As the nation paused to commemorate Independence Day, news in NFL circles took a backseat. But plenty of good analysis and provoking food for thought from some of Cowboys Nation’s favorite sources provided topics of conversation for backyard barbecues and fireworks displays, even on the most non-football of holidays.
Among the items the fanbase is watching with just over two months until opening night: big expectations for newcomers Simi Fehoko and Damontae Kazee, and a lot on the line for veteran Carlos Watkins. Byron Jones’s departure is looking like a smart move one year removed, and keeping just two quarterbacks and two running backs on the roster may be the next bold decision by the team. There’s a difference of opinion on whether CeeDee Lamb should return punts, and a pair of nearly-forgotten Cowboys resurface on a list of the longest fourth-down conversions in history.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Simi Fehoko one of the steals of the NFL Draft :: With the First Pick
Link Linebacker Jabril Cox was tabbed “the steal of the draft” after he fell to Dallas in the fourth round, but scooping Stanford wide receiver Simi Fehoko in the fifth could turn out to be a sweet little haul, too. Tommy Jaggi points out that Fehoko’s measurables put him in some elite company: Demaryius Thomas and Larry Fitzgerald.
Cowboys Jerry Jones laughs as the Dolphins pay the price :: The Landry Hat
Link Letting cornerback Byron Jones leave prior to the 2020 season wasn’t a hugely popular decision in Dallas. But based on the stats he turned in over the course of his first year as a very-highly-paid Miami Dolphin, it looks like a wise money move so far from Jerry Jones.
Damontae Kazee might be the most underrated free agent added by the Dallas Cowboys this offseason :: Blogging the Boys
Link The Cowboys have a history of not investing in the safety position. Damontae Kazee may not be a move-the-needle kind of name in casual-fan circles, but if he comes even close to contributing for Dan Quinn Dallas the way he did in Atlanta, the team may have hit the jackpot with this low-cost free agent add.
Mailbag: Keeping just 2 QBs & 2 RBs on the roster? :: The Mothership
Link Dallas went through four quarterbacks last season, but staff writers David Helman and Nick Eatman kick around the idea of going into 2021 with just two. Oh, and only two running backs, too. Spoiler alert: it may not be as crazy as it seems. They also chime in on whether that second quarterback behind Dak Prescott is even on the roster right now.
Top 10 longest fourth-down conversions :: NFL.com
Link Celebrate the 4th by watching the best 4th-down conversions in league history. The desperation docket kicks off with the 2002 Cowboys improbably moving the sticks in a 21-yards-to-go situation against the Lions. On either end of those fireworks for the Dallas offense? The immortal combo of Chad Hutchinson and Ken-Yon Rambo, of course.
Happy 4th of July from the Cowboys :: Dallas Cowboys (Twitter)
https://twitter.com/dallascowboys/status/1411690006876278786
Cowboys survey, Part 2: When Dallas will return to the Super Bowl and thoughts on Dak Prescott’s contract :: The Athletic
Link Now that their wide-ranging fan survey answers have been released, Bob Sturm and Jon Machota weigh in with their own responses to the same questions. They both think the Cowboys will be back in the Super Bowl soon(ish), they both love the Dan Quinn hire, and they both agree on who the Cowboys’ most underrated player is. They differ, though, on who will lead the team in tackles and whether CeeDee Lamb should be the primary punt returner in 2021.
DT Carlos Watkins’ Cowboys career could be a brief one :: Inside the Star
Link The former Texans lineman was an early free agency pickup in Dallas. But now with Neville Gallimore, Trysten Hill, Brent Urban, and rookies Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohanna vying for time on the interior, Watkins may be the odd man out.
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