Dak Prescott, Cowboys agree on contract at deadline as Jerry Jones finally relents

 Twenty-six months later and with tens of millions more dollars tacked on, we have a deal.

The Cowboys finally realized this situation was not going to fix itself and that the man across the table was not going to fall for this particular mind-trick.

If you wanted the signature, you would simply have to play ball like everyone else.

And Monday night, they did. Dak Prescott is signed to a deal that appears to be roughly four years at $160 million.

https://theathletic.com/2436610/2021/03/08/dak-prescott-cowboys-agree-on-contract-at-deadline-as-jerry-jones-finally-relents/

Dallas Cowboys Draft Digest: Is this the year they finally go strong at safety?

 Let’s have a few philosophical discussions today as we discuss this group of safeties. In fact, as a change-up, we won’t make one of our discussion points the fact that the Cowboys still appear to have not violated their “we promise to never invest in safety ever again” mandate that went into place the moment they realized their high-first round pick (No. 8 overall in 2002) of safety Roy Williams from Oklahoma went really off the rails around 2006-2008.

https://theathletic.com/2423567/2021/03/04/dallas-cowboys-draft-digest-is-this-the-year-they-finally-go-strong-at-safety/

The Cowboys should pay Dak Prescott because paying QBs the going rate is a necessary part of winning

 It nearly happened this season. The top-paid quarterback in the NFL almost won the Super Bowl. But, maybe it didn’t happen because he made too much money. If only he would have been a poorly paid quarterback like the guy who won it all the year before.

https://theathletic.com/2419336/2021/03/03/the-cowboys-should-pay-dak-prescott-because-paying-qbs-the-going-rate-is-necessary-part-of-winning/

Dallas Cowboys Draft Digest: Eyeing Azeez Ojulari, other potential franchise pass rushers

 There is nothing on the defensive side of the ball that teams are always looking for more than someone who can apply big-time pressure on a quarterback. Edge rushers are always in high demand and that increases each year with the realization that as passing continues to rise, the need for pass rushers will, too. Elite pass rushers? Well, those are as rare as elite quarterbacks, it seems, and the last several drafts have yielded a fair number of “generational” pass rushers. Perhaps we are no longer allowed to use the term “generational” because it seems one comes along almost every year. If Joey Bosa is generational, then why is Myles Garrett available in the next draft? And Bradley Chubb the year after that? Then, Nick Bosa followed by Chase Young? And how does Ohio State keep getting all these incredible players?

https://theathletic.com/2410650/2021/02/26/dallas-cowboys-draft-digest-eyeing-azeez-ojulari-other-potential-franchise-pass-rushers/

Dallas Cowboys Draft Digest: Micah Parsons tops strong list of non-rush linebackers

 Last week was Week No. 3, and I am going to make good on that one before doing another in a few days for Week No. 4. The electricity may not always stay on in North Texas, but we still try to offer you the promise that eventually the trains will get to their destinations.

https://theathletic.com/2402266/2021/02/23/dallas-cowboys-draft-digest-micah-parsons-tops-strong-list-of-non-rush-linebackers/

Evaluating the Cowboys’ franchise-shaping money decisions of 2020 before 2021

 As I attempt to climb back on my horse here in frozen DFW on this memorable week, I ask for enough electricity to offer you at least this piece that was scheduled for a few days back. Please know we will get through the Draft Digests before draft time arrives, but it might have to be post-thaw.  Let’s just say this has been a bit of a week.

https://theathletic.com/2396536/2021/02/18/dallas-cowboys-free-agency-money-decisions-evaluation/

Dallas Cowboys Draft Digest: Penei Sewell among many exciting offensive tackles

 I plan on centering a huge part of my 2021 draft work on the defense because I do believe the Cowboys will be doing this exact thing. But there are a few slight exceptions and, yes, one will center on their next month of dealing with Dak Prescott. If the situation blows up, we had better assume the Cowboys will use their 10th pick to try to get a QB (which will certainly require a trade up). Otherwise, I don’t think there are very many scenarios in which they would use that top pick to address the offense…

…with one possible exception. If there is a position on the field I am compelled to suggest they could and should consider a young stud – even in the first round – it would be offensive tackle, which just so happens to be one of this draft’s strong suits. There are many years in the last decade when the tackle supply has been extremely thin, but this one could be a special draft, with nearly double-digit players that seem to project as NFL starters if a few things go right.

https://theathletic.com/2381892/2021/02/11/dallas-cowboys-draft-offensive-tackles/

2021 NFL Super Bowl era franchise rankings: Where do Tom Brady and the Bucs land?

 Fifty-five Super Bowls have been played. For football nerds everywhere — at least this particular football nerd — that leads to the obvious annual question:

Which franchise has accomplished the most in the Super Bowl era?

https://theathletic.com/2371667/2021/02/10/super-bowl-franchise-rankings-nfl/

Dallas Cowboys Draft Digest: Surtain, Farley headline best available cornerbacks

 We are back for our 10th trip through NFL Drafts, and you can expect one of these to drop for each of the next 12 weeks.

https://theathletic.com/2364336/2021/02/04/dallas-cowboys-nfl-draft-surtain-farley/

Breaking down Cowboys’ 2020 NFL Draft class, from Lamb and Diggs to DiNucci

 The Cowboys will need to make quite a few strong picks in the 2021 NFL Draft to reinforce a roster that needs a substantial defensive makeover. But before we look forward, I want to close the book on the rookie class that came before them.

https://theathletic.com/2359699/2021/02/02/dallas-cowboys-draft-lamb-diggs/