Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images The NFL’s best center in Creed Humphrey thinks highly of Dallas Cowboys rookie Cooper Beebe. When the Dallas Cowboys begin play in Week 1 they will do so with a new starter under center for the first time in a while. Tyler Biadasz manned the middle for Dallas for four seasons and did so admirably given the tall shadow he entered following Travis Frederick’s retirement in the early days of 2020. With Biadasz leaving in free agency to the Washington Commanders, it was always known that somebody new would be the starter in Week 1. But then Cooper Beebe happened. Dallas traded back in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the Detroit Lions and picked up a third-round pick in the process. After landing starting left tackle Tyler Guyton with their new first round pick, they had to wait a night to see what the extra change became and ultimately it was Beebe. That they are two birds gotten with a single stone is a cool thing in and of its own right, but that Beebe is going to start as a center is nothing short of impressive. He fought off Brock Hoffman for the honors throughout training camp and is now absorbing some serious responsibility. Recently I was able to talk to the best center in the NFL these days, Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs. Aside from the obvious Chiefs talking points I asked him if he knew much about Beebe and he said absolutely and that he thinks highly of him. “Now your job is setting all the mike points, setting the protections. Doing all of that. You have to read the defense a lot. Being able to see where teams are blitzing from. What fronts their in. Kind of being the general of the offensive line, kind of getting guys going in the right direction. I think with him, he’s had so much experience playing, I think he’ll do a great job being able to move in. He’ll figure it out pretty quick. I think he’s going to do a great job. He’s a great player.” Beebe is kicking inside to center after playing guard at Kansas State so it is a tall task in addition to the general point of making the jump to the professional level. Given that Creed started from day one in the NFL, his vote of approval certainly seems valuable. Humphrey has started every single game for Kansas City since joining them in 2021 out of Oklahoma, he was teammates with CeeDee Lamb in Norman by the way. Our thanks to Creed and to Sleep Number who helped make him available. Sleep Number is the Official Sleep + Wellness Partner of the NFL, and currently 80% of the League benefit from the improved sleep performance on Sleep Number smart beds. Creed has been on a smart bed since his rookie year, so he knows how high-quality sleep can enhance his recovery to perform at his best on the field. Creed just visited a Sleep Number store to check out some of the latest models and learn more about the technology. Sleep Number’s Biggest Sale of the Year is happening now. You can take up to 50% off smart beds. The sale is live now at SleepNumber.com and runs through Labor Day weekend. Here’s hoping the Cowboys meet Creed’s Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

SetNumber: X78782 TK1 R1 F727 We countdown the days to kickoff giving you an interesting fact about each number. Today is number 9 We are at day 9 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 9. The greatest player to don the number 9 for Dallas is an easy one, it is, of course, Tony Romo. Set Number: X82916 TK1 R1 F81 Antonio Ramiro Romo was born April 21st, 1980 and went undrafted, then signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2003. Following Troy Aikman’s retirement at the conclusion of the 2000 season, the Cowboys struggled to establish stability at the quarterback position, experimenting with various players in an attempt to address the gap left by Aikman. By the year 2005, the franchise had already had its eighth quarterback since 2000. Tony Romo’s Career Stats: 156 Games65.3 Comp. %34,183 Pass Yds248 TDs – 117 INTs97.1 Passer Rating4x Pro Bowler pic.twitter.com/gevxz1k69m — NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) April 4, 2017 In 2006, Tony Romo finally stepped into the spotlight after spending three years quietly on the roster. Despite not being selected in the 2003 NFL Draft due to concerns from various pro personnel directors regarding his throwing mechanics, as well as skepticism from some coaches in Dallas, Romo’s journey to the field was significantly influenced by Cowboys quarterbacks coach Sean Payton. Payton played a crucial role in both Romo’s arrival in Dallas and his subsequent development into a notable player. During Week 7 of the 2006 season, Romo was given the chance to demonstrate his abilities. The Cowboys faced their division rivals, the New York Giants, and found themselves trailing 12-7 at halftime. With Drew Bledsoe not performing up to expectations, head coach Bill Parcells made the decision to replace him with Romo for the second half. Although Romo threw three interceptions, he managed to perform respectably in a 36-22 defeat. “Tony Romo, that touchdown is all on you!” Romo somehow escapes to make this incredible TD play back in 2009!#TonyTuesdays pic.twitter.com/FX99Ti5D7Y — NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) February 21, 2017 Parcells had sufficient confidence in Romo to retain him as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. By Week 13, the coach appeared to be exceptionally astute as Romo made a significant impact in the NFL. Following their defeat to the Giants, Dallas triumphed in five out of their next six games and also secured a victory against New York in their rematch in December. After that game, Romo topped all NFL quarterbacks with an impressive passer rating of 102.4 and had successfully completed nearly 70% of his passes. In 2007, he achieved a remarkable performance by passing for 4,211 yards and recording a career-high of 36 touchdowns, alongside 19 interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for a personal best of 129 yards and scored two touchdowns, which earned him his second selection to the Pro Bowl. In 2008, Romo surpassed 3,400 passing yards and threw for 26 touchdowns; however, the Dallas team did not qualify for the postseason. The following year, the Cowboys secured 11 victories, with Romo amassing 4,483 yards, 26 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, which led to his third Pro Bowl appearance. COWBOYS GAME REPLAY : Tony Romo connects with Miles Austin for the TD! ✭ #dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/Zz5HDOw13o — The Cowboys Network (@TheCowboysNet) August 19, 2021 Before the 2013 season, Jerry Jones extended Romo’s contract for six years at a value of $108 million. In response, the quarterback delivered an impressive season with 3,828 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. In a dramatic Week 16 matchup against Washington, Romo guided the Cowboys to a 24-23 victory, despite contending with a herniated disk. Subsequently, he was placed on injured reserve to undergo back surgery, and the Cowboys once again failed to reach the playoffs, finishing with a third consecutive 8-8 record. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images The 2014 season was a pivotal moment for Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. Romo concluded the season with impressive statistics, amassing 3,705 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions, while also leading the NFL in various key metrics. These included completion percentage (69.9%), touchdown percentage (7.8), yards per attempt (8.5) and quarterback rating (113.2). In December, Romo’s performance was exceptional, achieving a quarterback rating of 133.7, the highest recorded for any single month in NFL history. His outstanding play earned him a selection to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time and marked his first and only All-Pro accolade. Romo played a crucial role in the Cowboys’ comeback victory in the Wild Card game against the Detroit Lions, overcoming a 17-7 deficit at halftime. In the Divisional round, he threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns; however, this effort fell short as Dallas was unable to advance past Green Bay, famously due to the controversial “Dez caught it” moment. Five years ago today, Romo hit Dez on 4th-and-2 to set up a potential game-winning TD against the Packers in the divisional round. Green Bay challenged the catch and won. Did Dez catch it? (via @nflthrowback)pic.twitter.com/SDIqfbuBPl — B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 11, 2020 Romo started the year 2015 positively; however, he suffered a collarbone fracture during a match against the Eagles in Week 2. Subsequently, while participating in the preseason, Romo incurred a back injury that sidelined him for the majority of the next season. This situation allowed Dak Prescott to assume the starting role in 2016. It became evident that the team now belonged to Prescott, leading Romo to announce his retirement in early 2017. On this date in 2016, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo suffers an injury, opening the door for rookie QB Dak Prescott. Prescott led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record in the regular season, and Romo played just one more game in his NFL career. pic.twitter.com/gFcmpUDonG — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 25, 2022 During his career, Romo had 34,183 passing yards, 248 touchdowns, 117 interceptions, 620 rushing yards, and five rushing scores. He was a four-time Pro

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images There are still some players who the Cowboys should consider looking into. The Dallas Cowboys, like the rest of the league, recently had to make a lot of tough decisions to get under the league mandated 53-man roster. The free agent market is once again flooded with new faces after those roster cuts and some of them will be finding new teams to play for in 2024. The Dallas Cowboys could stand to find upgrades at a few positions still and there are players out there currently available on the open market who could do just that. Today we are going to take a look at three of those players and how they could potentially upgrade Dallas’ roster for the upcoming 2024 season CB Caleb Farley Caleb Farley was the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He was expected to be a Top 10 talent, but fell due to concerns over his multiple injuries and back problems throughout his collegiate career. Those injuries carried over to his professional career, ultimately leading to his recent release. While his injury history is definitely a concern, this is exactly the kind of low risk/high reward type of signing Dallas has taken a chance on in the past. With DaRon Bland sidelined for six to eight weeks with a foot injury, Farley could add depth to the position and maybe work his way into the rotation. The 6’2″, 197-pound CB is still a young, talented player worth gambling on. DT Siaki Ika Siaki Ika was the 98th overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. The former LSU and Baylor defensive tackle unfortunately got caught in a numbers game in Cleveland and is now a free agent. At 6’3″, 335-pounds, he’s an intriguing young DT for a team like the Cowboys who are looking to bulk up the interior of their defensive line. The Dallas Cowboys may have added Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph to the mix recently in the hopes of upgrading their defensive front for the 2024 season, but they shouldn’t stop there. Siaki Ika fits the size parameters Mike Zimmer likes in his DTs and he’s also someone the Cowboys showed somewhat of an interest in the pre-draft process back in 2023. WR Corey Davis Corey Davis has had an up-and-down career since being drafted fifth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. In a run heavy system during his four years in Tennessee and then two seasons in New York with the Jets, he unfortunately never eclipsed the 1000-yard receiving mark in his career. Even still, he could be a nice depth player. After retiring briefly and sitting out the entire 2023 season, Davis has been recently reinstated and could help upgrade Dallas’ WR depth in 2024. At 6’3″, 210-pounds he’d be another big target on the outside for Dak Prescott and maybe help with redzone issues.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images If you had a “pet cat” who didn’t make the Cowboys 53-man roster, we may have the reason why. Roster cuts are not only a tough time for the thousand-plus players who don’t make an NFL roster, but also their fans. We develop rooting interests and attachments to certain guys throughout the offseason, sometimes as early as the draft and UDFA signings. When they ultimately don’t make the 53, we’re left asking why. Today, let’s look through some of the fan favorites from the Cowboys’ 2024 offseason who ended up among the toughest cuts. Some of these have already been scooped up by other teams while others have just been signed to our practice squad. Why did Dallas choose not to secure these players with a spot on their official roster? S Julius Wood Arguably the most disappointing cut for most, Wood had an outstanding camp and preseason and was easily the fifth-best safety on the roster. Dallas only kept four true safeties at final cuts and left Wood vulnerable to waivers. Unfortunately, the Tennessee Titans claimed him and cost the Cowboys a strong practice squad member and potential future backup. As good as he was in August, causing three turnovers across Dallas’ three preseason games, Wood ultimately didn’t make it. Two key factors were at work; the Cowboys already have exceptional depth at safety and more critical needs at other positions. With starters Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson expected to thrive under Mike Zimmer, and then two great backups in Juanyeh Thomas and Markquese Bell, Dallas likely didn’t foresee many opportunities to get Wood on the field. Hooker and Wilson are both under contract in 2025 while Thomas and Bell will be restricted free agents, so keeping that foursome intact next season won’t be hard if the Cowboys choose to. Given that, despite his potential, Wood was expendable. Also hurting Wood is the versatility and experience of Israel Mukuamu, who can play corner and safety. Mukuamu’s ability to backup both depth charts allowed Dallas to keep assets elsewhere, such as having C.J. Goodwin as a pure specialist, going 10-deep at offensive line, or holding onto a fourth tight end. Wherever that extra space manifested, it was ultimately for someone the Cowboys thought they needed more now and perhaps next year than Wood. True, Dallas may regret losing Wood next year if either Hooker or Wilson becomes a cap casualty. But given their current success rate with late-round and undrafted defensive backs, the Cowboys might feel confident that there will be more prospects like Wood in the very near future. RB Malik Davis Davis has had a following for three offseasons now since joining Dallas as a 2021 undrafted free agent. But while he’s displayed solid running ability the last two seasons he was never able to beat out Rico Dowdle for a roster spot, lacking the special teams value, blocking ability, and other traits that the team wants from its RB depth. Dowdle’s move up the depth chart in 2024 didn’t help as Davis again found himself on the practice squad. With Ezekiel Elliott’s return and the expected expansion of fullback Hunter Luepke’s role, the backfield’s filled up quickly. The last spot ended up going to second-year prospect Deuce Vaughn, who offers a different skill set and more variety in role and play options. He also can serve as a backup returner to KaVontae Turpin, which further increases value. Months ago, we suggested that Davis’ only path to a roster spot might be winning the starting job. If he was clearly the best option to get the majority of the RB touches, that would mitigate the lack of versatility. But that obviously didn’t happen; prospect Snoop Conner arguably looked more potent on carries than Davis during preseason games. Dallas still thought enough of Davis to keep him on the practice squad for now, but with Dalvin Cook now in the mix it’s hard to imagine he’ll get much run in the regular season. CB Eric Scott Jr. Given the potential for DaRon Bland to miss a month or two with his foot injury, Scott seemed like a solid bet to make the roster. But rookie Caelen Carson emerged as the best young prospect at cornerback, and then Dallas traded for 2022 second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. as a new developmental option. With the aforementioned versatility of Israel Mukuamu, Scott was waived and was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs. While only in his second season, Scott’s already 25. Comparatively, Booth is over a year younger despite having an extra year of experience. And while he did get burned at times of big plays in the preseason, Booth also showed some strong tackling ability and playmaking potential at other times. Having just arrived in Dallas three weeks ago, the team probably wanted to get more time to evaluate him. Had Scott come in and shown significant improvement in his second season, he’d probably still be here. But given what the Cowboys saw from Carson as a rookie, Booth’s perceived upside, and the value of Mukuamu, Scott just didn’t bring enough to the table. Dallas likely would’ve had him on the practice squad if not for Kansas City. Perhaps Scott will wind up with a Super Bowl ring like some other Cowboys-turned-Chiefs in recent years. LB Willie Harvey Jr. Many were intrigued by the UFL standout when Dallas signed him in mid-June along with CB Gareon Conley. While he lasted longer than Conley, who retired just as camp began, Harvey was one of the losers in what surprisingly became a tight contest for the bottom of the LB depth chart. Not only did he not make the 53 but the 28-year-old is currently a free agent and not on any team’s practice squad. This isn’t so much about what Harvey didn’t do but more what the competition around him did. Buddy Johnson, a 2021 fourth-round pick by the Steelers who is still just 25, took

By the end of the 2019 NFL season, budding superstars Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott finished fourth and fifth in rushing touchdowns, and combined for nearly 2,500 yards; a backfield with the two of them would have been unstoppable. Now, the Dallas Cowboys running back room has made that a reality. The only problem is, we are five years removed from 2019. It became obvious towards the end of the 2023 season that running back was about to become a major need for Dallas. Veteran Tony Pollard was set to leave in free agency, and they had no clear heir to take his spot. So, in a free agent class that featured names like Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs, the Cowboys decided to run it back with Elliott, who has not seen an above average season since that 2019 campaign. Fast-forward to a couple of days ago, and Dallas decides to complement one aging, former-star with another in Cook, who, at 29 years old, has developed the nickname “Dalvin Cooked,” as he has appeared to many as being far past his prime within the last year. Cowboys to sign RB Dalvin Cook. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/KNIauYKR5E — NFL (@NFL) August 28, 2024 Simply put, this strategy of throwing it back to the good old days is not going to save the Cowboys running back corps. This is true for both veterans, and for different reasons, so let’s get into them. Ezekiel Elliott: Fleeting Juice Is Major Concern It pains me to talk badly about Elliott; he is one of my favorite players of all-time. Nothing could beat the “prime Zeke days” in Dallas, but those days are in the past. I was a proponent of re-signing Elliott, but as an RB2/RB3 behind a younger, more electric top option. His skills at this point are pass-catching, blocking, and potentially goal line work. His juice, long-speed, and game-breaking abilities are more or less gone in 2024. At his age with his workload history, that’s normal, and it doesn’t mean he can’t contribute this season. What it does mean is he can’t lead the way, and it is unfair to ask him to do so. The Cowboys are setting him, and the offense, up for failure by making him the RB1. Elliott is now over 2,000 carries in his NFL career after carrying the rock 184 times for the Patriots last year. Any suggestion that he would be able to provide a stronger spark into the offense than a guy like Rico Dowdle or Deuce Vaughn is simply wrong. Ezekiel Elliott had 184 carries last year. His longest run was 17 yards. — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 27, 2024 If they want to use Elliott, like I said, that is completely fine, he can still contribute. Where things go wrong is when you start leaning more on the past than on the future, and that’s what making Zeke the primary carrier does. Additionally, when you throw Cook into the mix, I find it hard to see a place for both guys. Elliott and Cook combined, with the two younger backs and Hunter Luepke, overcrowd the room and for what gain? To make sure you have two guys past their prime in there? Let’s talk about that problem. Dalvin Cook: Injury History Has Caught Up I completely understand the rationale some fans have had regarding signing Dalvin Cook. I even wrote about the possibility and the reasons why not too long ago. The issue is, in reality, he just does not fit into this roster when you include Elliott. Both are 29 years old, and despite Cook having more recent success, I think his skills might be more diminished than Elliott’s at this point because of his extensive injury history. His 2023 was deeply concerning. The Vikings decided to move on from him, both to save money and clear up touches despite rushing for 1,173 yards in his final season. I suspect they saw the warning signs. Then, after months of working out for various teams, he latched onto the Jets, who barely gave him any burn, and when they did, it was ugly. Reminder that Dalvin Cook is: * NFL’s 4th-worst RB in Rush Yards over Expectation* 4th-worst RB in Success Rate* Dead last in yards per attempt* PFF’s No. 52 graded RB among 57 qualifiers https://t.co/0OTh4BEIfn — Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) October 4, 2023 The counterpoint to the “washed” argument is “he had one bad season, players don’t fall off that quickly.” Well, that’s not true for running backs. This happens all the time at the position. The fact that it took until age 28 for Cook, with all his injuries, is almost impressive. It is rare for guys at the position to continue playing well into their 30s, and when you add in the wear and tear on Cook’s tires, it makes perfect sense that he is just out of gas. Now, the Cowboys running back room has two guys who are, in my view, at the end of the road, and two guys (Dowdle and Vaughn) who are just getting started. The room is now too crowded to get everybody involved, and I don’t think you can rely on the two veterans to carry the load. Because of that, Dallas will be left in no-mans-land trying to split up carries for their crowded and aging room. I don’t see a world where that is a great success.

The Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is known for his hardheadedness, but Dak Prescott versus Jerry Jones is about to happen. As we all know, Jerry played hardball with CeeDee Lamb and was still paid top of the market. The contract was undoubtedly a big news flash for Dak Prescott, who is still waiting for his new deal. CeeDee Lamb’s new deal was a four-year, $136 million contract extension with the Cowboys on August 27, 2024. $100 million is guaranteed, of which $82 million is a new guarantee. $67 million is fully guaranteed at signing, including a $38 million signing bonus. Dak Prescott is taking notes, and by the sound of the remarks made in the media, Dak may not be a happy camper at this point. Which may not be a good sign for the future. Dak Prescott Going to the Media Many fans do not want to hear this, but Dak Prescott is one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL based on statistics and regular-season records. His playoff record isn’t excellent, but guess what? Neither is Lamar Jackson’s playoff record, but he was an MVP. In case anyone forgot, Dak Prescott was the MVP runner-up. That said, Dak Prescott knows he deserves a new contract, and if Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office do not offer him one soon, it could be bad for Cowboys fans. As Dak Prescott goes into the 2024 season, his last season under contract, he expressed his displeasure when speaking to the media. When speaking to the media, Dak said, “I think it says a lot if it is or if it isn’t” regarding a new deal. Dak Prescott said he doesn’t have to have a new contract before the season starts, but “I think it says a lot if it is or if it isn’t.” What does it say if it isn’t done? “Just how people feel.” pic.twitter.com/XDXGDl7LKn — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 29, 2024 Reading between the lines, Dak Prescott could be telling the Cowboys nation and the rest of the league the ball is in Jerry Jones’ court. Fans know Dak Prescott wants to be a Cowboy, but after reading the room, it is a great possibility this is the last year of Dak Prescott’s tenure as the Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Oh, and by the way, Dak Prescott has stopped listening to what Jerry Jones says in the media. Dak Prescott: “I stopped, honestly, listening to things (Jerry Jones) says to the media a long time ago. It doesn’t really hold weight with me.” https://t.co/wT742UnccH — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 29, 2024 Jerry Jones Takes the High Road for Now Jerry Jones had a lot to say about his star quarterback‘s contract situation. However, he mostly just talked in circles, which he is very good at. Jerry Jones had this to say, “You could easily say, if you hadn’t seen it by now, you haven’t seen it, I’m such a fan of Dak’s and appreciate all of the great things that we all know that he’s there. I appreciate his work ethic probably more than anything out here. I can’t tell you how proud I am that we’ve got him this year to start this campaign. Needing to see, I just gave an explanation where when you look at a situation, you’ve also got to weigh, ‘OK, what are the consequences of the other side of the coin.’ Dak’s situation, right now, for me, from my mirror, has more to do with our [salary cap] situation than it does with the merits of Dak Prescott being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.” That was a long quote, but let’s try translating the “Jerry-isms.” One thing that is noticed is the statement, “I can’t tell you how proud I am that we’ve got him this year to start this campaign.” This statement says Jerry Jones only wants Dak Prescott this year. If Prescott gets signed, it will be others in the front office who push the issue. It would not be Jerry Jones who wanted the deal. Jerry does not talk about the future with Dak Prescott but only talks about the year under contract. We could break down the quote and find details that give clues for the future. The only problem is that it would be a long article. As for the season, let us, as a fanbase, enjoy the year. This could be the last year we get the opportunity to continue winning. If the Cowboys start over at quarterback, prepare for pre-Tony Romo type of quarterback play. Unless the front office catches lightning in a bottle with what will be a mid-20s draft pick and gets a quarterback of the future. It is going to be a rough few years after 2024. It’s not a likely outcome, but crazier things have happened. This season could genuinely be the end of the Dak Prescott era.

You have no idea how nice it is to finally be talking about regular season football. It makes it even better that we don’t have to worry about whether CeeDee Lamb will be there either, now that he has signed his contract. Normally, we would expect the Dallas Cowboys to take on someone like the New York Giants in the first week of the season. Well, this year they are on the road to take on the Cleveland Browns. A team with another quarterback with a huge amount of pressure on him to finally do something and earn that money he signed for. That would be Deshaun Watson. BREAKING: WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys agree to 4-year, $136M extension with $100M guaranteed. (via @tompelissero, @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/S0A7chtCQ6 — NFL (@NFL) August 26, 2024 Big Break For Big D The Cowboys will have enough trouble to start the year dealing with Myles Garrett and the no. 1 overall defense from 2023, so the news that was reported this week will help their defense. The Browns put star running back Nick Chubb on the physically unable to perform list. That means he will be inactive for the first four games of the regular season. Browns RB Nick Chubb (knee) will start the season on Reserve/PUP list, will miss first 4 games of the season. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/sA87drsKkC — NFL (@NFL) August 26, 2024 Chubb has been rehabbing a severe left knee injury sustained in Week 2 of the 2023 season that sidelined him for the rest of the year and required two surgeries. He underwent the first procedure to repair the medial capsule, meniscus and MCL in late September. The second surgery occurred in November, repairing damage to the ACL. Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, had rushed for more than 1,000 yards in four straight seasons before 2023, including a career-high 1,525 in 2022. This is his second significant left knee injury; he tore the MCL, PCL and LCL at the University of Georgia in 2015. Not having to deal with Chubb will be a bonus for Dallas. Instead, they will have to focus on the Beef Up The D Line It took until nearly the end of August, but after the Cowboys lost Sam Williams, they finally added some big bodies for Mike Zimmer and that defensive line. We know how bad this team has been at stopping the run over the last two or three seasons with Dan Quinn. Now Zimmer comes in, and I will tell you what, I trust him a lot more than I trusted Quinn. Dan was always trying to be buddy-buddy with his players, and yes, that worked for the big splash plays. The defense was good under Quinn, but not good enough. They could and should have been so much better. Over the last few weeks, the Cowboys have added some big bodies to help stop the run. Dallas traded a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Giants in exchange for veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and a 2026 seventh-round pick on August 15th. Jordan Phillips with a good play on the quarterback. pic.twitter.com/9sFiz4z9nU — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 20, 2024 Last Wednesday, Jerry made another move that at least should help for the time being. I am not sure how much he has left in the tank, but he has one job. Plug the holes and help stop the dang run. Linval Joseph signed a one-year deal for $2.5 million guaranteed. He can earn up to $4 million after incentives. Joseph spent six seasons in Minnesota under new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike ZImmer, who was his Vikings head coach at the time. Linval Joseph’s advice to defensive tackles in Mike Zimmer’s system: “Learn it quickly. Zim don’t like mistakes.” pic.twitter.com/spZ79yES4X — Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 28, 2024 The Cowboys have a tough test to start the year, but it helps that they don’t have to deal with Chubb. If they can start the season by winning two of their first three games, that would be huge. Split with the Browns and Ravens and take care of the Siants, it will set them up nicely for the rest ahead. Now that Lamb is in the building I am kinda looking forward to this season.

For the second-straight year the Dallas Cowboys ended the preseason with a 1-2 record. The last time they posted a winning record in preseason play was a 2-1 mark in 2022. It also marked the fifth-straight year that quarterback Dak Prescott failed to take a single preseason snap. Despite not playing their star player much, if at all, in the preseason, Dallas has gone on to make the playoffs in the last three years. Other NFL teams have had their top players log some time on the field in live action in August. Jacksonville even had its starting quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, lead multiple drives in the finale. Diving into the numbers, is it possible to see how the Cowboys’ preseason approach impacts its regular season outcomes? Recent Results The Cowboys are 10-18 in the preseason since 2016 – the beginning of the Dak Prescott Era if you will. They have made the playoffs in five of those previous eight years. By comparison, from 2007-2015 – the nine seasons that Tony Romo was the QB1 in Dallas – the Cowboys made the playoffs in four of those years. Dallas was 17-19 in the preseason during Romo’s run. They sometimes played five preseason games back then, while three is the new norm now. Over the past 17 seasons – with two franchise quarterbacks – the Cowboys are a combined 27-27 in preseason play with nine playoff appearances. With no appearances at all in the NFC Championship Game. Which also means no Super Bowl appearances either over that time. Which begs the question: Is a strong preseason showing a must to make a deep playoff run? Mixed Results In the 1970s, the Cowboys used strong preseason showings to launch title runs. Dallas went 6-0 in their first Super Bowl winning season in 1971. They went 3-3 six years later to kick off the 1977 championship-winning season. But two decades later – a mere 14 seasons between Super Bowl appearances – the 1990s dynasty run didn’t need a winning preseason at all, it would seem. In 1992, the Cowboys started out with a 2-3 preseason record. They ended the year by destroying the Bills in Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena. In 1993, the preseason was marked by Emmitt Smith’s holdout and ended with a 1-4 record that became an 0-2 regular season start. Smith returned for the third game against the Cardinals in Phoenix. The 1993 season ended with a second straight Super Bowl win over the Bills, this time in Atlanta. The 1995 season began with a 2-3 record but ended with the Cowboys hoisting their fifth Lombardi trophy. It would seem the teams of the 1990s were talented enough to show up when the games actually matter. But is that the same for the Cowboys of the 21st Century? Not at all. Laying Down A Strong Foundation Looking at the record over the past eight seasons under Prescott, Dallas is clearly not firing off the blocks when the calendar flips to September. In the Prescott Era, the Cowboys are 3-5 in season openers. The Cowboys were 6-3 in season openers under Romo. Since Prescott began sitting out the preseason, the Cowboys are just 1-3 in season openers. Last year, when they routed the Giants 40-0 to begin the year, was the first year they won a season-opener this decade. It was also the first time they opened the season with a win and went on to make the playoffs since 2017. Frankly, that should come with an asterisk, since the Giants were that abysmal in 2023. During Prescott’s run the Cowboys’ best start has been 3-0 – and that came back in 2019. The last year Prescott played in the preseason. The Cowboys brain trust – bankrupt as it may be – insists that sitting Prescott out reduces the wear and tear on his body. But given the track record of the last eight years, is this approach hindering the team during the regular season? Possibly. If the Cowboys again fail to advance beyond the divisional round in January, it could be time for a new approach to the preseason. The key to building a strong house is laying down a solid foundation. In the NFL, that begins in the preseason. Maybe the Cowboys need to take another look at those blueprints?

The Dallas Cowboys’ ability to stop the run the last few years has been a huge problem. This will be the first season that a new face will call the plays with hopes he can figure out a way to change the narrative. Someone I trust a bit more than former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Mike Zimmer has proved over the years to be able to fix most problems on that side of the ball, and to my surprise, the Cowboys have actually been doing something to try and make sure they don’t get embarrassed by teams that run the football in 2024. Give Credit Finally Although the moves have been for guys that have been in this league for a decent amount of time, Jerry Jones did make a handful of moves near the end of August that should help the defensive line. He is beefing it up. Dallas traded a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Giants in exchange for veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and a 2026 seventh-round pick on August 15th. In a odd turn of events, the Cowboys released Carl Lawson on Tuesday. They signed him late in training camp, but after all the cuts were made yesterday, they decided he still wasn’t good enough. I found that really odd. Last Wednesday, Jerry made another move that at least should help for the time being. I am not sure how much he has left in the tank, but he has one job. Plug the holes and help stop the dang run. Linval Joseph signed a one-year deal for $2.5 million guaranteed. He can earn up to $4 million after incentives. Joseph spent six seasons in Minnesota under new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike ZImmer, who was his Vikings head coach at the time. He is clearly way passed his prime, but he provides crucial depth up front for a Cowboys squad that was an below average run defense in 2023 (112.4 rushing yards allowed per game, 16th in the NFL). Tough Test Early The Cowboys are going to be put to the test early this season with six of their first ten games against teams that made the playoffs a year ago. The defensive line and the back end will be put to the test with DaRon Bland going down. They start things off with the Browns who have Nick Chubb running the ball, and added Jerry Jeudy with Amari Cooper. They then take on the Saints, who do have Alvin Kamara. He can torch you if you are careful. Then the following week, they have to deal with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. On paper, that is a load to deal with. This front is going to be tested from the get go. The offense will need to help them out big time against the Ravens. The good news is the Dallas Cowboys signed CeeDee Lamb this week, that takes the pressure off the offensive side of the ball, at least for now. He agreed to a four-year, $136 million extension. Lamb now has the second-highest average annual salary at $34 million per year, coming in just behind Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson (four years, $35 million per year). Jerry Jones finally did all his business at the end of the summer. Not surprising. He made sure he could stay in the media for as long as possible. Once the preseason was over, he got the Lamb deal done. It is going to be a fun week ahead now that Lamb has been paid, and we can see the core group back together suit up for week one. The Cowboys have a chance to quiet a lot of folks early this season.