NFL Cowboys News: Stephen Jones talks 5-year cap plan, Jerry confronts fan complaints
Saving for a rainy day is one thing. But fans who witnessed the Cowboys’ horrid showing on Sunday are wondering how much harder it has to pour to convince the front office to acquire some experienced football players. Stephen Jones shared his cap strategy on Friday, and it’s sure to rub many the wrong way. Jerry, meanwhile, is offering to listen to fans’ complaints… but admits right up front that nothing at the top is going to change.
Meanwhile, there’s a game to play on Sunday, and a win would wash a lot of the bad taste out of everyone’s mouths. We’re getting to know Cooper Rush the way his teammates do, even though one outspoken DB isn’t convinced the Cowboys have a prayer with him at the helm. We’re looking for improvement on both sides of the ball as both Kellen Moore and the run defense were found to be lacking last week, the team’s staff writers make their gameday predictions, and there’s a humble submission for what the Cowboys should do on their very first play from scrimmage against Cincinnati. The Bengals are bringing two old friends back to town, and a legend from the dynasty days is tackling a new opponent. All that and more, in this edition in News and Notes.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones: 'We spend every bit of our salary cap' :: 105.3 The Fan
The Cowboys reportedly have just over $11 million in salary cap space, leaving fans to wonder why more outside talent hasn’t been acquired for the roster. “We spend every bit of our cap at the end of the day. You get to move your cap forward,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “And we did move a lot of cap space forward to get in the position, because we wanted to have the availability of the cap space if the right situation came along to do something. We obviously went in a different direction.”
.@gavindawson asked #Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones a good aalary cap question on @1053thefan. Stephen reiterated that the team does spend all of their salary cap dollars (click to expand) pic.twitter.com/yXFf7MxQnz
— Mark Lane (@therealmarklane) September 16, 2022
'He’s not going to panic:' Meet Cooper Rush, Cowboys starting QB in Dak Prescott’s absence :: USA Today
The Cowboys’ coaches and players who have been around him for nearly his entire six-year NFL career know exactly what Cooper Rush is capable of because they’ve seen him put in the work and the study. He’s even been in charge of assembling and presenting a “blitz tape” of each opponent’s pass rush to the rest of the QB room. “He’s like a walking computer on what you need to know,” Simi Fehoko said. “He sees the bigger picture.”
Richard Sherman reacts to Phil Simms’s Prescott, Rush comments :: SI.com
The former Giants quarterback said on Inside the NFL that “it’s not gonna be a huge drop-off” when the Cowboys go from Dak Prescott to Cooper Rush… and Richard Sherman had thoughts about that. “So they are gonna work harder to protect the back up than they did the big money QB? Ok. There isn’t much drop off?!!! Lmao wow,” the free agent defensive back tweeted.
Friday injury report confirms 5 Cowboys out for Week 2 :: Joe Trahan (Twitter)
No surprises on the #Cowboys injury report today.#CinvsDal pic.twitter.com/ZNaiULQbWG
— Joe Trahan (@JoeTrahan) September 16, 2022
Cowboys' McCarthy looking for growth from OC Kellen Moore: 'We've got to be a little smarter' :: Cowboys Wire
McCarthy said he planned to spend “maybe a little longer” than normal going over Sunday’s call sheet with Moore as the offense looks to get back on track versus Cincinnati. While he revealed that the team spent more practice time on third-down situations- an issue in Week 1- he also talked about trusting the menu of plays that have been in place for months, albeit with a few adjustments to best fit the personnel on the field.
Tank, CeeDee set to face ex-teammates Sunday :: The Mothership
There will be some old friends wearing tiger stripes at AT&T Stadium on Sunday when La’el Collins and Chidobe Awuzie visit as Bengals. DeMarcus Lawrence plans to leave the pleasantries behind once the game begins and as the Dallas defensive line now looks to make it a rough reunion for Collins. “He struggled with [T.J. Watt] last weekend, so I’ll send Micah over there to him,” said Lawrence. CeeDee Lamb will match up against Awuzie for the first time since intrasquad practices during Lamb’s rookie season.
Not just Dak—Cowboys struggled in run defense too :: Football Outsiders
A nonexistent offense has caught plenty of heat this week, but things could have been even worse for Dallas in Week 1; Bucs running back Leonard Fournette carved up the Cowboys with 127 yards. Rookie Sam Williams had a rough night, and Anthony Brown had to come to the rescue too many times. Overall, a game re-watch shows that Tampa Bay simply outmanned a surprisingly sloppy Dallas run defense.
Mailbag: Could Turpin boost the passing game? :: The Mothership
The explosive return man saw just two offensive snaps in his NFL debut. Why not use turn him loose on a go route on the very first play this Sunday? It would force the Bengals defense to respect the deep ball the rest of the day, could open things up for Ezekiel Elliott and the ground game, and might even jump-start the stagnant Dallas passing attack.
Gut Feeling: Cowboys-Bengals staff predictions :: The Mothership
Not everyone is betting on a bounceback for the Cowboys, with the staff writers split on the outcome of Sunday’s matchup. Patrik Walker and Mickey Spagnola see Dallas turning things around for the win, but Rob Phillips, Nick Eatman, and Kyle Youmans all believe the Bengals will have just too much firepower.
Jerry Jones reiterates that he’ll never sell the Cowboys :: ProFootballTalk
Jones knows fans are unhappy about the spot the team is in (as well as the seemingly-on-repeat failures of the past quarter-century). But the owner is in a unique position of power because he’s also the team’s general manager. He gets the frustration, saying, “I’d be mad, too.” Jones added that he’d even be willing to take phone-call complaints from the Cowboys faithful. But he admits that only so much will change. “Those same fans know I’ll never sell this team.”
Dallas Cowboys great Charles Haley is tackling illiteracy :: Dallas Morning News
The five-time Super Bowl champ (three rings earned with Dallas) provides reading coaches and resources for over 1,500 local schoolkids through his “Tackle Tomorrow” program. This week, over 50 former NFL players helped Haley raise $820,000 to keep the initiative growing. It’s a personal mission for the Hall of Famer, who finally sought help learning to read once he was in college and calls his diploma from James Madison his proudest life achievement.
Former Dallas Cowboys player Brandon Carr arrested in Collin County on DWI charge :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The cornerback played in Dallas from 2012 to 2016 and then returned for the 2020 season, starting 80 of 83 games in a Cowboys uniform. He posted bond after his Thursday arrest and was released; nothing else about the incident has been made public.
