The confetti has barely been swept off the turf at SoFi Stadium, but Cowboys fans are ready to kick off 2022. There’s reason for optimism, as early oddsmakers have Dallas toward the front of the pack for next year’s big game, and ESPN places them higher in the power rankings than this year’s finish might have suggested. And the Cowboys may once again be helping get the season started with a visit to the defending champs’ house.
But there are plenty of questions to be answered between now and then. Ezekiel Elliott will reportedly be back, but Amari Cooper’s not such a sure thing. We’re looking at draft picks that could potentially help fill the voids left by some looming free agents, and we’re going three rounds deep in a new mock to find collegiate talent at three different positions. (But should Dallas draft a kicker?) We’re diving into Dak Prescott’s race with Joe Burrow for Comeback Player of the Year, and we’re investigating how Burrow ended up with his name next to another Cowboys quarterback in the Super Bowl record books. All that, plus Troy Aikman could be turning a new page in his TV career, CeeDee Lamb shares some insight on his college teammate Kyler Murray, and the fascinating backstory of how legendary Cowboys coach Tom Landry personified grace under fire in a World War II bomber over the battlefields of Europe.
Early NFL Power Rankings for 2022: 1-32 poll, and where Super Bowl teams Rams and Bengals land :: ESPN
The Worldwide Leader is giving Dallas some serious benefit of the doubt. Despite an unceremonious wild-card exit in 2021, the Cowboys are ranked seventh in the power rankings for 2022. But there will be a “better win now” attitude around the club, Todd Archer writes, with head coach Mike McCarthy definitely on the clock.
Cowboys Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott to return for 2022, Amari Cooper’s future uncertain :: Bleacher Report
Tom Pelissero reported over the weekend that, despite a down year, Elliott’s work ethic is viewed as an asset to the Cowboys and that they’ll bring him back in 2022, when a healed PCL hopefully helps him return to form. Cooper, however, is more of a question mark, he says, with the Cowboys reportedly hoping to re-sign Michael Gallup.
Cowboys could co-star opening night 2022 in L.A. vs Super Bowl champ Rams :: Cowboys Wire
Looking ahead to September, the Cowboys could be the next opponent for the defending Super Bowl champs. Of the Rams’ 2022 home opponents, either the Cowboys and Bills would seem to make for the most compelling matchup with Los Angeles when they open the regular season at SoFi Stadium the Thursday after Labor Day.
Mailbag: Drafting a kicker? Moving Zack Martin :: The Mothership
With the Bengals’ specialist acing the postseason and the Cowboys’ kicking game a weakness, team scribes Nick Eatman and Rob Phillips say using a draft pick on an elite young leg may not be the worst idea ever. And a fan suggests moving Zack Martin to left guard to solve a recurring issue, something the staff writers- and the team- would be very reluctant to mess with.
Cowboys legend, Fox NFL analyst Troy Aikman says he’s at ‘an impasse’ with network :: Dallas Morning News
Aikman admits, “I really don’t know” what the future holds for him in the broadcast booth. After 20 years with Fox Sports, he says he’s “at a bit of an impasse” with the network and could end up calling Thursday night games when they move to Amazon in 2022. The Cowboys icon hopes to have some resolution “within the next week or two.”
When exactly did Dak Prescott lose Comeback Player of the Year to Joe Burrow? :: Cowboys Wire
Just by getting himself back on the field to start the 2021 campaign, Prescott had been seen as a shoo-in for Comeback Player of the Year. But his performance trailed off as the season wore on, and Joe Burrow’s seemed to only get better. But it was Burrow’s Week 16 explosion versus Baltimore- 525 passing yards and four touchdowns- and a Week 17 stunner against Kansas City (446 yards, 4 TDs) that completed his rally to win the award.
5 draft picks who can replace the Cowboys 5 potential biggest free agent losses :: Blogging the Boys
If the Cowboys lose their biggest names to free agency, who should the team look to instead? There’s a first-rounder out of Florida State who could be the next Randy Gregory, a Washington Husky who could take over at tight end for Dalton Schultz, and a talented wideout from Cincinnati who could fill Michael Gallup’s shoes. Also identified are an LSU offensive lineman who could be an upgrade over Connor Williams and an Oklahoma linebacker with a skill set similar to Jayron Kearse.
Three-round 2022 NFL mock draft 1.0: Packers add WR in Round 3 :: NFL.com
The Cowboys were loaded at wide receiver in 2021, but questions about Amari Cooper’s future and Michael Gallup’s free agency status have the team reloading in the first round of this three-round mock. Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson is the pick at No. 24. The second round has Dallas beefing up the offensive line with North Carolina guard Joshua Ezeudu, and going edge rusher in the third with Virginia Tech’s Amaré Barno.
CeeDee Lamb shines light on Kyler Murray’s saga with Cardinals :: 247 Sports
Lamb remains close with his college quarterback. So after Murray scrubbed his social media of all mentions of the Arizona Cardinals organization, Lamb said he sides his with former teammate over contract concerns. “It is time for him to get paid, I agree,” Lamb said. “He’s very dynamic at what he does. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets paid soon.”
Not-so-Super record: Cowboys QB Roger Staubach joined by Joe Burrow in dubious category :: Cowboys Wire
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow got into the Super Bowl record books, but not in a way he wanted. Burrow was sacked seven times in Sunday’s championship game, equaling a mark set 46 years ago by Cowboys passer Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X. Just like Staubach, Burrow even had a chance to pull off a miracle right at the end… and missed by the narrowest of margins.
How legendary NFL coach Tom Landry honed his fighting instincts in World War II :: Historynet
He’s remembered in league history books as the man in the hat, the stoic and unflappable leader of America’s team for nearly three decades. But Tom Landry actually started as a stunned young pilot in the cockpit of a B-17 bomber. Landry’s older brother was killed over the North Atlantic in 1942; Tom followed in his footsteps and learned the essence of being cool under actual fire with 30 combat missions in World War II. After facing actual warfare, a two-minute drill against Lombardi’s Packers was hardly worth getting worked up over.
Cowboys given good odds to win Super Bowl LVII :: FanDuel Sportsbook (Twitter)
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