Cowboys draft analysis: What Day 3 picks Matt Waletzko and Devin Harper bring

 This is the final installment of our three-week plan to “get to know” each of the Cowboys’ six players taken on Day 3 of this year’s draft. You know the drill by now, 200 snaps to tell us what kind of player the Cowboys have selected as well as what we have found out about their backstories and potential roles with the team.

Two weeks back, we did the dive on Jake Ferguson and John Ridgeway.

Last week, we got after the two defensive pieces the Cowboys added with the middle two picks in Round 5, DaRon Bland and Damone Clark.

https://theathletic.com/3335011/2022/05/26/dallas-cowboys-draft-analysis-day-3/

Cowboys backfield: Why not feature Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard together more?

 I have a couple more things to finish up this week before I take a long break until early July. If anything massive happens, I will try to get involved here (and I will also attempt to tweet something relevant to read from the past for you each day), but for the most part, I will spend June doing something that isn’t writing about this football team. Usually, June is quiet, anyway, so bear with me.

But, one of those two things this week was going to be to explore and ponder one of the spots on this roster that is really starting to perplex me — and I imagine some of you.

https://theathletic.com/3330542/2022/05/24/dallas-cowboys-ezekiel-elliott-tony-pollard/

Cowboys draft analysis: Day 3 picks Damone Clark and DaRon Bland

 As we did last week (and will do again next week), it is time to push out our look at two more of the Cowboys’ later-round draft picks after we have given them the thorough film treatment. You know the drill by now, 200 snaps to tell us what kind of player the Cowboys have selected as well as what we have found out about their backstories and potential roles with the team.

Last week, we did the dive on Jake Ferguson and John Ridgeway.

This week, it is two members of the defensive depth chart, including a corner who may get in the mix pretty quickly and a linebacker who we may not even see in his rookie season due to rather significant health considerations.

https://theathletic.com/3319281/2022/05/19/dallas-cowboys-draft-damone-clark-daron-bland/

Cowboys newcomers: TE Jake Ferguson, DT John Ridgeway add reasonable pieces on both sides

 Here in the next few weeks, I want to make sure I get to the checklist of post-draft activities that I might have delayed this year for certain “playoffs in other sports” reasons locally. Yes, it is possible the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns versus the Mavericks (not to mention those Calgary Flames against the Stars) have helped delay my looks at all of the draft picks I had not studied properly.

So, for each of the next three weeks, I will grab two of the Cowboys’ front office Day 3 picks and see what we can see. This always is a fun activity to meet these guys and try to put ourselves in the war-room seats to try to understand the Cowboys’ ultimate vision.

https://theathletic.com/3303861/2022/05/12/dallas-cowboys-nfl-football-rookies-jake-ferguson-john-ridgeway/

How bad was the Amari Cooper trade for Cowboys? Take a look around the league and find out

 Matt Waletzko.

That will be the name that will forever be etched in the transactional record books when someone spends the time to dust off the 2022 volume and dive deep into what exactly the Dallas Cowboys were able to fetch for Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper when they traded him to Cleveland to alleviate their financial stress.

Matt Waletzko. Or, to be fair, the Cowboys could have used that pick on whatever gem was available at pick No. 155. And not only that, with pick No. 193 Oklahoma State linebacker Devin Harper was secured. But, that also cost them pick No 202.

https://theathletic.com/3293279/2022/05/04/cowboys-amari-cooper-trade-browns/

Reviewing how the Cowboys performed in the 2022 NFL Draft: The Morning After

 It is a fun time to hand out grades and thoughts about how each team did in the draft. Of course, this is a massive waste of everyone’s time because trying to figure out how a player is going to help a franchise over the next four to five years would require time travel and probably the gift of prophecy.

I have looked into both, but neither is covered with my membership status at the present time. We don’t know what the new city, the new full bank account, the franchise he joins with the coaching staff that he is thrust into will do to his attempt to take a massive step up in competition. This could be really easy or it could be too much.

https://theathletic.com/3288242/2022/05/02/cowboys-draft-analysis/

Cowboys Morning After: Dallas thinks Tyler Smith will be its left tackle for a long time

 The Cowboys clearly believe in their process and that led them to Tulsa’s Tyler Smith with the 24th pick in the first round. To them, he represents a player with the most upside of anyone in this draft. He’s someone the Cowboys think they can develop to be an opening-day starter at left guard in 2022 and then the man they trust to take over for Tyron Smith whenever the time comes. Will McClay properly says that he is “big, athletic and physical in a big, athletic and physical league.”

There is no question about any of that. Trust me, all of these points are well conceded.

https://theathletic.com/3281333/2022/04/29/cowboys-tyler-smith-first-round-analysis/

2022 NFL Draft game plan: Here is what the Cowboys need to do to get this right at No. 24

 There is no question that in 2022, the Cowboys’ massive rebuild will have to happen this weekend. They have shown us they have almost no real plans to address roster concerns with veterans. Now, I don’t mean to be a hypocrite at all. Usually, building with veterans is the ultimate fool’s errand in the NFL, with teams quickly regretting the moves they make and seldom regretting the moves they don’t make.

But, Dallas has really done next to nothing this year.

https://theathletic.com/3273334/2022/04/27/cowboys-nfl-draft-game-plan/

Cowboys Draft Digest: The final 2022 ‘Sturm 60’ NFL Draft board

 The vital week is upon us.

This is as important as any date on the 2022 Cowboys schedule. For anyone unclear on the vital connection and correlation between winning in your college prospect player selection and playing winning football, the evidence is all around you. Find a successful team and it invariably starts with this process. Conversely, find a team that gets everyone fired, and you can trace it back to a draft process that went off the rails a few too many times.

https://theathletic.com/3270795/2022/04/26/cowboys-draft-digest-sturm-big-board/

Cowboys Draft Digest: 5 prospects we missed on the first pass, but all linked to Dallas

 We have reached the end … almost.

This 13th edition of the 2022 NFL Draft Digest will give us a bonus five players. The Sturm 60 this year is a big lie because it will actually be the Sturm 65. And frankly, if my editors didn’t hold me back from full insanity, it might have even been larger.

But, it won’t be. We will stop at 65.

https://theathletic.com/3267319/2022/04/25/cowboys-nfl-draft-final-prospects/

The Cowboys have talked about every option for three key players but now they must make decision

 The time for talking has pretty much expired as Tuesday is the final day for tag designations in the NFL. By Tuesday at 3 p.m. CT, we will know which teams have decided to place tags on their potential free agents and which will risk them getting into the open marketplace.

There is no question that the Cowboys are right near the front of these discussions as they usually are. We have three names to discuss as it pertains to contract adjustments or tags, all of which could certainly justify their own written piece. We have Amari Cooper, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dalton Schultz to discuss and their futures in Dallas therein. But, given that each deserves his own space, we shall accommodate each situation as best we can. My very capable colleague, Jon Machota, has already written several thoughts on Cooper and a few additional offerings on Schultz.

https://theathletic.com/3167512/2022/03/07/the-cowboys-have-talked-about-every-option-for-three-key-players-but-now-they-must-make-decision/

It comes with the dinner: Why Sean Payton and working for the Cowboys always brings the noise

 None of us had a hard time seeing this one coming.

Our playlet begins as it always does …

It starts with “Jerry is really mad this time” as the townsfolk scurry and fan themselves with shock because the great king and owner of the entire land, King Jerry Jones, was seen to be red-faced with rage after his hand-appointed charges allowed another defeat in front of him a few weeks back.

The entire kingdom is in a fit of unrest, awaiting the next public execution in the town square. You do not anger the great king and live to tell about it.

https://theathletic.com/3096336/2022/01/27/it-comes-with-the-dinner-why-sean-payton-and-working-for-the-cowboys-always-brings-the-noise/

NFL 100: At No. 45, Larry Allen lives in mythological lore, but he was real and spectacular

 Welcome to the NFL 100, The Athletic's endeavor to identify the 100 best players in football history. Every day until the season begins, we'll unveil new members of the list, with the No. 1 player to be crowned on Wednesday, Sept. 8. 

To properly express Larry Allen's legend amongst those who played with him, against him and viewed him from close range, we must enter into evidence that routinely his ability was discussed in terms that made comparisons somewhat pointless.

https://theathletic.com/2743769/2021/08/05/nfl-100-at-no-45-larry-allen-lives-in-mythological-lore-but-he-was-real-and-spectacular/

NFL 100: At No. 47, Cowboys’ Randy White terrified opponents unlike any undersized DT in history

 Welcome to the NFL 100, The Athletic’s endeavor to identify the 100 best players in football history. Every day until the season begins, we’ll unveil new members of the list, with the No. 1 player to be crowned on Wednesday, Sept. 8.

It has been a long time since he played in the NFL, so memories of the Manster on the football field will belong only to those at least 40 years of age.

https://theathletic.com/2723624/2021/08/04/nfl-100-at-no-47-cowboys-randy-white-terrified-opponents-unlike-any-undersized-dt-in-history/

Watching history unfold with Drew Pearson: Cowboys’ Hall of Fame receiver details ‘the catch’ vs. the Vikings

 It started with an email to the man who is about to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after waiting patiently and then impatiently for 33 years to get his moment of football immortality.

https://theathletic.com/2716252/2021/07/31/watching-history-unfold-with-drew-pearson-cowboys-hall-of-fame-receiver-details-the-catch-vs-the-vikings/

Those who know Jimmy Johnson best tell stories about the Hall of Fame coach

 On Aug. 7, Jimmy Johnson will be properly inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I have written plenty over the years about his credentials and his clear-cut case for football immortality with a bust in Canton.

https://theathletic.com/2696024/2021/07/27/that-was-just-jimmy-those-who-know-jimmy-johnson-best-tell-stories-about-the-hall-of-fame-coach/

Who will be Dallas’ next champion? Who starts on O-line for the Cowboys? DFW sports mailbag

 It’s time for me to knock out the last moments of vacation, then we are scheduled to make our triumphant return to Oxnard/Ventura, Calif., for the start of the all new and hopefully improved Dallas Cowboys training camp. It is my mission to attend my first NBA Finals game since the Mavericks’ glorious run in 2011 with a Game 6 appearance in the Deer District on Tuesday. I will report back, but I am definitely thinking the best way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the only Milwaukee Bucks title (and the 49th anniversary of this Bucks fan’s birth) in their modest history is to do it again in 2021. We shall see.

https://theathletic.com/2710362/2021/07/16/dallas-next-champion-who-starts-on-o-line-for-cowboys-dfw-sports-mailbag/