Cowboys news: Dallas may have found another hidden gem at UDFA

The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys.

This Cowboys UDFA rookie making case to be featured in long-term plans – Reid Hanson, USA Today

Dallas has a knack for finding diamonds in the rough.

The Dallas Cowboys are masters in finding steals through nontraditional avenues. From Brandon Aubrey and KaVontae Turpin who were found in other professional leagues, to Dak Prescott and DaRon Bland who were found in the latter portions of the draft, to Tony Romo and Miles Austin who were signed as undrafted free agents, the Cowboys have a knack for finding treasure in the rarest of places.

When Dallas signed undrafted tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford following the draft last spring, they were hoping they found their next big treasure. Standing almost 6-foot-7, 270-pounds, “big” might be an understatement.

The rookie from Minnesota was in demand following the draft. Players his size don’t come around very often and to many scouts, Spann-Ford had a draftable grade. What transpired was a bidding war, with team pit against team in an auction the Cowboys are all too familiar with. As fate would have it, Dallas won, outbidding the competition by guaranteeing $225,000 and throwing in a signing bonus of another $20,000 for good measure.

A blocking specialist by nature, Spann-Ford is already the Cowboys’ top-rated blocker at the TE position. Blessed with the size of a left tackle, Spann-Ford has the potential to develop into an elite blocker one day, possibly giving the Cowboys a mismatch player to design plays around.

Ferguson, reportedly close to coming back, will likely seize back his role as true TE1 the moment he’s cleared to play. And Schoonmaker, a player who has stepped up in Ferguson’s absence, will likely continue to be a player the Cowboys seek to develop. At face value this isn’t good news for Spann-Ford stockholders, but a deeper look shows Spann-Ford’s value and role remain intact.

The Cowboys rarely use three TEs at the same time (1.3 percent) but that doesn’t mean three TEs won’t play each week. Spann-Ford is an exciting player who may be carving out a major role for the near future.

Mike McCarthy responds to Dak Prescott’s comments about Cowboys future – Josh Sanchez, USA Today

Dallas’ head coach responded to his star quarterback’s support for him.

The conversation surrounding Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has shifted drastically. Entering the year, many considered McCarthy to be a lame -duck head coach.

Just a few weeks ago, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones criticized the team’s play-calling and offensive schemes during a radio appearance. This week, with the team on a two-game winning streak, he refused to close the door on a potential contract extension for McCarthy.

Then, star quarterback Dak Prescott campaigned for McCarthy to get another shot during an interview with Yahoo! Sports.

One of the interesting parts of Prescott’s comments was the signal-caller saying McCarthy deserved an opportunity “to coach this team amongst more influence. On his terms.”

“On his terms” was perceived by many to be a jab at Jerry Jones.

McCarthy was asked about Prescott’s comments on Wednesday and shared his thoughts on what the star quarterback had to say.

When asked about the “on his terms” comment, McCarthy downplayed the idea that he did not have direct influence.

An endorsement from Dak Prescott could go a very long way with Jerry Jones, so if the Cowboys can string together a few more wins, the head coaching drama is going to be at an all-time high.

There will be plenty of high-profile coaching candidates this offseason, but the Cowboys could end up staying away from the market — something no one would have every fathomed in early November.

Mailbag: Does snap cadence help opposition? – Tommy Yarrish, Mickey Spagnola, DallasCowboys.com

Digging into the details of the game is quite interesting.

It seems like about 95% of the Cowboys’ plays start after the cadence, “Here we go!” Doesn’t this give the defense a tremendous advantage? Why don’t they mix this up? Our offense has enough to overcome without giving the defense so much help. – Dallas Mowen/Mac, IL

Mickey: Here’s what you need to understand about “Here we go!” That is not the snap count, like once you hear that, the ball is snapped. It is to signal to the offensive linemen, be ready, no more talking or adjustments at the line of scrimmage, we’re about to start snap count of the ball. The ball is snapped then on the next clap by the quarterback, or next two or three claps. Or maybe the next sound or sounds. Or if on a silent count, then in the next what two or three seconds. That would be way to simple if the QB says,” Here we go!” and then the ball is immediately snapped. More to it than just that Mac.

Tommy: If it is giving the defense an advantage, I’m not really seeing where it’s coming from. Especially in pass protection, as Cooper Rush has only been sacked once in the last two weeks. Every team has a cadence, and it’s something the opposing team gameplans for every week, so I don’t think it gives that much of a leg up to the opposition. In regards to mixing it up, if you do that, you risk the possibility of confusing your own players who are already used to one thing, which would lead to more pre-snap penalties. The Cowboys certainly don’t need any more of those this season.

NFC East power rankings Week 14: Cowboys and Commanders build momentum – Lucas Mascherin, TheLandryHat.com

Dallas may have a losing record, but they are still fighting.

In a losing season, you must look to the next season and the future of the franchise. the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants succeeded in their respective goals with Dallas winning at home against New York.

The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles put the NFL on notice in their wins. It’s a positive outlook for the division after a string of concerning weeks for all but the Eagles. Here’s where the division stands heading into Week 14.

3. Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 3rd)

The best thing for a team playing a lost season is having developmental and depth players play more snaps and get better. That’s what we have seen with the Dallas Cowboys over the past two weeks. With defensive players returning from injury and finally getting settled into defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s scheme, Dallas fields a threatening defense once again.

The return of edge rusher Micah Parsons and corner DaRon Bland was a relief. Stars at their respective positions, the once injury-depleted defense finally looked competitive. Dallas tied their season-high in sacks with six, pressured Lock on 52.4 percent of his plays, and limited the Giants’ running backs to under 3.5 yards per rush.

A recurring shoulder injury, among other bumps and bruises, limited wideout CeeDee Lamb to a season-low 61 percent of offensive snaps this week, and could see him miss time. In his place, the likes of tight end Luke Schoonmaker, gadget man KaVonte Turpin, and running back Rico Dowdle can step up.

That trio of players provided the stability needed to come out of the Thanksgiving matchup with a win. Schoonmaker is finally getting opportunities on offense in the absence of Jake Ferguson. Turpin was already known to be one of the best in the league with the ball in his hands, but is getting more consistent usage. Dowdle is earning himself a decent pay raise in Dallas or elsewhere this offseason.

Here are some injury notes for the Cowboys.