With all the wild speculation regarding the Cowboys and their head coach, the one person no one had heard much from was the head coach himself. Mike McCarthy finally sat down and shared his perspective on Jerry Jones, the rumors about newly-retired Saints coach Sean Payton, the dynamic he shares with coaching candidate (and possible coach-in-waiting) Dan Quinn, and just what McCarthy himself has to say about the latest round of Dallas drama.
Also, we’re crunching the numbers to come up with a way to keep the biggest Cowboys superstars for 2022. We’ve got scouting reports for three talented college prospects, we’re looking at possible franchise tag targets, we’re evaluating a versatile offensive lineman after his all-important third year, and we’re looking at the earliest power rankings to find good news. All that, plus where the Cowboys of the past rank in a list of all Super Bowl MVPs, and some sobering stats about what the Rams have accomplished since Dallas last hoisted the Lombardi. That’s ahead in News and Notes.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy discusses ‘unusual’ narratives pushed by owner Jerry Jones :: USA Today
McCarthy opened up to Rich Eisen about the bizarre atmosphere in Dallas, with owner Jerry Jones practically dangling the possibility of Dan Quinn becoming the new Cowboys coach in front of him and doing little to dispel the persistent Sean Payton rumors. “I’ve never dealt with anything like this,” McCarthy said. “I’ve always, frankly, just [kept] it about winning. I’ve always taken a blind eye or a blind ear to those things, but that’s not the case when you work here.”
McCarthy “comfortable” with job speculation :: The Mothership
McCarthy maintained in his interview that he and Jones have a “partnership,” adding, “I’m very, very comfortable with our relationship and our dialogue.” As for Quinn’s other job interviews, McCarthy revealed that the two spoke of it frankly. “He said, ‘Hey, man, I’m not comfortable with this narrative. If you really feel like I need to take one of these jobs, just be honest with me,’” McCarthy said. “We kind of laughed about it, and I just said, ‘Dan, 10 to 12 years ago, I’d tell you to please get the hell out of here, I don’t want to deal with this.’ But the reality is I’m about winning, he’s about winning, and the best thing for the Cowboys is for Dan Quinn to be here.”
Cowboys free agency 2022: Future of Michael Gallup creates questions that tie into Amari Cooper and others :: CBS Sports
Conventional wisdom says either Cooper or Gallup (or both) will be gone in 2022. But the Cowboys could keep the whole band together if they wanted, with some creative contract restructuring. In fact, Dallas could rework the deals of Cooper, Dak Prescott, and DeMarcus Lawrence to put $39.68 million back onto the cap table, instantly putting them $18.23 million under the cap for free agency spending. And don’t forget that Ezekiel Elliott and Cedrick Wilson could factor into pending money moves, too.
Progress Report: How McGovern fits in 2022 plans :: The Mothership
McGovern showed progress in his third season, albeit largely in special personnel groupings that took him off the offensive line. He started for a while but couldn’t keep the job, and he flat-out struggled against Kansas City. He’s still under contract and has experience at multiple positions, but he could be a financial casualty as the Cowboys look for upgrades.
Dallas Cowboys franchise tag candidates in 2022 :: Inside the Star
With all the talk in Dallas of their long list of ending free agents, fans should remember that the franchise tag is still a tool that can be used to retain a player who might otherwise shop himself around. Dalton Schultz, Randy Gregory, Jayron Kearse, and even Bryan Anger might find themselves a tag target in the coming weeks.
UAB’s Alex Wright could be part of solution to replenishing Cowboys edge department :: Cowboys Wire
Whether or not the Dallas front office ponies up to keep Randy Gregory, they would always be wise to add more depth at the edge rusher position. This 6-foot-6-inch beast from UAB is explosive but raw; he often lacks a plan and could use some coaching up. He may not be a starter right away but could be a nice project for Dan Quinn in the third round or so.
Baylor’s Terrel Bernard could be perfect draft addition to Cowboys’ rejuvenated LB room :: Cowboys Wire
Leighton Vander Esch and Keanu Neal are soon-to-be free agents. Jabril Cox is coming off a major injury, and Micah Parsons could be seeing more snaps at defensive end. The Cowboys need linebackers. This homegrown talent from Baylor has the tools to be a three-down force, with a high IQ, a hot motor, and sure tackling skills. He could be a second-round steal.
Sean Rhyan final evaluation :: Cowboys Wire
He’d be a bit of a reach in the first round, but likely gone by the end of the second. The highly-decorated UCLA tackle might be worth making a move for, though. Great balance, strength, and leverage are his calling cards; he could be an ideal candidate to backfill Tyron Smith, either down the road or the next time Smith is injured.
Magnificent 7: ESPN, NFL.com agree on Cowboys’ slot in early 2022 power rankings :: Cowboys Wire
It’s way too early, but the Cowboys seem well-positioned to make another postseason next year, according to the two outlets. Both have Dallas in seventh in their first 2022 power rankings, and both acknowledge right up front that McCarthy will be under intense pressure every step of the way.
SUPER REDUX: Ranking all 56 Super Bowl MVP performances :: Touchdown Wire
With five wins in the big game, the Cowboys are well-represented on a comprehensive countdown of Super Bowl MVPs. But oddly enough, there are seven Dallas players who have won the honor. Sure, there’s Troy Aikman in 7th, Emmitt Smith in 18th, Roger Staubach in 43rd, and even Larry Brown in 42nd. But old-school fans know Randy White and Harvey Martin were named history’s only co-MVPs in Super Bowl XII (11th place on this list), and Chuck Howley (39th place) won the award in Super V despite being on the losing team.
These Rams Super Bowl facts will make Cowboys fans cringe :: The Landry Hat
How long has the Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought been? Well, the Rams have won two Lombardi Trophies in that time, as two different franchises and with 22 years in between them. And then there’s this: the Rams have as many playoff wins in their new stadium- in two seasons- as the Cowboys do in theirs… in 13.
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