Cowboys News: Pollard on DeMarco Murray’s path? Defensive discipline questions?
Tony Pollard gets his time to shine as the Cowboys’ lead running back in 2023. But could the electrifying runner find himself in the same predicament as another Dallas rusher who finally broke out only to earn his big payday somewhere else the next year? We look into that, plus why the leader of the offense is expecting big things right away from a seventh-round draft pick and why a franchise icon says the playcalling switch this season will say more about Mike McCarthy than Dak Prescott.
Meanwhile, the latest Deion Sanders health scare, why there are questions about the discipline of Dan Quinn’s defense, and trying to determine why Micah Parsons seems to level off as the season wears on. We’ll see why DeMarcus Lawrence believes the Cowboys aren’t far behind the Eagles, we’ll look at contract extensions and wide receiver groups, we’ll turn the spotlight on an undrafted offensive lineman who could do double duty, and we see where Cowboys home-game tickets rank among the league’s other teams at the cash register. That’s all up in News and Notes.
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Dak Prescott thinks rookie running back Deuce Vaughn helps the offense immediately :: ProFootballTalk
Prescott says he was amazed that Vaughn hadn’t already been drafted by the time the Cowboys came up to make their final pick in the seventh round. “I did pay attention enough that he was there,” said Prescott, “like, ‘How is he still there?'” But the former fourth-rounder knows that it’s not where you get selected, it’s what you do once you get there.
Will Tony Pollard walk a similar path as DeMarco Murray? :: Inside the Star
Murray finally got his shot as the Cowboys’ lead back and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2014, but Dallas said goodbye just as he was ready to cash in on a new, massive deal. After Pollard plays out this franchise-tag year, history could very well repeat itself, as the team will have a costly decision to make.
Report: Deion Sanders set to have emergency surgery Friday for blood clot :: Cowboys Wire
Emergency surgery has been scheduled for early Friday morning to remove a blood clot near the Hall of Famer’s groin. It was revealed just last week that the 55-year-old Sanders could be facing the possible amputation of his left foot due to the recurring circulation problem that already cost him two of his toes in 2021.
DeMarcus Lawrence: 'I don't feel like it's a huge gap at all' between Cowboys, Eagles :: Cowboys Wire
Philadelphia may be the runaway favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVIII, but the 10-year veteran knows it’s a game of inches. “I don’t feel like it’s a huge gap at all. I feel like it comes down to certain details- not just the scheme, but also your locker room,” Lawrence said recently. “The main objective for us is to win out our division.” If that happens, the Cowboys would be well-positioned for a championship run.
Jane Slater reveals her 'biggest question' for Cowboys' 2023 regular season :: NFL.com
The Cowboys defense has all the parts and pieces Dan Quinn needs after two full years of roster building. Talent isn’t the question; it’s discipline. Does the unit have what it takes mentally to execute the scheme Quinn has been building up to all this time?
How the Cowboys can remedy the ‘Parsons Plateau’ and keep him fresher down the stretch :: Blogging the Boys
For the first 11 games last season, Parsons was a one-man wrecking crew. In the final six contests, his stats leveled off noticeably. And in games where the Cowboys struggled, Parsons was generally overused and asked to do too much. Will his offseason work to bulk up and improve explosiveness with things like boxing remedy the so-called Parsons Plateau?
Cowboys are money when they play dime defense :: Mina Kimes (Twitter)
Dallas' defense has a terrifying pass rush–but don't sleep on the talented, versatile secondary.
Last year, amongst teams that used dime personnel at least 10% of the time, the Cowboys ranked 1st in both opposing QBR (28.9) and EPA/play (-0.22). pic.twitter.com/BeXKVWy4y1
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) June 22, 2023
Cowboys contract extensions with Prescott, Diggs, Lamb on horizon :: Cowboys Wire
Sooner is better than later when it comes to the contract extensions likely coming for Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, and CeeDee Lamb. By Dallas’s own admission, they want to re-sign at least two of them before training camp kicks off in Oxnard in late July. It will be up to Jerry Jones to motivate his star players to want to come to the table and get this bit of business done.
Troy Aikman: Cowboys play-calling transition will come down to ‘quality of coaching’ :: Dallas Morning News
The three-time Super Bowl champ went through several play-callers during his Cowboys tenure. How good McCarthy actually is at the role will be what decides how the transition goes for Prescott this year. “I’ve been in those situations when Norv Turner came in and immediately we went from the worst offense to the ninth offense in the league, and then we won a couple of Super Bowls along the way,” Aikman said.
NFC East receiver corps among league best, but who owns the throne? :: Cowboys Wire
Once again, the Eagles have to be considered the best in the East when it comes to this position group. The addition of Brandin Cooks and the return to form of Michael Gallup would sure help the Cowboys gain some ground, though.
Role Call: T.J. Bass brings versatility to O-line :: The Mothership
The big man out of Oregon has potential to make an impact at either guard or tackle. That chance could come sooner rather than later if a strong training camp and preseason puts him in a position to capitalize on any injuries that could occur up front this season.
Eyeballing a big second-year jump for these Cowboys :: Cowboys Wire
Tyler Smith and Sam Williams got off to great starts as rookies last year. Jalen Tolbert, Matt Waletzko, Damone Clark, and Malik Davis still have plenty to prove as they return for what they hope will be successful sophomore seasons.
Which team has the priciest tickets in the NFL? How expensive are the Dallas Cowboys? :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
America’s Team has the most expensive average home-game ticket in the NFL, costing fans $245 on average. Using state income figures, that equates to 17.36% of the average weekly wage in Texas.
