Talkin’ Cowboys: We Believe in Javonte

Kyle Youmans, Patrik Walker, and Josh Rodriguez react to Javonte Williams agreeing to a three-year deal with the Cowboys and break down what it means for the RB room moving forward. The crew also shares first impressions of defensive coordinator Christian Parker, and reluctantly dive into the “what if” George Pickens trade discussion — spoiler alert: don’t do it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
The following.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
He is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and
the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.

Speaker 3 (00:12):
Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
This he's Talking Cowboys Straining live.

Speaker 4 (00:19):
From the Dallas Cowboys World head hours.

Speaker 5 (00:21):
At the Star in Pristilluson don't take burners here, let's.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Dot Kinson touchdown and now your hosts Isaiah Standback, Patrick Walker,
Josh Rodriguez and Kyle Yeomans.

Speaker 6 (00:42):
It's a chillaxed edition of Talking Cowboys presented by Black
Rifle Coffee Company, live from the Star in Frisco, Texas
in the s w b C Studios.

Speaker 4 (00:52):
Welcome in, everybody.

Speaker 6 (00:53):
We've got Patrick Nosey Walker, Josh Rodriguez, Chris Beam in
the back of Kyle Yeomans.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
So glad you're with us.

Speaker 6 (00:59):
This the first show that we've had in quite some time,
and it feels like that because so much has happened
over the last week. We've met our defensive coordinator. Yes,
we've heard from the front office. Yes, we've heard from
Brian Schottenheimer, and we've signed a running back.

Speaker 4 (01:14):
We'll talk about all of that.

Speaker 6 (01:15):
Indeed, lots, I think there's no better way to start
this show, and by go ahead and proclaiming right that
we believe in Javante. Javante Williams is back. We're going
to talk about it as we go along on the show.

Speaker 4 (01:32):
You guys like this set up a little I feel
so mature. Do you need like a cigar?

Speaker 3 (01:38):
I do feel like any bourbon?

Speaker 6 (01:41):
You know, like an old fashion, old fashion get a
star on the ice cube as your requests, just neat
you know what?

Speaker 7 (01:48):
I need a black rifle coffee.

Speaker 8 (01:52):
Shameless for the listeners, for the viewers at home, do
it there, you.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
Go, do it, do black rifle coffee.

Speaker 6 (02:01):
It is I mean, it is a nice relaxed feel
and it's a lot of a lot.

Speaker 4 (02:06):
Of football talk.

Speaker 6 (02:07):
This offseason probably feels relaxed to fans at home when
it's not in the building. That's what this last week
has felt like. It feels like there's a lot going
on as time as as passed, and I mean we're
starting to see what the complete picture of this football
team is going to be as we can get into
the combine this week. Patrick and I will be on

(02:29):
the first flight out tomorrow.

Speaker 7 (02:31):
You guys, give me a ticket if you.

Speaker 4 (02:33):
Want to come along.

Speaker 7 (02:34):
Come along, all right, Yeah, you be in the luggage.
You guys, what time to fight. I'll see you there.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
That's a fair answer.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
Yeah, it's like seven o'clock.

Speaker 7 (02:42):
I think still seven am.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Still, Yeah, I like it.

Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yeah, early flight, early flight, get there a whole day. Yeah,
something like that. Easy stuff. Let's get into some news and.

Speaker 9 (02:56):
Notes, like you said, Leslie, with the the headliner, which
is Javonte Williams is going nowhere. He has resigned on
a three year deal with a maximum of twenty four
million dollars sixteen million dollars if that is guaranteed. Obviously,
that's an eight million dollar average annual salary. That is
more than solid for both sides. That's a good deal

(03:18):
for Javonte, that's a good deal for the Cowboys. And
once again, much like a year ago when Javonte Williams
was the first player from outside of the building signing
free agency, he becomes the first deal to jump off
the Cowboys free agency this time around. So not only
do we believe in Javonte, the Cowboys do as well.

Speaker 3 (03:37):
And you gotta love that.

Speaker 9 (03:39):
I couldn't be I could not be happier for Javonte Williams. Now,
you know, a couple of seasons are so removed from
that devastating injury. He signed a prove it deal last
year and he went out and did exactly that. He
proved it. He showed that he can do it. He
could do the dirty work. He can run between the
A and the B gaps. He's the best past protector

(04:01):
you have in the running backs room. He can help
mentor some of the younger guys, Jay and Blue, Phil Maffa.
And on top of that, he proved himself durable as well,
which was key because when you had a situation with
Miles Sanders, who was brought in to compete with Javonte
and probably be a tandem with him, and kind of
like a running back by committee scenario, Miles Sanders goes
down early, never comes back again for the remainder of

(04:23):
the season. Questions are who's gonna step up? Shouts out
to Malie Davis for being able to do so. But
it was Javonte turning into the bell cow. And that's
not the conversation that we were having absolutely ox nerd
in Shawnee camp. So shouts out to Javonte, well earned
three years, he's in the building.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
Let's go.

Speaker 8 (04:40):
And I don't think it was a matter of like
we didn't think he was possible of doing that. But
I think for a large portion of training game we're like, oh,
he's not gonna be the Bell Cow. I mean he's gonna.

Speaker 7 (04:50):
Split it up, of course, and even bell where we're
getting with Daydan Blue.

Speaker 6 (04:53):
I feel like Bell Cow was like the definition of
it for Javonte Williams was like, Oh, he's going to
be the starter, and he's going to see half the snaps,
not the majority of the snaps, and carry the running
back and running game.

Speaker 4 (05:07):
On his back all game or all season long.

Speaker 8 (05:10):
No, that was not what we were thinking going into
the season. Obviously, the Cowboys had that in their mind
pretty early on, probably when they signed Javante. They were like,
this guy can do it all for us, and like
we talked about eighty percent of the snaps, they felt
that way, which is why we never got a great
look at.

Speaker 7 (05:26):
Him at training camp.

Speaker 8 (05:27):
Yeah, they would always kind of like push him off
to the side after a few reps and be like, no,
we're good.

Speaker 3 (05:31):
Say a little bit of bubble rep was involved there.

Speaker 7 (05:33):
Oh one hundred percent.

Speaker 8 (05:34):
I mean I remember several practices were him like that
was two or three great runs and then he's gone, yeah,
you know, I'm.

Speaker 7 (05:41):
Like, what are we doing?

Speaker 3 (05:42):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (05:42):
And part I think part of that was because they
wanted to shelve them a little bit. What are you
going to see in practice versus what are you going
to see in the game.

Speaker 8 (05:50):
Anyways, I'm just so surprised that they saw it as
early as they did. That's impressed without us even having
an indication of what he might be doing.

Speaker 4 (05:57):
You know what.

Speaker 9 (05:57):
I during the season, even more so about Javonte's So
this is a young guy that you know, a lot
has been said about his durability going into last season.
He didn't play like he gave a damn about what
anybody was saying about his durability.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
If there was.

Speaker 9 (06:12):
Someone coming up to tackle him, good luck with that
person coming up to tackle. I mean, he was an
absolute bully. He was physical. He also showed some quickness.
Obviously there's more quickness in like a Jay and Blue,
but it was surprising to see how much quickness and
how much berce Chavonte had. He is a complete back
that does the dirty work exceedingly well. Would you like
to see more from a home run capacity? Absolutely, But

(06:33):
this is the same guy who surprised many in open
space being able to tear off some of those chunk
runs as well. So I just think that not only
is it well deserved, but it gives the Cowboys some
much needed stability at the running back position, because obviously,
in the post Zeke Tony Pollard tandem era, it became
Tony Pollard. He had that good year, but then he

(06:55):
went off. But even with the Tony Polyadaro's like Who's
RV two right after Zeke slash Pollard, there was a
ton of instability. And now Javonte Williams comes in and
he provides you that for several years, which now allows
you to focus on other things that need to be
focused on.

Speaker 6 (07:12):
And the numbers are very favorable for Dallas. I mean,
you look at what he.

Speaker 7 (07:17):
The Comet year.

Speaker 6 (07:18):
Totally yeah, agreeable. He was the ninth most productive rusher
in football.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
Is that good?

Speaker 4 (07:25):
Great?

Speaker 6 (07:27):
Twelve hundred yards. He was a top ten running back
in football this past year. He is not a top
ten contract at the running back position this year, which
is huge or over the course of the contract.

Speaker 4 (07:38):
Actually the average per year.

Speaker 6 (07:39):
Eight million a year is something, and I know it's
going to be split up differently as we get more
details on the contract.

Speaker 4 (07:46):
But let's say it is the eight million over three years.

Speaker 6 (07:49):
These are guys I'm gonna start naming guys that are
paid higher than Javonte Williams.

Speaker 4 (07:54):
Good and might I remind you this.

Speaker 6 (07:56):
Is before we get into free agency and new deal
that are going to go wherever the running back position
is going to go.

Speaker 8 (08:02):
You're saying the Cowboys set the markets.

Speaker 6 (08:05):
Not set the market, but they guy got ahead of it,
ahead of the market, proactive, proactive, They were ahead of
what we're doing. But you've got I mean, these are
guys that are paid above him. Yes, please, Chubb A. Hubbard,
Ashton Genty, Ramandre Stevenson, David Montgomery, James Connor, Karen Jones,
I know, yeah, that's that's a different story, James Cook,

(08:28):
who had a phenomenal year, Josh Jacobs. I mean, these
are good running backs, yeah, but they're all paid higher
than Javonte Williams. I mean, you look at the guys
under Javonte Williams and it's not the same level of list.
I mean, Tony Pollard's there not anything against Tony Pollard,
but Jalen Warren, Devin Singletary, Najie Harris, Jordan Mason Jamier

(08:48):
Gibbs who he's.

Speaker 7 (08:49):
On a rookie deal.

Speaker 4 (08:50):
Uh, and a lot of these guys are rookie deals.

Speaker 6 (08:52):
Honestly, I'm Marion Hampton and uh and b Jon Robinson
still on his rookie deal, Travis Et.

Speaker 4 (08:59):
The point of.

Speaker 6 (09:00):
This being you get him at a steal of a
price and and honestly, I don't know if I want
to call it a discount because he's getting paid more,
but it feels like it's a respect factor between the
two parties of Javante took a chance on himself, but
Dallas took a chance on Javante at the same time,
and it paid off for both parties. Let's be happy
for both parties and that's how.

Speaker 4 (09:20):
They're moving forward.

Speaker 3 (09:21):
A great point, Kyle, I'll add to that.

Speaker 9 (09:23):
I think it would also play largely until Javonte's decision
to stick around in Dallas is the fact that this
offense has the weapons around him to allow him to
be able to continue to be productive. If you're running back, obviously,
that's arguably the most brutal position to play in the NFL. Right,
so the shelf life on a running back in the
NFL is not exceedingly long, but it can be lengthened

(09:45):
if the team that that player is on has receiving threats,
has a franchise quarterback. Now, we'll talk about the needs
for the offensive line when we get there. However, the
core pieces, especially being that the Cowboys very much intend
to keep George Pickens in the building, the core pieces
of there for Javonte Williams and the coordinator. Because O'Brien
Schottenheimer has some growing pains to learn from, he showed

(10:05):
from the outset that he can get that job done
and make it a prolific offense as far as scheming
is concerned. So if I'm Javonte Williams, I'm looking at
it as okay. To Coyle's point, this is the team
that gave me a shot, gave me a shot at
proving it. And in addition to that, he has a
brotherhood with the locker room, gets a long extremely well
with the offense and the defense and the coaching staff.
The defense is now being revamped in a way that

(10:26):
as we have this conversation at least looks like it's
about to take the right steps. If I'm Javonte Williams,
not only do I get to potentially lengthen my NFL
career by playing with weapons like Ceedee Lamb and Dak
Prescott and George Pickens. But I also get to potentially
be on a playoff team. Maybe if the defense gets
itself together this year, maybe the Sea word a contender.

(10:47):
So it's just something that if I'm Javonta Williams talk about.
I know I wor's my sign, But if I'm Javonte Williams,
I'm thinking about that when it comes to sticking around
in doubt.

Speaker 8 (10:56):
Clearly the contract says that he was thinking that he's
in line with what the coach's philosophy right now and
one of those characters, at least for Brian Schottenhammer that
he loves where it's a it's a non vocal leader
that leads by example. He showed that all season long.
He was healthy for the most part for a large

(11:17):
part of the season. Only missed that last game, I believe.
But in all in all, all encompassing, he's the kind
of running back that you want.

Speaker 7 (11:26):
And I'll stand by it.

Speaker 8 (11:27):
I feel like he's the most physical running back the
Cowboys have had sense to Marco Murray, Granted, you take
like maybe the first two years of Zeke into that equation.

Speaker 9 (11:36):
I think Zeke is underrated in that category, but I
could see the argument.

Speaker 7 (11:39):
As far as physicality goes to granted it.

Speaker 9 (11:41):
Was absolutely his first two years.

Speaker 8 (11:45):
Yeah, you know, I think the larger picture is that
he kind of lessened in that degree later on.

Speaker 7 (11:51):
But I'm not to talk about Zeke.

Speaker 8 (11:53):
I just mean, like, it's just for freshing to see
a running back of that caliber with that strength behind him,
that is genuinely like you didn't expect that going in.

Speaker 7 (12:01):
So I'm really happy with the signing.

Speaker 9 (12:03):
There's nothing to dislike about this move. No, nothing to
dislike about it.

Speaker 6 (12:07):
The question then becomes, and well, first off, I want
to back up what you just said. The coordinator conversation
we've had on the defensive side of the ball, where
it's like, oh, there's four coordinators in four years, and
that's one conversation I feel like an underrated conversation. It's
it's been four primary ball carriers in four years, and

(12:28):
now that's not the case. Now you know who your
running back is going to be. It's it's not Ezekiel Elliott,
it's not Tony Pollard, it's not Ricodoubtele like it was
the three years prior to Javonte Williams. Now it's Javonte
Williams moving into the future, but at least for the
next three years.

Speaker 7 (12:44):
This is to kind of tease our other segment as
far as now.

Speaker 6 (12:47):
We're going to go into that. Okay, now, yeah, okay, yeah, please?
Do you need to add more at the running back position?
That was my question here because Javonte, being what he was,
was already taking a chance on himself. Cowboys took a
chance on him. Do you need to have something else
to either build upon with him in the running back

(13:07):
room or is it something that you feel comfortable. Let's
see where these other guys go that are currently under contract.

Speaker 3 (13:15):
Oh, I thought that was the lead for second two. Right,
I think that you.

Speaker 9 (13:22):
That's a question mark, and it's a fantastic question for
a couple of reasons. One, you would love to look
at the running back step tart right now as we
have this conversation, and if you're just looking at it
without the context of the struggles of Jay and Blue
with consistent practices and Phil MafA having missed the large majority,
i mean, sixteen regular season games because of the shoulder injury,

(13:44):
got one carry in the finale, didn't really get to
show you any data, any film there. But if you
look at it from the capacity of who you have,
you say, Javonte Williams is locked in. You got a
promising home run threat in Jaydon Blue, and you got
another physical downhill runner in Phil MafA. You want to
say that they can be done. But then when you
start to sprinkle in the context of it again, basically

(14:07):
one or two reps for Phil MafA all of last season,
so let's call it a red shirt year. Jay and
Blue didn't earn his way onto the field until the
final game, but when he did, showed some magnificent stuff.
But you need to see more growth there. Malik Davis's
maturity is maturity. Well, Malik Davis is not yet resigned
to the roster, so he's not there to say the

(14:28):
name for me practice squad.

Speaker 4 (14:30):
Oh israel a bandicanda?

Speaker 9 (14:32):
You got that, You got him on the roster, however, unproven,
even less so than Jay and Blue and Phil MafA.
The only definitive guy you have is is Javonte Williams.
So you can't be done. You can't be done. Now,
what does that mean, I don't know if that means
you add someone else in there agency.

Speaker 3 (14:49):
Maybe it's some Malik Davis.

Speaker 9 (14:50):
It won't be anyone that competes with Javonte because Davonte
is Now you're trying to figure out RB two. I
think it can be figured out if Jayen Blues maturity
and work ethic sounds as if after the regular season finale,
sounds as if he clicked, sounds as if he got it.
But let's see because here comes you know, in a
couple months or so, here comes OTA's a mini camp

(15:11):
and then ultimately training camp in preseason, we'll see what
year two j and Blue looks like, and we'll see
what technically year one film MafA looks like because we
didn't get to see.

Speaker 8 (15:19):
Unless after the regular season finale. I feel like it's
Jayan Blue's job to lose. He played excellent in that
first half and then you saw film OFFA and spurts right.

Speaker 7 (15:29):
But to me, the ability.

Speaker 8 (15:32):
Is there, the burst is there, which was be an
excellent compliment to what Javonte Williams.

Speaker 7 (15:38):
Provides to you. You need that burst.

Speaker 8 (15:40):
Do I think you need to add anything right now?
Unless Jayden Blue doesn't pick up on that growth opportunity.
If he does not mature between now and the start
of preseason, like we need to see it in preseason
as well, then yes, but it would be another situation
where you're getting a Miles Sanders type UH player or

(16:01):
Malik Davis. I would be totally fine with that. Resigning
Milie Davis earned it.

Speaker 6 (16:05):
You feel like, do you feel like Miles Sanders plays
into this equation at all?

Speaker 8 (16:10):
Probably not, because what you saw from Malik Davis. I
think I think Millie Davis was more than serviceable.

Speaker 7 (16:15):
What's up?

Speaker 3 (16:15):
I don't think Miles Sanders plays into it?

Speaker 7 (16:17):
Probably not, But I just meant by what you're.

Speaker 9 (16:19):
Saying, Yeah, Malik Davis, I mean if you're going to
get a veteran that you want to be able to
plug into that RB two. Because I was going to
ask the question, and your question now answers the question
I was going to post to Josh, which is, at
what point do you want to apply insurance? Because you're saying,
and rightfully so, you need to see what Jay and

(16:40):
Blue is going to be come preseason, you know, come
training camp, but you shouldn't wait to buy insurance for
that situation, any situation so when do you do it
until you Guys's point, I think you do it now,
and I think you do it with Malik Davis. I
think that's how you do it. I don't think if
it's Malik Davis and Miles Sanders going with Malik Davis. Yeah,

(17:01):
Miles Sanders came in, he battled injury, He didn't look
fantastic before he succumbed to injury.

Speaker 3 (17:06):
Malik Davis came.

Speaker 9 (17:07):
In after being waivered toll of five times and said
enough is enough. Did some things in the preseason, did
some great things in the regular season, well, really good
and I'm going to say great, did some really good
things in the regular season. Fantastic insurance policy for RB two.
Bring him back. That is basically you looking Jayon Blue
in the face and saying love what you did in
the regular season finale.

Speaker 7 (17:27):
And I think you're doing that.

Speaker 8 (17:28):
I think in doing that, Milie Davis earned a lot
of favor with the coaching staff and with the head coach.
I mean like he talked about him constantly about his
work ethic and the growth, the maturity growth that he
had from last season to this season. So absolutely signed
Millie Davis. If you can right now as insurance for
Javonte Williams. But like still, I think the opportunity is

(17:50):
right there with Jaden Blue if he's able to kind
of have his head on right.

Speaker 3 (17:53):
I agree, and I also think not that he does.

Speaker 9 (17:56):
I think that the presence of Miles Sanders, not Miles
Sanders Malik Davis, because I do believe of those two
out go to Elie Davis. The presence of a elite
Davis keeps that motivating factor present for Jaydon Blue. I
think the worst thing you can do right now is
Jayon Blue works on consistently maturing in the role, is
to allow him to believe that it's his job to lose,

(18:16):
even if it's his job to lose at RB two,
I think you need to plunk that that variable in
front of him and say we believe in you.

Speaker 3 (18:25):
But dot dot dot.

Speaker 6 (18:27):
So what you guys are saying that, if let's say
Javonte Williams has a unfortunate circumstance, you're okay with either
Miles Sanders or specifically a Malik Davis.

Speaker 4 (18:43):
To fill that role.

Speaker 6 (18:44):
I would be because let's say, like Jayden Blue right now,
he has too much to prove.

Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah to b RB one. Oh yeah, So to b
RB two agreed.

Speaker 6 (18:52):
You have to have at least something there to prove
that he's RB one. I don't look at this running
back room and say there's a guy there that if
Williams goes down, I feel confident.

Speaker 9 (19:02):
I feel like, if Williams goes down and Malik Davis
is in the building, Malik has shown you enough that
he can be an RB one in spurts, and in
that spurt, that stretch of time wherein Williams is down
due to injury, knock on, all the possible would here
that the tandem of Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue can
get it done in that pocket of time is what
I It's what I believe.

Speaker 8 (19:23):
Yeah, in total agreeance with that, But I think you
need the maturity of a Malia.

Speaker 3 (19:27):
Also sprinkling in Phil Mafflea as a good dat he'll run.

Speaker 6 (19:30):
I think all of those guys are going there. I
think all of those guys are going to get an
opportunity to compete when we get to Oxnart that all
those guys are going to be there, And I bet
you there's one more name in there too. It's either
going to be a free agent signing some veteran or
somebody that's on the open market, or you're you're going
to see a late draft pick or another undrafted free

(19:51):
agent because this draft class of running backs is not
as deep as it was.

Speaker 4 (19:56):
Yeah, it's not as deep as it was last year.

Speaker 6 (19:58):
And Dallas is not in a position, especially without a
Day two pick, to go and spin picks at running
back there. And so I think it would be a UDFA,
but it wouldn't shock me if they bring in somebody
else to try and evaluate it.

Speaker 9 (20:13):
They could carry five on a ninety man roster. You know,
you get the UDF it because right now it's on
a on a ninety man roster. You not counting Hunter Libkey.
You got three right now, You got Javanti Williams, Jay
and Blue Phil Maffa.

Speaker 3 (20:26):
You get a UDFA. There's your fourth.

Speaker 9 (20:28):
You bring in Sanders if you want to come back,
bring you know, circle of block back on Sanders, or
get another you know, low cost running back. I could
see them having five at the start of mini camp
and then decide if they want to carry five into
training camp or maybe chop that down and say four
plus Hunter Libkey. So I mean, you can play the
numbers game when you have ninety men on your roster.

Speaker 6 (20:49):
As much as I love Javonte Williams and I love
what he did in twenty twenty five, and I love
that they that he's coming back and the deal that
he's on all of those factors, you know what I say,
And hope is not a strategy. I just hope he
stays healthy throughout another year of being a bellcal at
the same level and the same significance that he was
this past year, and be healthy enough to where the

(21:11):
playoffs are still in your sight. It sounds good to me.
But even with that being said, like things happen. Absolutely
some of the most durable running backs in all of
football get hurt. That's just part of it. So what
are you going to do when that happens? And I
don't know if I feel confident right now in the
room below that. And this is something I've said since
training camp in past years, not even just this year,

(21:35):
but in past years, because I look at this room
and I see a lot of hope and developmental guys
and people that you feel like can take a step
in fourth step forward. Jayden Blue is a perfect example.
He has the skill set he has the burst, he
has the speed, all of those elements, but can he
actually take a maturity leap forward and can he take
an impact leap forward physicality from a past protection standpoint,

(21:58):
all of those things. Want to see more from the
rest of that group. Getting Javonte back is huge, huge,
because then it's the rest of the guys that you
have to worry about instead of your RB one.

Speaker 4 (22:09):
And so I'm happy with everything to this point. All right.

Speaker 6 (22:13):
This is also the first show that we've had since
we learned about Christian Parker. We learned what he wants
to do on the defensive side of the ball. Is
the three four switch and scheme a massive talking point
that we're not talking about yet. We'll talk about it
when we return with more talking Cowboys right after this.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
How's it going? You see that Cowboys game?

Speaker 1 (22:35):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (22:35):
I watched.

Speaker 3 (22:36):
I've been seeing some good things totally. They have some talent,
You have some great talent, and they got some fight
hoping this is the year me too. Oh, I'm Cody.
By the way, I'm Travis. Nice to meet you. Travis.
Go Cowboys Go. Cowboys make a.

Speaker 7 (22:52):
New friend based solely on their shirt choice. What would
you like the power to do.

Speaker 10 (22:56):
Bank of America, the official bank of the Dallas Cowboys,
Copyright twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (23:01):
Bank of America.

Speaker 6 (23:01):
Corporation, Cowboys Fans, We've got big news. Black Rifle Energy
is now available at Texas seven eleven stores, and for
a limited time, you can score two cans for just
six dollars at participating location. These cans pack a serious punch,
two hundred milligrams of caffeine, veteran crafted flavor, and the
clean energy you need to power through those long days.

(23:22):
So the next time you roll into your neighborhood seven
eleven here in Texas, grab that two for six dollars
Black Rifle Energy deal and fuel up the American Way.
Black Rifle Coffee, America's coffee.

Speaker 5 (23:32):
Every day begins with a promise, a promise to work
hard and to build a future. That's why we're here
providing the tools, expertise and John Deere equipment you have
relied on for generations to help you get the job
done right.

Speaker 3 (23:49):
We're with you.

Speaker 5 (23:51):
That's our promise to you because no matter the project
or the challenge you're facing, where with you?

Speaker 10 (23:58):
Where are you noted at a and we guarantee our
network so you can talk college football with your bff
while taking Buster to the vet.

Speaker 3 (24:07):
Hey, yeah, I can't believiate the whole thing of chicken wings,
and I can't believe we're staging a comeback.

Speaker 10 (24:13):
Staying connected matters. That's why in the rare event of
a network outage, you'll automatically get a bill credit for
a full day's service for wile it's downtown, lasting sixt
minutes and more. Caused by single incident impacting ten more
towers must be connected to impact tower. Don't set about it.
Restrictions and exclusions apply. Seet dot comslas guarantee for full details.

Speaker 1 (24:34):
To Talking Cowboys.

Speaker 6 (24:40):
Back here on Talking Cowboys presented by Black Rifle Coffee Company,
the official coffee of the Douks Cowboys.

Speaker 9 (24:46):
What was that, Josh Mouth? He was like, what are
you doing? I was like, trying to get comfortable.

Speaker 7 (24:53):
The new setup is interesting, for sure.

Speaker 3 (24:55):
It is, Yeah, it is.

Speaker 9 (24:56):
We're interested, we're trying something. Let us know how you
feel about the new setup. I'm trying something new. We're
interested to hear what the fans have to say about it,
because obviously we do this for you guys and gals.

Speaker 4 (25:05):
And whether you like it or you hate it or
you don't like it or whatever.

Speaker 7 (25:09):
All feedback you can direct it to Crispy.

Speaker 4 (25:12):
At Derek Eagleton where just right at it.

Speaker 6 (25:16):
Let's go straight to the top, honestly, Like if you
want to tag Jerry too, to do that, just tag everybody.

Speaker 4 (25:23):
Well we'll see if it goes. Erry gets anywhere.

Speaker 3 (25:26):
Jerry focus, Jerry, but I've got a couple of things on.

Speaker 4 (25:31):
True that focus.

Speaker 6 (25:32):
One of those things that was on his plate was
hiring a defensive coordinator. And the Cowboys finally get to
hear from them or Cowboys fans, I should say, finally
get to hear from them.

Speaker 4 (25:42):
We got last week.

Speaker 8 (25:43):
We got the announcement, Like literally after we talked on
Talking Cowboys last week, we were saying like, I can't
wait till we hear from Christian Parker.

Speaker 6 (25:51):
And then not twenty probably twenty minutes spoken to.

Speaker 8 (25:55):
After the episode ended, they were like, hey, by the way,
tomorrow Christian Parker press conference, par the course.

Speaker 4 (26:00):
Yeah, that is how they were used to.

Speaker 6 (26:03):
I know they do here and that's part of it,
but we have a prime time because everything else fallows. Yeah,
you know, they had to wait for us to get
out of the way the uh. The good thing about
it is we've had kind of a week to chew
on it and to like dissect what he said, because there.

Speaker 4 (26:23):
Was a lot of information, but a lot.

Speaker 6 (26:27):
Of information that was spewed throughout that press conference. Because
when it comes to Christian Parker specifically, he's exactly what
we outlined last Tuesday. Extremely intelligent, well learned, very grounded,
and intense. Remember I used the word intense. That was
an intense press conference. Quoted the Art of War, but

(26:48):
it felt like every word had something just significant about it.

Speaker 7 (26:53):
It's like a philosopher of defense, if you will.

Speaker 4 (26:55):
And he commands a room, which I so much. Yeah,
then to it.

Speaker 6 (27:01):
The way he commanded a room was really impressive, and
I can see why the team is excited about what
he's going to bring from a leadership standpoint and from
a player relationship and communications standpoint, because he communicated to
the media quite well what his intentions were with the team,
and one of those might be running.

Speaker 4 (27:19):
A three to four.

Speaker 3 (27:20):
No might, there is no might.

Speaker 4 (27:23):
He said multiple he said multipre.

Speaker 9 (27:25):
Base, and then he immediately definitively said that the base
would be a three to four with some matter sense.

Speaker 3 (27:34):
That Steed Listen man.

Speaker 9 (27:37):
First of all, my defensive coordinators up there with the
Cardier zone and you know the limit Pepper.

Speaker 3 (27:41):
Steppa, So let's talk about it, but go out there
and whoop that trick.

Speaker 9 (27:45):
But seriously, when it comes to Christian Parker, and I
said this on Twitter and I've said this in articles,
let's let's make sure that we express the excitement for
the potential that we see in him, but also temperate
with the expectation of reality. He's not call players yet,
he will have growing pains, and when those growing pains hit,

(28:08):
Let's just keep in mind that this is his first
year going through that process. But it's also true that
when you see players like Cooper dejen who now unprompted,
is bringing up Christian Parker and how he impacted the
fact that he's a first team All Pro, and then
Patrick certain obviously and then Quinn Mitchell. When you hear
those players talk about Christian Parker and other coaches, and

(28:32):
then you see the staff that he's built around him,
and then you hear him speak, it all begins to
come together. Speaking to the point of the three to
four something that we talked about here on talking cow
Boys as the staff was being built, because while they
were interviewing candidates for the position coaches, none of those
were defensive ends coaches. There were outside linebackers coaches.

Speaker 6 (28:54):
We tried to say that last week, we tried, gave
you the on the wall.

Speaker 4 (28:58):
It was all there.

Speaker 9 (28:59):
So now they have Uzzo de Rebe as outside linebackers coach.
They have Scott Simons as inside linebackers coach, and those
two got final lives before Christian Parker step to the
podium and said, yeah, it's a three to four base.
Now you'll see some four man fronts, you'll see some
five man fronts, but it's a three to four base.
I think that's significant for a lot of reasons, and
I'll drop it to the panel after I say this,

(29:20):
but one of the most one of the biggest reasons
it's so significant is because it marks the first time
since the DeMarcus Where era that the Cowboys have run
three four. The Cowboys are traditionally four to three. Hell,
they were four to three during their Super Bowl excuse me,
Super Bowl dinast years in the nineties. They experimented with
three to four in the Bill Parcells era. They had

(29:41):
they had wins they had success, they didn't have the
postseason success they needed, but then they abandoned it went
back to their you know, comfort of their four to
three and now here we are three four. But this
is also a three four that features Quinn Williams and
Kenny Clark and you know, O so hopefully getting back
to prime osa. Solomon Thomas hopefully taken another step now
in his second year and a contract year for the Cowboys.

(30:03):
So the defensive line interior is set to cook on
a three four. You got to get those You got
to get those ends figured out in a big way
because you have defensive ends that are free agents. But
you don't technically need defensive ends. You need versatile off
outside linebackers is which.

Speaker 7 (30:22):
Yep, I totally agree.

Speaker 8 (30:24):
And I mean if you look back, if you if
you kind of look back in the way back machine,
Greg Ellis was once a defensive end that they converted
to an outside linebacker who had his best seasons as
an outside linebacker. To me, I hope that there is
some flexibility with the players that you currently have because
you have guys that are sort of in that tweener

(30:45):
body stage, right.

Speaker 7 (30:46):
They can do they could do both easy, absolutely easy.

Speaker 8 (30:50):
Even if you have a Genevian Clowney come back, if
you re sign him, that would be excellent for a
three to four because he has that length, he has
that body type that makes sense for it.

Speaker 4 (30:58):
You need like two more of him though.

Speaker 11 (31:00):
Okay, go get get over But that's that's that's the
thing is if and Isaiah spoke to this eloquently last week,
was if you're going to run the three four, you
can use some of the current personnel that you have,
but you're really going to have to overturn a lot exactly.

Speaker 4 (31:16):
Yeah, and in a.

Speaker 7 (31:18):
Better year to do that.

Speaker 9 (31:19):
In that well, I wrote an article called open Market
Dallas Cowboys dot dot com dot com yesterday. Make sure
you check that out. It lists four to five or more.
Go find out off outside linebacker options.

Speaker 6 (31:33):
I love that you're excited about that, and I love
that it is the right year. If you're going to
overhaul a defense, overhaul the worst defense you've had in
franchise history, I completely understand. But from a realistic standpoint,
can you overhaul an entire defense and still get better?

Speaker 4 (31:51):
It's hard to get worse but still get better to the.

Speaker 6 (31:53):
Point where you need them to be middle of the
road for this offense to be successful and to win
football games next year, getting better than worse in the league.
But that's what I'm saying, Like it seems you can
get better than worse in the league. Absolutely, but you
also have to be realistic in how you build this team.
There are so many holes as is with the current

(32:14):
roster you have, so not only are you going to
fill those holes, but then you got to turn around
and the new ones that are created by changing system.
You're cool with just throwing resources and throwing people at that. Anyways, Yes,
because you have cornerstones. You've got guys exactly.

Speaker 9 (32:31):
I would be more concerned if you didn't have Quinn
Williams and Kenny Clark and Osa and Solomon.

Speaker 3 (32:39):
I would, to my.

Speaker 9 (32:40):
Answer to the question without those four guys would be Ooh,
this is gonna be tough in year one. But because
you have those four guys, four anchors right there in
the middle of your defensive line, now that allows you.
And you also have and I said it before, I
say it again, I think Donovan Israel, who will thrive
as an outside linebacker.

Speaker 3 (32:56):
I do believe.

Speaker 9 (32:57):
So it'll be interesting to see if Jenevion Clowney is
brought back there. Stephen Jones said that he's there deciding
on if he's a fit in Christian Parker's scheme, which
just goes to versatility. Can you run three four and
you know when there's only three down man front? I
think he can. He's long, he's lanky, he has twitch
and bend. I think he can do it. Go get
two more guys. But I do think when it comes

(33:18):
to the outside linebackers, your edge rushers, I do think
Christian Parker, in addition to having Azraku bring back Clowney,
go get a couple more edge rushers, make a splash.
And free agency there is you know, and this is
I'll preface this. These are guys on expiring contracts effective
March eleventh through thirteenth. If these players re sign new

(33:38):
deals before then, they will not be free agents. But
I'm going to say the names as expiring contracts. Bradley
Chubb is one of those names. He's my top name.
For example, you have guys like Bradley Chubb outside linebackers,
proven coming off of strong years, still in their prime.
Christian Parker absolutely absolutely add a guy like Chubb retain
a guy like Clowney. You got as Roku, you got
the anchors in the middle. Yeah, starting, you can be starting,

(34:03):
you can't.

Speaker 3 (34:03):
You can flip the switch for you could.

Speaker 4 (34:05):
Tell me right now you could run a one to seven.
I don't care.

Speaker 6 (34:10):
As long as you've got the one and those guys
are feel confident.

Speaker 4 (34:15):
Yeah, yeah, Quinnon's the one. Everybody else is standing up
like you could. You could put it anywhere. As long
as you've got Chubb, you've got you've got quinnin. You
can talk me into anything.

Speaker 6 (34:26):
So I get it. I completely understand. I think that's
where my one worry is with this is because there's
a lot of hopium right now in the front office
being aggressive, and there's a lot of talk about the
front office being aggressive.

Speaker 4 (34:38):
But Cowboys fans, we've fallen into this before.

Speaker 6 (34:41):
Yeah, where we've looked at it and like, oh, this
has to be the year they attack it. This has
to be a time where they're going to create one
hundred and million, thirty million dollars of cap space by
restructuring all these deals, which they're going to do a
certain level of that at.

Speaker 4 (34:55):
Some point in time.

Speaker 6 (34:56):
It may not be the one thirty that's being floated
out there on Twitter and social media, but it's gonna
be close to that. So if it if it turns
into that, then great, and they want to spend it,
then great. But we've gotten to this point before where
we've looked at the Cowboys front office and said.

Speaker 4 (35:12):
Can you can you do something? Can you can you?
Are you poking?

Speaker 6 (35:15):
Can we can we get aggressive here in Javonte Williams.
Great start, awesome, love it. They've they've already created a
little bit of cap room with cutting Logan Wilson, which
we didn't mentioned earlier, mentioned earlier. They cut Logan Wilson,
they create six million in cap so they're moving pieces around,
they're moving around as they can be.

Speaker 4 (35:34):
I just want them.

Speaker 6 (35:35):
I want Cowboys fans the temper expectations of let's overhaul
the defense and Bradley Chubb's gonna be here, and this
free agent's gonna be here, and they're gonna draft two
all pros in the first round and it's going to
be incredible. It's gonna take some time, and Christian Parker
needs a little time as as a first year defensive
play caller.

Speaker 4 (35:52):
That's where I want to just tap.

Speaker 6 (35:55):
The brakes a little bit, because that's a lot of
moving and changing in shifting for somebody that hasn't done
it before.

Speaker 7 (36:02):
What's one move that they could make a free agent?

Speaker 8 (36:06):
Notwithstanding, what's one move they could make that kind of
tempers your worry there as far as switching over seas.

Speaker 4 (36:13):
So like it.

Speaker 6 (36:14):
It would convince me that they would be aggressive. Yeah,
you got to sign a blue chip d in oh,
outside linebacker, at rusher, whatever you want to do, like whatever,
like a proven got a proven defensive end and going
to sign one of those guys.

Speaker 3 (36:27):
Great.

Speaker 4 (36:27):
The other one would probably be Pickings.

Speaker 6 (36:29):
If I'm being completely honest, they don't end up tagging Pickens,
or they tag them and they get a deal done
quickly before the draft, let's say before the draft. Then
I feel confident that there's gonna be something there. But
I think the first one's more likely than the second one.

Speaker 3 (36:43):
I'm going to say that way.

Speaker 9 (36:45):
First wave Week one of free agency, Free agency legal tampering,
get in on some of these names. Bradley Tobe is
one I think is also reasonable for the Cowboys as
far as projective pays concern. But let's talk about unreasonable. Okay,
you want to whale Jayla Philip projected seventeen million dollars.
You want a bigger will Khalil Mack. You see what

(37:06):
I mean? Now that's upwards of like twenty million dollars.
You would have to really work some things around with
those numbers. Again, like you mentioned, like you alluded to,
they can free up one hundred and thirty eight one
hundred and thirty one million dollars in salary cap space
just by hitting restructured triggers and they don't need players
permission to do so. But when you start talking about
Jalen Phillips who last year, who coached them, right, Christian Parker? Okay,

(37:28):
So some of these names like Joey Bosai if that
if that's your fancy odafe Oa, Quitty Paige, Joseph Assai,
those I having the VPP club because those are seventeen to.

Speaker 3 (37:39):
Twenty twenty guys dollars.

Speaker 9 (37:41):
Yeah, those are the guys that aren't when you look
at their price tag, you're going to say, oh, that's
the cowboys are out on that. Because they also do
need to get pickings under contract, they make these other moves.
Although getting pickings under contract, guess what it does? It
comes off of that twenty eight million dollars. Now you
have more cap space. That's why, that's why it's so
critical to get that deal done as quickly as possible
so that you can make these types.

Speaker 4 (38:02):
Of If we come back next week and they've signed.

Speaker 9 (38:06):
Well, they'll they'll probably like thirty seven minutes after we
finish show.

Speaker 4 (38:09):
They're gonna hearing about seventeen minutes.

Speaker 7 (38:11):
Anytime they want to do that today, great.

Speaker 6 (38:14):
Uh yeah, anytime they do that, I'm cool with it.
But that would be a move that would prove to
me they're going to be aggressive and something's going to happen.
Speaking of the front office, let's take our second break.

Speaker 9 (38:23):
If the news broke that the Cowboys signed Khalil Mack,
would you be would would you would you be on
the side of the track that says we are so
back or would you still be on the side of
the track that says, let's see, let's see.

Speaker 7 (38:40):
Let's see it passes. I mean his prime, prime is
in the back.

Speaker 6 (38:44):
He's still a good player. Yeah, the I don't want
to just go for names just for names.

Speaker 3 (38:48):
That's fair.

Speaker 4 (38:49):
They got to be a fit if they if they're
going to sign Khalil Mack and they're going to do
something like that.

Speaker 6 (38:53):
I think Jalen Phillips is Jalen Phillips, I think would
be a fit. And it may not be as big
of a name, but.

Speaker 9 (38:59):
Think it's it's definitely to the big name. I mean,
k a future Hall of Famer, So it's different here.
But Jalen Phillips still very much in his prime coming
from a Christian Parker, not Christian Parker led defense, but
a defense that had Christian Parker as one of the
leaders of it. Outside linebacker, still effective coming off of
one of his better seasons.

Speaker 6 (39:18):
Yeah, yeah, don't just go get names to get names,
Go get fits. I agree, Go get guys that you
are going to fit the culture. They are going to
maybe not fit the system, but you can build the
system with because that's what you're doing. You're building the
system as it goes along. And that was part of
what Christian Parker talked about.

Speaker 4 (39:33):
All right.

Speaker 6 (39:34):
When we come back the front office to speak yesterday,
Stephen Jones at the NFL combine, might hear from again.
Hear from him again this week at some point, so
we're going to talk about what he hit on. One
of those is George Pickens. When we return with more
talking Cowboys right after this.

Speaker 10 (39:50):
At AT and T, we guarantee our network so you
can talk college football with your bff while taking Buster
to the vet.

Speaker 3 (39:58):
Hey yeah, I can't believe he the whole thing of
chicken wings, and I can't believe we're staging a comeback.

Speaker 10 (40:03):
Staying connected matters. That's why, in the rare event of
a network outage, you'll automatically get a bill credit for
a full day service for wiles downtime lasting sixty minutes
and more. Cause by single incident impacting ten more towers
must be connected to imact tower. Don't set about it.
Restrictions and exclusion apply. Se eet dot com slash guarantee
for full details.

Speaker 4 (40:20):
Cowboys fans, we've got big news.

Speaker 6 (40:22):
Black Rifle Energy is now available at Texas seven eleven stores,
and for a limited time, you can score two cans
for just six dollars at participating locations. These cans pack
a serious punch, two hundred milligrams of caffeine, veteran crafted flavor,
and the clean energy you need.

Speaker 4 (40:38):
To power through those long days.

Speaker 6 (40:40):
So the next time you roll into your neighborhood, seven
eleven here in Texas, grab that two for six dollars
Black Rifle Energy deal and fuel up the American way.

Speaker 4 (40:48):
Black Rifle Coffee America's coffee.

Speaker 7 (40:50):
If you shout how about them Cowboys?

Speaker 12 (40:52):
You have that undeniable passion that's the heart of Cowboys Nation.
And if you like to drink Doctor Pepper, you love
the unique blend of its twenty three flavors. Together, you're
one of a kind fandom paired with the one of
a kind taste of a delicious ice cold Doctor Pepper
is the game day lineup that can't be beat better yet,
gather your Cowboys and Doctor Pepper fan friends to watch

(41:12):
the next game and crack open a delicious ice cold
Doctor Pepper for everyone.

Speaker 7 (41:17):
The wins will be even taste Here. It's a pepper thing.

Speaker 6 (41:19):
It's the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys,
Jack Black, and right now Cowboys fans can get fifteen
percent off their seventy five dollars order. Plus because every
deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free
five piece skincare set and free shipping.

Speaker 4 (41:34):
The Jack Black Playmaker is four of.

Speaker 6 (41:36):
Jack's favorites and a full sized, intense therapy, Lipball, make
a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
Cowboys with the Code Cowboys vip.

Speaker 6 (41:45):
That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the
Code Cowboys VIP.

Speaker 1 (41:51):
To the Talking Cowboys.

Speaker 6 (41:56):
Back here on Talking Cowboys with Patrick Walker and josh
Rod Reig as Kyle Yeoman's were presented by Black Rifle
Coffee Company, the official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys in
this segment. This segment is presented by Visile Line, the
official smile of the Dallas Cowboys, which is also I've
always thought that's funny, and I think I've said it before,
but when you have in visile line, they tell you

(42:18):
not to drink coffee with your visil line in because
it like tends it and like makes it yellowish, like.

Speaker 7 (42:25):
Black purple coffee doesn't do that black.

Speaker 3 (42:28):
You don't want drink visil line ten it just get
some nice five percent.

Speaker 9 (42:33):
That's five percent you're pulling over.

Speaker 3 (42:37):
But he's a nice five percent.

Speaker 6 (42:40):
When I was doing in visil Line, I actually had
the mindset of, like, wait, okay, so if it's gonna
tint the invisile line, why don't I just drink the
coffee as normal, so that way it doesn't actually hit
my teeth like so that way it doesn't like make
your teeth yellow or whatever like coffee is supposedly doing.

Speaker 4 (42:57):
But yeah, yeah, whatever, I don't.

Speaker 3 (43:00):
I don't know. I'm quirky man. Maybe I'm quirky. Maybe
the rest of the world is quirky.

Speaker 9 (43:03):
I don't ever, ever really understand why people when they
drink they allowed the fluid or whatever they drinking to
go through the teeth, right, because I mean, if you
think about it.

Speaker 4 (43:14):
How's doing that.

Speaker 3 (43:15):
There are people I've seen people to.

Speaker 7 (43:17):
Go through the teeth.

Speaker 4 (43:21):
I mean, it kind of touches your teeth exactly right.

Speaker 3 (43:23):
But the drinking, No, I'm not saying they're being weird old,
that's weird.

Speaker 4 (43:28):
That's what I mean.

Speaker 3 (43:29):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 9 (43:29):
There's a way you drinking and what you're drinking and
not touch your your fronts at all.

Speaker 3 (43:34):
Nah.

Speaker 9 (43:35):
Okay, all right, all right, let's go to Stephen Jones.

Speaker 4 (43:42):
Yesterday at the NFL.

Speaker 6 (43:46):
I spoke to some of the media members out there
in Indianapolis.

Speaker 4 (43:48):
Will be out there tomorrow.

Speaker 6 (43:50):
But Stephen, I mean was very clear about what we've
said the entire time in the end, the the entire
social and media landscape took it and said, oh, they
expect to tag George Pickens. Well, yeah, they haven't done
it yet.

Speaker 4 (44:05):
But they do. They've expected that for him in the
six months now this morning.

Speaker 6 (44:08):
Yeah, so back up again, anything that Steven said yesterday, Patrick,
I know you're you've written on it already.

Speaker 4 (44:15):
What were some of the things that you took away?

Speaker 9 (44:17):
I mean, obviously he said they expected, like you said, Kyle,
the Cowboys if they if they feel they need more time,
they're going to hit the franchise tag on George Pickens.

Speaker 3 (44:27):
But it's with the goal of buying more time.

Speaker 9 (44:30):
What stood out to me in that conversation was what
Stephen Jones said. He noted Dak Prescott, he noted the
Marcus Lawrence. Now, granted, those two guys were tagged more
than once, but it's also true that they didn't play
under the final time that they were tagged because the
tags were rescinded. Dak Prescott's was rescinded fairly early in
his second tag, I think three days later, and DeMarcus

(44:52):
lawrence Is was rescinded in April not long after. So
that is to say that just because the Cowboys play
place a franchise tag on the player doesn't mean it's
going stick. It gives them until mid July to get
a full deal done before the NFL deadline passes. The
concern there then becomes, well, that means you're carrying a
twenty eight million dollars fully guaranteed salary cap hit the

(45:13):
entire summer until Slash unless you get that deal done.
That goes to the second thing that stood out to
me about what Stephen Jones said, which was we can
do everything we need to do end quote with the
twenty eight million dollars there. So for those fans that
are out there saying, well, you know, if they extend
George Pickings, they won't have money to do much, well,
that's a flawed argument, because if they extend George Pickings,

(45:34):
they have more money to do what they need to
do versus the twenty eight million dollar fully guaranteed. And
for those that are saying, well, if we have to
carry him on the franchise tag, if the Cowboys carry
him on that tag, they won't be able to do anything.
We've set it in the previous segments one hundred and
thirty plus million dollars can be free to buy restructions
a loan that do not require players to approve, and
then of course you're going to have attrition. Logan Wilson

(45:56):
was released to free up six and a half million.
We don't know who the Cowboys might be considering doing
that too as well, to free up more money. Point being, yeah,
I know, I'm yeah. Point being that you're right. Money's
not the issue when it comes to getting George Pickens
locked in and getting these deals done potentially in free agency,

(46:19):
making these splashes and still having money because you have
to have a certain amount earmarked for the draft as well. Right, So, Stephen, Yeah,
I love what I'm hearing from Stephen Jones. The only
thing I didn't like when it's true, though, doesn't mean
I like it just because it's true.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
Right.

Speaker 9 (46:35):
It's true that a deal of this magnitude has so
many machinations that it can't take time. And Stephen Jones said,
these take time, These types of deals take time.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
That's true. I don't like it, but that's true.

Speaker 7 (46:47):
You don't like those words.

Speaker 3 (46:48):
I don't like those words, but it's true.

Speaker 4 (46:49):
We don't have a table to head.

Speaker 3 (46:50):
We don't like those words, but it's true.

Speaker 9 (46:53):
So you know, cowboys having till martch third to either
sign a deal with George Pickens or to apply a
franchise tag the other. If the tag is applied, don't
go panicking because they still haven't till mid July to
do something.

Speaker 8 (47:05):
Question for you guys, though, granted you know it may
take time to get George Pickens done if it's one
of those tumultuous signings yet again that we have to
deal with.

Speaker 7 (47:17):
Are you guys at all? And we're not this podcast?

Speaker 8 (47:20):
But we're gonna be this podcast for two seconds because
we got a new setup and everything. Okay, do you
trade George Pickens on the tag? I'm asking you Patrick
you We're not done here, buddy, Are you serious?

Speaker 7 (47:35):
I'm having the conversation to the not I don't like.

Speaker 3 (47:38):
Oh no, I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it.
You're not doing Why would I do it?

Speaker 7 (47:41):
For nothing? I mean, for anything, everything has a price.

Speaker 3 (47:45):
I want your soul.

Speaker 9 (47:46):
But what I'm saying is for those that because someone
posts a question to me on Twitter yesterday, no, see,
would you trade George Pickens for another first round pick
or something like that? Think about what you have in
George Pickens, and think about what you're looking to get
with a rent with a draft pick. What you're looking
to get with the draft picks are George Pickens. Yeah,
you already have George Pickens. What is George twenty four,

(48:06):
twenty five something, twenty eighty five, twenty five going into
twenty Yeah, going into twenty five. This is a newly
minted twenty five year old coming off of the best
fourteen hundred yards nine touchdowns. Right, narrative of the locker
room completely debunked. Okay, he has the chemistry, he has
the talent, and the upside hasn't even been completely achieved

(48:28):
yet and he's in his mid.

Speaker 7 (48:29):
But he takes off plays Patrick, I don't want to
hear that crap.

Speaker 4 (48:32):
Most receiving yards a people.

Speaker 9 (48:33):
Who don't even check their outlook like they're supposed to.
You're taking off plays in the offense.

Speaker 6 (48:40):
Most receiving yards in the NFL since twenty twenty two,
this is when Pickens was drafted, Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase,
Ceedee lamb Amna, Saint Brown, aj Brown, Tyreek, killed Devonte Adams,
George Pickens, So he's come eighth on the list.

Speaker 3 (48:56):
In the last row who not even hit his ceiling yet.

Speaker 4 (48:58):
And that's with it one one thousand yard receiving year.

Speaker 9 (49:03):
He's now with a highly effective All Pro quarterback and
a complimentary piece that's a multi time All Pro. And
he has a a running back that's now secured on
three years that has Pro Bowl potential. Sure, what you
don't do is remove George Pickens from that and hope

(49:23):
a draft pick can fix it. Otherwise, now you're back
in there in no shape to the god. But the
truth is the truth. Now you're backing the whole Jalen
Tobert conversation. So for so long fans were like, well
we need a complimentary piece to CD lamb. Why are
they shoving Tobert down our throat? Okay, well you got
you got the definitive piece. You got two wide receiver ones.

(49:44):
Now you want to ship one out for a draft prospect,
all be it a first rounder that you have no
clue if they're going to pan.

Speaker 7 (49:50):
Out the way that George Pickens has.

Speaker 13 (49:52):
The way that right now, not to spend the CD
right the compliment he is the CD, the way that
he fits with you with DAK, the way he fits
the system that Brian Schottneimer calls, I mean, I don't
think it's a possibility.

Speaker 4 (50:05):
I know there's been chatter about it among leagues.

Speaker 8 (50:08):
You almost have to have the conversation because it's it's
a possibility.

Speaker 7 (50:11):
I don't remember we have PTSD from Michael Parson.

Speaker 6 (50:14):
Yeah, everybody's everybody's scared about what happened with Micah and
that was kind of its own bubble situation. The conversation
in league circles is that Pickens wouldn't get more than.

Speaker 4 (50:26):
A second No, that's what it is. That's what the
circles are.

Speaker 3 (50:29):
I can't even get me on because first.

Speaker 6 (50:31):
Exactly, so that automatically takes me out of the conversation.
But the league circles are saying a second round pick
is what it would be because if from a thirty
other teams thirty one if you include the Steelers, I'm
saying thirty teams that would want to attain George Pickens.
They still look at it as three years of solid

(50:53):
production and semi off the field problems in Pittsburgh, one
year of unbelievable production and incredible teammate in the building,
but with some like small fines and things like that.

Speaker 4 (51:08):
In terms of like being late to meetings or whatever,
all of.

Speaker 6 (51:10):
That twenty four okay exactly, so all of it is
minor off the field stuff, but they they saw it
as he was under under pressure in a contract year,
so he had to rein it in. He had to
bet on himself, and he had to stick it out,
and that's why he had fourteen hundred. You know what
I was season he did, which is what the league

(51:31):
looks at it. Like, whether that's accurate or not, that's
what the league player player. I'm as a Cowboys reporter
and as a somebody that is interested in what he
does for this organization, I think he does more for
this organization than a second round pick ever could.

Speaker 3 (51:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (51:48):
So even with all that to be said, it's a
possibility because if things break down and it is Michael
Parson's two point zero, which honestly, even if it is that,
it would have to be worse than that, because it
would have to happen for the draft correct. It wouldn't
go into training camp like it did last year, it
wouldn't go into a holdout like it did. It would
have to be so bad and break down so significantly

(52:10):
in order to trade him because they would need to
trade him before April twenty fourth, and that's not gonna
happen in my eyes. So I as much as the
trade conversation is there, it's a big time fat note.

Speaker 7 (52:20):
It's a moot point.

Speaker 9 (52:21):
And for the league representatives that might be looking at
it from the capacity in which you just stated, oh, well,
he showed up and showed out in Dallas because contract
year and he had to, I would counter that with, well,
you know who was throwing him the ball in Pittsburgh,
Mason Rudolph.

Speaker 3 (52:38):
Mason Rudolph and justin Fields.

Speaker 9 (52:40):
Which one of those quarterbacks is going to help you
get fourteen hundred yards and nine touchdowns in the season.

Speaker 3 (52:45):
The answer is neither.

Speaker 4 (52:46):
I think just nine. It's gonna be okay this year.

Speaker 9 (52:48):
I think okay, neither of those were going to help
you get fourteen hundred yards nine touchdowns in a Pro Bowl,
knot none of them.

Speaker 3 (52:55):
Okay.

Speaker 9 (52:56):
So instead of looking at it as well, it was
a contract year, that's why he did it, look at
it as in his contract year. It just so happened
to be a contract year in which he finally got
the right quarterback, in which he finally got a complimentary
piece at wide receiver in which he finally got a
definitive running game.

Speaker 3 (53:11):
Shots out to Najie Harris.

Speaker 9 (53:12):
They had a solid running game in Pittsburgh, So I'll
give him that, but complimentary piece was not there for
him Pittsburgh. Quarterback was not there for him in Pittsburgh,
and I would even argue that the offensive coordinator was
not there for him Pittsburgh. Right, So he got those
three critical pieces to help him ascend to the next
level of what George Pickens can be. And all of
that happened to happen in a contract year. That's how

(53:33):
it needs to be looked at.

Speaker 4 (53:34):
And I think those in the building understand that.

Speaker 6 (53:37):
Yeah, and the NFL might just say he was putting
on his best behavior because he was in a contract
year and he didn't want.

Speaker 7 (53:43):
To be the productions there.

Speaker 6 (53:44):
Yeah, he didn't want to be negatively impacted by two
organizations in the NFL that have long story that success and.

Speaker 7 (53:52):
The production is there.

Speaker 3 (53:52):
That's what I mean.

Speaker 7 (53:54):
That's yeah, you have to gloss right over.

Speaker 6 (53:56):
That completely agree, all right, that doesn't for us on
talking cowboys. We gotta get out of here and then
by the next week we'll we'll have already signed George Pickings.
They're gonna they're gonna move the draft up between now
and then they're gonna end up drafting somebody next week.
It'll be incredible craft. Yeah, it's gonna feel like training campbell.

(54:17):
All of a sudden, we have to go off to
the Combine first thing in the morning.

Speaker 4 (54:20):
Yes, we're travel guys. Thanks, you're coming with us? Oh yeah,
what are you talking about here?

Speaker 7 (54:26):
I'll stand Patrick, What's why?

Speaker 4 (54:28):
Why wouldn't you just stay in my room?

Speaker 3 (54:31):
We're used to training camp roomies.

Speaker 4 (54:33):
AFO take that. I take offense to that. Yeah, Patrick
and I will be out of the combine.

Speaker 6 (54:38):
Tommy Uh, Tommy Arish, Nicole Hutcherson UH is also out
at the Combine there out there right now, So we're
gonna join forces with them tomorrow. Be sure to follow
all our coverage on Dallas Cowboys dot com, UH at
Voice of the Star, at Kyle Underscore Yeoman's UH excited
about the combin It's one of our favorite trips of
the entire year, and we're gonna have a lot of

(54:58):
info for you coming back next week for Patrick No
c Walker from Josh Rodriguez for Chris Beam in the back.
I'm Kyle Yomen saying so long from Talking Cowboys.

Speaker 4 (55:06):
We'll see you next week.

Speaker 2 (55:08):
This has been a production of dallascowboys dot Com and
the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.