has limited the rookie’s workload, but two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris has been working to bring him up to speed. The former Packers defensive back is now Dallas’ cornerbacks coach. Like Diggs, Harris had good size for the position (6’1, 190). Diggs is listed at 6’2, 195. The Cowboys have a few veterans ahead of him on the current depth chart, but look for Diggs to be a factor early on this season.
23.) Gerald McCoy injury. The veteran defensive tackle had surgery Wednesday on his right quad and revealed on his Instagram account that everything went “great.” Although he was released by the Cowboys, McCoy plans to still mentor the young Cowboys defensive linemen, even if he has to do it from afar. “I meant what I said earlier,” McCoy said in a video, “I’m going to continue to mentor these young boys, only thing is I can’t go in the building and do it. But I have these guys’ numbers. I’m gonna be watching.”
The door hasn’t been closed on the possibility of Dallas bringing McCoy back next season after he recovers. In his absence, Trysten Hill has seen an increased workload. Rookie Neville Gallimore is also working into the mix. But keep an eye on Tyrone Crawford moving inside more than what was originally expected this season. Dallas currently looks to have good top-end depth on the outside with Lawrence, Smith and Griffen. Crawford will still see snaps there, but his services might be better served at tackle. The Cowboys currently don’t have any plans to sign or trade for a veteran at the position.
24.) Turnover talk. Maybe we need to pump the brakes a little on the talk of the turnover drills going on in practice. Is there an emphasis on intercepting passes and forcing fumbles in practice? Absolutely. The problem is that it’s leading to this belief that the previous coaching staff didn’t work on similar things. Forcing turnovers was an emphasis in practice under Rod Marinelli. The lack of causing them on Sundays had more to do with the scheme than not preparing players during the week.
25.) Training camp first on Thursday. Mike McCarthy would have the team practice on the grass every day if it was possible. The Texas heat and only having one grass field makes that difficult. McCarthy got creative on Thursday, having the team start on the grass and then move inside the Ford Center for the second half of practice. I can’t say we’ve ever seen that before from the Cowboys. The total now is two full practices outside, two full practices inside and one split between each.
“Well, the thought process of how we practice it really, it’s really focusing on what we’re doing that particular day,” McCarthy said. “For example, we’re going to practice outside and do all the fundamentals and group and combo drills out on the grass, and then we’re going to take our situational work and the team environment inside. So it’s something that may adjust daily based on the practice schedule.”
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 21,480
Jaylon on the weakside makes alot of sense if it frees him up to just use his speed and fly around. His problem is when navigating through trash and getting caught up in the wash trying to read/work his way around OL to find ball-carriers.
That's where you see his gimp leg at it's worst, when trying to start/stop and change directions subtly in traffic, when he can just fly around in space he still has that same explosiveness/athleticism.
That's where you see his gimp leg at it's worst, when trying to start/stop and change directions subtly in traffic, when he can just fly around in space he still has that same explosiveness/athleticism.
Genghis Khan
The worst version of myself
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 46,501
This is why we have to take training camp reports with a grain of salt.