Cowboys News: Quinn’s unusual offer to McCarthy, Trysten Hill redemption?
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn wasn’t interested in any of the head coaching job offers he got in the offseason. But it turns out he would have left Dallas anyway if Mike McCarthy had only said the word. Quinn not wanting to be a distraction to his head coach is just part of the story leading today’s News and Notes.
Elsewhere, a recap of Tuesday’s practice in Oxnard, including an injury report, the apparent scrapping of any plans to bring in wide receiver help, and the kicker competition that can’t get off on the right foot. Trysten Hill may finally prove the Cowboys right for being patient with him, Cole Beasley doesn’t figure to be in the Cowboys’ plans for a reason you may not expect, and a top-tier defensive talent would still make a fine match for the Dallas line. All that, plus a new PR man for the front office, and Cowboys Wire goes one-on-one with linebacker Leighton Vander Esch as he preps for just his fifth season while juggling the responsibility of already being one of the locker room mentors.
‘If the time comes, I’ll be ready’: Cowboys DC Dan Quinn opens up on coaching aspirations :: USA Today
The coordinator wants to be a head coach again, and had offers this past offseason. He even went to Mike McCarthy and offered to leave if it would make McCarthy’s seat a little less hot. McCarthy reportedly told him, “I think winning is better with you here.” Quinn says he’s learned a lot since being fired by Atlanta about how he’ll do the job differently when he gets the right opportunity.
Not their best foot forward: Both Cowboys kickers struggling early in camp :: Cowboys Wire
Neither UDFA Jonathan Garibay nor former CFL star Lirim Hajrullahu seems to have much of a leg up on winning the Cowboys’ starting kicker job at this early stage of camp. The Texas Tech rookie went 6-for-8 on field goals on Tuesday, but missed two of his final three and failed all three “Mojo Moment” tries on Monday. Hajrullahu was 3-for-8 with four straight misses on Tuesday; he sank just his first of three “Mojo” kicks. Mike McCarthy says kicking will continue each day of practice this week.
Confident Jerry Jones content to 'give these young guys the incentive' to take spots in Dallas Cowboys' depleted receiver unit :: ESPN
The Cowboys brass say they won’t be pursuing any of the name-brand wide receivers in the wake of James Washington’s foot injury. Instead, they’ll allow their extremely young depth players to reach for a starting opportunity. “We talk about growth, we talk about draft and develop. Here it is,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “It doesn’t create an urgency for us,” Jerry Jones echoed.
Cowboys’ receiver fiasco begs the return of Cole Beasley, but he has 'no shot.' :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The former fan favorite’s name has come up as a possible plug-and-play on the WR depth chart, but Mac Engel says the anti-vaccination stance that helped wear out Beasley’s welcome in Buffalo wouldn’t endear him to the Jones family, either. The Cowboys losing Amari Cooper last year to COVID is all the proof required to dismiss this pipe dream, no matter how few weapons Dak Prescott will have to work with.
This reason was recently brought up here on Cowboys Wire’s writeup of available free-agent WRs.
Cowboys apparent depth issues are by their own design :: Cowboys Wire
Who could have predicted that the Cowboys would get burned on the offensive line and at wide receiver and at kicker? Well, anyone who’s been paying attention. The team isn’t even out of Oxnard, and they look to be in trouble at all three positions; they have no one to blame but themselves and their philosophy regarding paying for quality depth.
Lamb eager to see current crop of Cowboys WRs step up :: Jon Machota (Twitter)
CeeDee Lamb when asked if he'd like to see the Cowboys add a veteran WR: "We can play it out for a while. I'm not opposed to having another vet in here. I'm never against having help. But I like my young guys right now. I want to see what they can do."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 2, 2022
Can Cowboys Trysten Hill avoid injury, make critical leap during contract year? :: Dallas Morning News
With just 18 games in four seasons under his belt, the former second-round pick may be finally ready to prove that the Cowboys have been right to remain patient with him. The defensive tackle has had a good camp, holding his own on the field and also working to change his reputation off of it. “Words are not going to persuade you,” Hill said. “It’s my actions. There’s a lot of people that’s got stuff to say but that stuff just falls by the wayside.”
2 tight ends, LB Jabril Cox among Cowboys 'dinged' during Tuesday's practice :: Cowboys Wire
Jake Ferguson tweaked a hamstring early on Tuesday. Jeremy Sprinkle aggravated an Achilles tendon. And linebacker Jabril Cox, who’s already rehabbing an ACL tear, dinged his knee. All were held out of practice as precautionary measures; the coaches and trainers say they don’t believe any of the injuries to be serious.
Best team fits for notable remaining NFL free agents: Odell Beckham Jr. to the Baltimore Ravens? :: NFL.com
The Cowboys have a lot of quick, undersized players on the defensive line, which is great for rushing the passer but not so great when trying to stop the run. Veteran interior tackle Ndamukong Suh would fit the bill nicely in a rotation and serve as an experienced role model for the younger players on the team.
Cowboys Wire 1-on-1: Leighton Vander Esch brings real-life cowboy code to Dallas defense as team leader in '22 :: Cowboys Wire
The linebacker has been channeling his inner Sean Lee as he now finds himself mentoring the younger players around him. After changing up his offseason regimen, he says he’s in his best shape yet and is excited to see what the Cowboys defense can do in Dan Quinn’s second year as coordinator. The dedicated outdoorsman is also appearing in a series of promotional videos that sees him trying his hand at real-life ranch duties like calf roping; that “cowboy code” is finding its way back to the field with him as he preps for his fifth season.
Dallas Cowboys hire Tad Carper as senior VP for communications :: Dallas Morning News
“We’re talking about the greatest, most successful sport franchise on planet Earth,” Carper said of what intrigued him about the position. He’s spent the past 22 years as chief communications officer for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. For the Cowboys, he’ll replace longtime fixture Rich Dalrymple, who retired in February and then became the focus of a high-profile voyeurism scandal.
11 takeaways, highlights from fifth practice at Cowboys training camp :: Cowboys Wire
Leftover nuggets from Monday’s practice include wideout CeeDee Lamb returning to work after a rest day on Saturday, Dak Prescott lighting it up, a speed-on-speed moment as Micah Parsons chases down Tony Pollard, Ezekiel Elliott showing good burst, updates on Nahshon Wright and Damone Clark, Noah Brown making a bid for more playing time, and the unusual way Osa Odighizuwa reminds himself of the finer points he wants to work on each day.
