Jerry Jones on George Pickens’ future, Cowboys’ defense, more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
The Cowboys’ owner sounds a lot more optimistic about his defense than most on the outside believe.
George Pickens’ future with the Cowboys
The Cowboys traded a third-round pick to the Steelers for Pickens, who they knew was heading into the final year of his contract. Pickens said that he would focus on his future after the season, setting up a “prove it” year. He proved himself last Sunday, and Jones took notice, pointing out that the Cowboys do have the cap space to be able to look at a future with Pickens if things continue to trend positively.
“He’s an exemplary teammate. He is exemplary in his work preparation, and you can see the results of that out there on Sundays, obviously. Reminds me a little of his weight has different contortions as he’s catching a ball. He can just catch the ball in any set of circumstance…” Jones said.
“I’m proud to tell you that we’ve got some outstanding structure in our cap space that will allow us to do a lot of things that I didn’t think when we finished this time last year that we might have the room to do some of these things we’re talking about doing. We got it.”
Help is on the way on the defensive side of the ball
The Cowboys currently rank 32nd in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and know that there’s things that need to be fixed on the defensive side of the ball. Still, Jones saw growth over the course of the game from Dallas on Sunday night despite the final score.
“If you felt it, even though they scored 40 points, our defense improved as that game went along right before your eyes,” Jones said. “And we did make some stops that were out there that were key stops against a fine offensive football team in Green Bay. So, I think your eyes didn’t betray you, and that we got better as that game went along. That’s what you’re looking for.”
Some of that help could be coming from the IR, NFI and PUP lists as early as this week. Now that Week 4 has passed by, players that were place on those lists at the start of the season are eligible to have their 21-day practice windows opened. Jones said the team will look at those possibilities this week.
Cowboys’ rookie Jaydon Blue ‘very close’ to making NFL debut – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Dallas Cowboys rookie running back could debut this weekend if Miles Sanders can’t go.
Through four weeks, Blue has been on the inactive list, as starter Javonte Williams and backup Miles Sanders have been the active players at the position group instead. Williams has shined as one of the top running backs in the NFL through four games and Sanders, aside from a crucial week one fumble in Philadelphia, has been productive in a backup role.
When asked about the decision to not make the 2025 fifth-round pick active, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has mentioned multiple times wanting to see more consistency out of him in practices. His role has become important on the practice field, as he has offered the Cowboys defense the scout look at each opponent’s running backs early in the year.
“He’s extremely talented,” Schottenheimer said after he was on the inactive list in week one. “He really is talented, but there is a way you have to perform, especially with a mantra of ‘compete every day.’ If you’re not putting it out there and doing right every day and if you take a step back on a Thursday — maybe you did great on Wednesday but on Thursday, not saying he did — that’s going to get noticed.”
Well, the tone is beginning to change on Blue heading into week five, as Schottenheimer offered more optimism in his Monday presser toward Blue’s potential availability.
“[He’s] very close,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s practicing really, really well. I challenged him a few weeks ago on being consistent. He’s done that. He’s becoming one of our best offensive practice squad players. He gives the defensive an incredible look with the speed and playmaking ability, so [he’s] very close.”
Dallas had some of their depth at linebacker poached from the Indianapolis Colts.
There was some movement on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad Tuesday.
Linebacker Buddy Johnson, a local Kimball High School product, was signed off the Cowboys’ practice squad by the Indianapolis Colts.
The former Texas A&M Aggie was selected by Pittsburgh in the 2021 NFL draft and spent time with San Francisco, Houston and Chicago before landing in Dallas in 2023.
The Cowboys also brought back wide receiver Parris Campbell and added him to the practice squad Tuesday. He has been released last month after the team reached an injury settlement with the veteran wideout.
Campbell, 28, had originally signed with Dallas in March after spending the 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He started his NFL career with the Colts and spent four seasons with the franchise, posting the most productive season of his professional career in 2022 with 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns.
5 plays that led to the tie between Cowboys and Packers – David Howman, Blogging the Boys
After Sunday night’s game, if a few plays had gone differently, the Cowboys could have walked away with a win instead of a tie.
Trevon Diggs pick wiped out by penalty
The Cowboys made a statement by opting to keep Trevon Diggs on the bench to start the game. They eventually rotated the cornerback in to start the third drive of the game, and Diggs was understandably eager to make a play. Just a few plays into his first drive, it looked like he did.
Diggs flew in front of an out route from Jordan Love to pick him off, going out of bounds as he made the catch and looking like his old self. Alas, a flag was on the field, as the Cowboys had been rushing to sub players out as Green Bay went no-huddle. The call was an easy one: too many men on the field.
That wiped out Diggs’ pick, which would have set Dallas up at their own 28-yard line. Instead, it gifted the Packers a first down on top of retaining possession. Seven plays later, they scored their second touchdown, though it did also result in two points for Dallas.
Tyler Smith false start kills drive
By some inexplicable miracle, the Cowboys found themselves leading the Packers at halftime. The offense had figured things out right at the same time the defense forced a turnover that actually stood, and they got the ball to start the second half. They had a golden opportunity to take a two-score lead.
Things started off well, too. Javonte Williams ripped off two straight 5+ yard runs, moving the chains easily. Then, Tyler Smith was flagged for a false start. That backed them up an additional five yards, and it proved to be too much for the offense to overcome as they punted three plays later.
That drive started off with promise, and looked as if the Cowboys still had their mojo from the end of the second quarter. But the false start killed the drive, and it proved to be big. The Cowboys and Packers would trade touchdowns, and the lead, on the next six drives, only taking a break for Green Bay’s tying field goal. If the Cowboys had managed to score on the opening drive of the third quarter, it changes a lot of things in this game.
Sam Williams sack erased by facemask
As mentioned above, the Cowboys’ punt on the first drive of the third quarter was a turning point in the game. In fact, it proved to be the final drive to not end in a score that night. But that nearly wasn’t the case.
Green Bay faced an early third down, needing just one yard, and Love dropped back to pass. The Dallas pass rush broke through quickly, and Sam Williams dropped him for a sack and a loss of 12 yards. But, again, a flag was on the field. As it turned out, Williams had grabbed Love’s facemask, and Diggs was also flagged elsewhere for defensive holding.
Either way, the Packers were getting a first down by penalty. But it reflected yet another missed opportunity, as the sack would have erased any chance for the Packers to go for it on fourth down. Seven plays later, the Packers scored a touchdown, thus kicking off the scoring epidemic.
See More:
