Cowboys News: Schultz talks not rocking, camp battles to watch, Top 10 QBs
The Cowboys know who their starting tight end is going to be for 2022. The question is whether or not he’ll be that in 2023. Dalton Schultz will be playing the year on the franchise tag unless he and Dallas can come to a long-term agreement before Friday’s deadline. No news is not good news.
Meanwhile the man in charge of making Schultz rich gets slotted among his peers in ESPN’s latest foray into the ranking business. Dak Prescott’s position on the team is obviously safe, but with training camp less than three weeks away, what are the top battles to look for? Football Outsiders previews the Cowboys’ trip to Oxnard.
News on the cause of Marion Barber’s passing, Micah Parsons making his second positional-best list and what to expect out of Trevon Diggs in 2022.
Ranking the NFL's top 10 quarterbacks for 2022: Execs, coaches, players make their picks for the best passers :: ESPN
Link (paywall)
The Cowboys’ signal caller comes in ranking 10th in a combination of poll results and statistical categories.
Voters pointed to Prescott’s consistency, helping him beat out other top-tier passers here. Though the Cowboys quarterback did not receive a single top-five vote, he was a fixture in the Nos. 7 to 10 range, helping him outdistance Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for the last spot in the composite rankings.
“A good but not great QB; he has to play well in the playoffs,” an NFC exec said. “Has to prove [he] can take them to the next level. He’s not in the top echelon.”
His résumé speaks to that: very good but not great. Prescott had the fourth-most passing touchdowns (37) in 2021. He ranked fourth in the NFL in completion percentage (68.8%) and QBR from inside the pocket (65.5), numbers that showcase his ability to work through progressions. And he is 53-32 as a starter since entering the league in 2017.
“He has good poise in [the pocket], sturdy,” an NFL offensive coach said. “Always been deadly when they space the field in empty. Sometimes needs an extra hitch to confirm things, but he’s typically a good decision-maker in their dropback game.”
NFC East Camp Preview: Commanders Search for WR Chemistry :: Football Outsiders
FO checks in with four sections on the Cowboys: Heading into Camp, Newcomer to Obsess Over, Circle the Date and Camp Battles to Watch.
Camp Battles to Watch: The Cowboys did not just lose Amari Cooper but also johnny-on-the-spot super-sub Cedrick Wilson, who ranked 14th in DVOA in 2021. James Washington, Noah Brown and third-round pick Jalen Tolbert (South Alabama) will be battling for the WR3 role. Washington spent four seasons getting leap-frogged on the Steelers depth chart. Brown is a speedy, sturdy special-teamer. Tolbert was a small-school boundary threat. None of them are obvious candidates for a major role.
With Blake Jarwin gone, fourth-round pick Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin), right-tackle type Jeremy Sprinkle and former UDFA Sean McKeon will compete for the robust TE2 role in Kellen Moore’s offense.
Report: No progress toward Dalton Schultz extension :: Pro Football Talk
An article based on Michael Gelkhen’s tweet that the two sides aren’t making enough progress to think a deal will happen before Friday’s deadline.
Report: Cowboys RB Marion Barber's cause of death ruled heat stroke :: Cowboys Wire
After much speculation, it turns out the unfortunate passing of a Cowboys star was an accident.
The NFL's top 11 edge defenders :: Touchdown Wire
After ranking fifth at linebacker, Micah Parsons checks in at fifth on the edge rusher list, too.
Because in addition to debuting as the fifth-ranked off-ball linebacker on our lists, he also debuts as the fifth-ranked edge defender after a rookie season that saw him get to the quarterback 13 times, and also post 47 pressures and 16 quarterback hurries.
In a vacuum, those are impressive numbers. But then you remember he did this splitting time between playing off the edge, and playing in an off-ball role for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
Freak.
Cowboys fans need to temper expectations for Trevon Diggs after phenomenal 2021 :: Blogging The Boys
11 interceptions doesn’t happen every year, or any year since 1981. Tom Ryle dissects the likelihood of a strong follow-up season.
Cowboys 2022 Training Camp Preview: Defensive Tackles :: Inside The Star
A look at the Cowboys’ interior position, the names on the roster and the position battles ahead of camp.
[pickup_prop id=”22270″>
