Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland miss practice again for Cowboys :: ProFootballTalk Link Both players sat out Thursday’s practice, casting some doubt on Jerry Jones’s earlier proclamation that they would be game-time decisions. Of Parsons in particular, Mike McCarthy said the edge rusher is currently “not over the threshold” in terms of being able to go versus San Francisco. Friday and Saturday’s work sessions will be critical for Parsons and Bland. Updates: Kendricks’ chances of playing Sun. :: The Mothership Link Kendricks was limited for the second straight day with a shoulder ailment, but he says he’ll do whatever it takes to play in Week 8 against the 49ers, the team he nearly signed with before changing his mind to come to Dallas. Cowboys lose up-and-coming weapon to another ACL injury :: Cowboys Wire Link John Stephens Jr. saw his promising rookie season cut short in 2023 by a preseason ACL tear. While the undrafted tight end hadn’t yet cracked the lineup as a Cowboy, coaches raved about his development. Now the youngster has suffered a serious setback, tearing the same ACL in practice on Wednesday. He’ll have surgery and miss the remainder of the 2024 season. Cowboys CB hopes to turn tide vs depleted 49ers receiving corps: ‘Opportunity’s going to come’ :: Cowboys Wire Link Caelen Carson is working his way back from a shoulder injury, and the rookie is eager to help the Dallas defense start racking up some turnovers, something they haven’t done all that well thus far. “It’s been an emphasis all year; it just hasn’t happened,” the fifth-round draft pick explained. This may be the week, as the 49ers’ receiving corps has been decimated by injury. Bye week criticism brought Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb to common theme :: Dallas Morning News Link Lamb declined to respond directly to Troy Aikman’s recent criticism of him, but the receiver did admit, “Got to get better overall.” Prescott acknowledged that Lamb’s camp holdout may have hindered their communication but added, “There’s more plays out there for me to make, whether it’s in the design or not.” The two found time during the off week to watch game tape together and work on some routes. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott describes his 2024 season as ‘average’ through six games, details what could improve :: CBS Sports Link The offensive numbers are way down from last year, and Prescott is taking the responsibility. “I’d say I’ve played average, and average isn’t good enough right now by any means,” Prescott said Thursday. It’s thought the quarterback using his legs more would help add a spark, something that worked after the bye week last season. He says the offensive line- with its two rookies- is gaining confidence and improving their communication. Science Lab: A literal drive to survive as concerning Cowboys’ offensive stat emerges :: The Mothership Link The Cowboys have been dreadful in the red zone, hitting paydirt just 37.5% of the time. Maddeningly, they are one of the league leaders in drives of 10 or more plays, but Brandon Aubrey has kicked as many field goals at the end of those drives as the offense has scored touchdowns. As for chunk plays, Dallas is among the worst in the NFL. Capitalizing on extended drives and creating chunk plays have to become a part of the Cowboys’ repertoire. Cowboys get big WR news at Thursday’s practice :: Sport DFW Link Brandin Cooks won’t be eligible to return until Week 10 at the earliest after his knee procedure and subsequent infection, but he is progressing nicely. The 31-year-old returned to practice on Thursday and was seen working out on resistance cords in an encouraging sign. Cover 1, Cover 3, Cover your eyes: Cowboys defensive flip hasn’t worked :: Cowboys WIre Link Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson have practically swapped roles in Mike Zimmer’s defense this year. Neither is having a strong season to show for it; both are currently sitting on the lowest PFF grades of their careers. And because their switch is typically a pre-snap alignment, it’s not fooling opposing offenses. If not now, when? Cowboys will look to reverse 49ers recent dominance :: Cowboys Wire Link The Cowboys have lost the last three meetings with their West Coast rivals, twice in the playoffs and each final score worse than the last. While the 49ers are dealing with numerous injuries, the Cowboys are coming off a bye week. This may be Dallas’s best chance at getting the San Francisco monkey off their back. ESPN, former Cowboys criticisms about club culture sets Micah Parsons off :: Cowboys Wire Link ESPN’s story about fan tours causing havoc at team headquarters has lit a firestorm, but Parsons isn’t buying it. “Sometimes you gotta call bull [expletive] when you see it! This ain’t it,” he posted on X. Jourdan Lewis also seemed to downplay the seriousness of the distraction, writing, “we are some of the most mentally tough people in the world – supposedly,” and then saying of his teammates, “hopefully that’s not a problem.” ‘It’s an excuse’: Dak Prescott, other Cowboys react to ESPN report questioning impact of fan tours :: Lone Star Live Link Prescott also took issue with the notion that fan tours are a huge issue for Cowboys players. “You gotta embrace it,” Prescott said. “You can walk by and you can have a negative mindset about it and allow that to ruin your day. Or you can be thankful that you’re an organization that people want to see. And, you know, for me, it’s just easy to say, ‘What’s up?’ Wave and keep walking.” Zack Martin also dismissed the presence of fans as a factor in on-the-field play. Murder wasn’t the case that they gave him: Cowboys assassin heads to court :: Cowboys Wire Link Kicker Brandon Aubrey is juggling his prep week with his civic duty this week, serving on a Tarrant County jury in a second-degree strangulation case. The case does not require the jury being sequestered, so
Cowboys vs 49ers: 3 things to hate about the Week 8 opponent
The 49ers might not be hitting on all cylinders yet, but linebacker Fred Warner is a problem to be reckoned with. Warner is one of the best LBs in the league and he’s been a First-Team All-Pro in three of the last four seasons. There aren’t many defensive players tobetter. Through seven games this season, another All-Pro year looks like it’s coming for the leader of the 49ers’ defense. Warner leads the defense in tackles, has a sack, two tackles for a loss and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. In his last two games against the Cowboys, Warner’s wreaked havoc. In the 2023 meeting, Warner had a sack, a forced fumble which the 49ers recovered, and an interception. The pick was his second off quarterback Dak Prescott in as many games, matching the one he got in the 2022 playoff matchup. Warner is an elite defensive player who affects offenses each week, and the Cowboys have to hate facing him in Week 8.
Cover 1, Cover 3, Cover your eyes: Cowboys defensive flip hasn’t worked
Cover 1, Cover 3, Cover your eyes: Cowboys defensive flip hasn’t worked reidhanson Most will agree, the Cowboys’ biggest shake up of the 2024 offseason was their change at defensive coordinator. Gone was Dan Quinn. After coaching the Dallas defense for three successful seasons, Quinn earned a head coaching job in our nation’s capital. Replacing him at the helm was long time coordinator Mike Zimmer. Zimmer brought with him his infamously demanding defensive scheme, a nonsense attitude and an acceptance for timely split safety looks. While the Cowboys were still expected to lean on man coverage in 2024, they were also expected to show more two-high safety looks. Zimmer was known to disguise coverage frequently and split his safeties over the top from time to time. It was a departure from his predecessor who both preferred single high safety formations and didn’t put much value is disguises. 2024 has proven to be surprising but not quite in the way many imagined. Zimmer has indeed disguised coverages, rolling safeties and linebackers at the last second to catch passers off guard, but he hasn’t moved Dallas off the single-high safety reliance. https://x.com/fball_insights/status/1848828006363529723 Between Cover 1 and Cover 3, the Cowboys play a combined 61% of their snaps in single high. While that may be down from the seasons prior, it still represents their two most popular coverages seven weeks into 2024. It’s understandable since the Cowboys have two fairly different safeties starting on their defense. Malik Hooker, traditionally their free safety, has been one of the better centerfielders in the NFL. In his last two seasons under Quinn, he ranked inside the top 15 of the 88+ safeties Pro Football Focus graded. Donovan Wilson, their primary box safety, didn’t grade as well by PFF but since the majority of his splash plays come near the line of scrimmage with him running downfield, his positioning seemed appropriate as well. Under Zimmer that has changed somewhat. Hooker’s snap percentage at deep safety has dropped from 84 percent under Quinn to 66 percent under Zimmer. Wilson’s snap percentage at deep safety has jumped from 38 percent under Quinn to 57 percent under Zimmer. While the slight increase in split safety looks accounts for some of that, the two players can be seen routinely playing each other’s roles throughout a game. Hooker can often be seen sneaking up into a box role while Wilson positions himself back as the single high. What would have been a unicorn moment in 2023 now looks commonplace on the Cowboys defense in 2024 and it’s hard to understand why. Deception is one thing, but these are typically pre-snap alignments, so the intention is stated at the start. This is just a case of role swapping and based on early returns it isn’t working out great. Based on PFF grades Wilson is having the lowest graded season of his career in 2024. He’s flashed a nice play here and there, but most will agree it’s been a pretty poor season for the man who’s on the books for $7,370,575 this season. Hooker is having a season to forget too. The former first-round pick is also having the lowest graded season of his career and is having a hard time justifying his more modest $3,985,296 cap hit as well. It seems the two players were better when they were focused on their respective expertise. Maybe run fit discipline led to change or maybe it was matchups that has Zimmer playing mix and match with his two playmakers but whatever the reason, it doesn’t seem to be worth it. The Cowboys are still leaning heavily on single high safety looks under Zimmer but where the new defensive coordinator differs from his predecessor is which safety he uses where. That may not be a good thing. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys lose up-and-coming weapon to another ACL injury
Cowboys lose up-and-coming weapon to another ACL injury Todd Brock Just as the Cowboys were starting to look like they were getting healthy coming off the bye week, a promising emerging talent has suffered a brutal setback to his young career. Tight end John Stephens Jr. tore an ACL in Wednesday’s practice, according to a report from ESPN’s Todd Archer, who cited sources. The 25-year-old joined the club as an undrafted free agent last spring. A wide receiver at both TCU and Louisiana, the 6-foot-5-inch Stephens was converted to tight end during his rookie training camp with the Cowboys. While the team had high hopes for Stephens, his first pro campaign was lost to an ACL injury in the second game of the 2023 preseason. This latest injury is to the same knee; Stephens is expected to undergo surgery and be placed once again on season-ending IR. Stephens had not been active for a game yet in 2024, but the team had positive reviews for him and his development. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Jake Ferguson remains the starter at the position in Dallas. Behind him are Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford. Princeton Fant occupies a spot on the practice squad. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
If not now, when? Cowboys will look to reverse 49ers recent dominance
If not now, when? Cowboys will look to reverse 49ers recent dominance Mike Crum The Dallas Cowboys have lost their last three matchups with the San Francisco 49ers, and each outing hads been worse than the previous one. In the 2021 NFC wild-card game, the 49ers got ahead early and survived a late comeback. In the 2022 divisional round, San Francisco shut down the Cowboys offense in a 19-12 victory. In Week 5 last season, the 49ers destroyed Dallas on both sides of the ball in a 42-10 beatdown. The Cowboys again have to travel to San Francisco in Week 8, but this could be the year they pull off the upset. Dallas will be coming in off a bye week, and McCarthy is 12-5 off a bye week in his career as a head coach. Last year, Dallas beat the Los Angeles Rams 43-20 after their break. They won six of their seven games after the bye and came out looking like a completely new offense, with four games scoring 40 points and two others scoring 33. Injuries now decimate the 49ers, even worse than the Cowboys. All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey and his backup Elijah Mitchell are out. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and kicker Jake Moody will all miss the contest against the Cowboys. San Francisco has plenty of others who could also miss the Sunday night game. Wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel are both questionable and tight end George Kittle is too. Dallas has a chance to get three former All-Pro players back: cornerback DaRon Bland, linebacker Eric Kendricks, and defensive end Micah Parsons. Rookie corner Caelen Carson and left tackle Tyler Guyton could also return to help. For the Cowboys, if they can’t beat the 49ers now, then when? You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or YouTube on the Across the Cowboys Podcast. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys open 21-day practice window for injured defensive lineman
Cowboys open 21-day practice window for injured defensive lineman Todd Brock The Cowboys had hoped to use their bye week to get healthy, bringing several injured players back to action for the difficult 11-game gauntlet that will comprise the remainder of the 2024 season. On Wednesday, one veteran took a big step closer to a return to the field, though how much difference it will make is a matter of opinion. Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 18 under somewhat confusing circumstances, has had his 21-day practice window opened by the club. The Cowboys now have three weeks to evaluate the 32-year-old and decide if they want to move him to the active roster or end his season. Phillips, originally a second-round draft pick by the Dolphins in 2015 and also a former Bill and Cardinal, was traded to Dallas in the middle of August after he spent the summer with the Giants. But the 330-pounder played only sparingly once the Cowboys’ season got underway. He logged 15 defensive snaps in Week 1 versus Cleveland and played just 19 more the following week against New Orleans. It was after that game that the Cowboys placed Phillips on IR. Team owner Jerry Jones said the lineman had been “favoring his wrist,” even though the Oklahoma product claimed at the time that he knew nothing about it and said his wrist was fine when asked. At the time, his PFF grade stood at 29.6, among the lowest in the league for a defensive lineman. Phillips had indeed undergone surgery the year prior to repair a dislocated wrist, but based on his own comments, many wondered if the Cowboys were really making the move in order to give Phillips a four-week window to perhaps improve his conditioning and better acclimate himself to Mike Zimmer’s defense. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] After six games, the Cowboys are giving up an average of 143.2 rushing yards per game, the sixth-worst mark of all defenses leaguewide. They have allowed 10 rushing touchdowns, a total surpassed only by Carolina. The Dallas defense has also been without Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland, Eric Kendricks, and Caelen Carson at various points this season. Sam Williams and DaRon Bland have not played at all in the Cowboys’ six games. The Cowboys’ next five opponents all currently rank in the top half of the NFL in rushing yards per contest. Three of them- San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Washington- are in the top seven, so reinforcements along the defensive line will be most welcome. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys vs 49ers Initial Injury Report: Why aren’t the All-Pros ready to go?
Cowboys vs 49ers Initial Injury Report: Why aren’t the All-Pros ready to go? K.D. Drummond It was this time two weeks ago when things started to look brighter. All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland, missing from the lineup all season, was on track to play in Week 6. On injured reserve due to foot surgery, Bland had been especially missed for two games as his surprisingly good understudy, fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson, was missing time due to a shoulder injury. Both players were thought to be ready to return, just in time to try and help corral the Detroit Lions passing attack, but that’s not how things went at all. After fully participating in both Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practice, again, two weeks ago, Bland appeared on Friday’s practice report with the dreaded “DNP” designation: Did Not Participate. And now, in their first practice after the bye week, Bland appears on the first injury report of Week 9 as DNP. What gives? If the initial concern was just that he wasn’t ready for game action, that would be understandable. But it’s pretty impossible to walk out that line of reasoning almost a full two weeks later. Did Bland re-injure something? Also a concern, star pass rusher Micah Parsons is also missing from the hopeful status categories for Wednesday, getting a DNP as well due to his high-ankle sprain. Parsons spoke earlier in the bye that his return isn’t solely up to him, that he has to get complete clearance to ensure he won’t make his injury worse. The 49ers are dealing with their own rash of injuries of course, with Brandon Aiyuk going on IR and Deebo Samuel dealing with pneumonia, but they’ll receive no sympathy from the Cowboys. Here’s a look at the teams’ reports from Wednesday. Dallas Cowboys K Brandon Aubrey, NIR-Other | Wednesday: Did Not Participate LB Micah Parsons, Ankle | Wednesday: Did Not Participate CB DaRon Bland, Foot | Wednesday: Did Not Participate CB Caelen Carson, Shoulder | Wednesday: Full Participant WR Ryan Flournoy, Ankle | Wednesday: Limitd Participant Linebacker Eric Kendricks, Shoulder | Wednesday: Limited Linebacker Nick Vigil, Foot | Wednesday: Limited LB Marist Liufau, Shoulder | Wednesday: Full Participant DT Jordan Phillips, Wrist | Wednesday: Full Participant TE John Stephens, Knee | Wednesday: Limited San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel, Wrist/Illness | Wednesday: Did Not Participate WR Jauan Jennings, Hip | Wednesday: Did Not Participate K Jake Moody, Ankle | Wednesday: Did Not Participate DT Kevin Givens, Groin | Wednesday: Did Not Participate TE George Kittle, Foot | Wednesday: Did Not Participate Safety George Odum, Knee | Wednesday: Did Not Participate WR Chris Conley, Ankle | Wednesday: Limited DE Nick Bosa, Elbow | Wednesday: Limited RB Jordan Mason, Shoulder | Wednesday: Limited Wedensday Vet Day: LT Trent Williams Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
NFL TV coverage maps, announcers for Week 8: What to watch while waiting on Cowboys-49ers
BLUE: Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma YELLOW: Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Adam Amin, Greg Olsen ORANGE: Tennessee Titans @ Detroit Lions: Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston CYAN: Arizona Cardinals @ Miami Dolphins: Jason Benetti, Mark Schlereth RED: (LATE) Buffalo Bills @ Seattle Seahawks: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady GREEN: (LATE) New Orleans Saints @ LA Chargers: Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez
Cowboys 53-man roster for Week 8, which players are ready to return from bye vs 49ers?
No. 1 WR Jalen Tolbert Jul 27, 2022; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert (18) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports No. 2 CB Jourdan Lewis Sep 25, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (27) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports No. 4 QB Dak Prescott Dec 10, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) smiles on the field after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports No. 5 Punter Bryan Anger Dallas Cowboys punter Bryan Anger (5) prepares for the game against the Giants, at MetLife Stadium. Sunday, September 10, 2023 No. 6 Safety Donovan Wilson Wednesday: — | Thursday: — | Friday: — No. 7 CB Trevon Diggs Apr 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs talks to a member of the Mavericks staff during the second quarter of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the LA Clippers during game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports No. 9 WR Kavontae Turpin LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 04: NFL player KaVontae Turpin of the Dallas Cowboys attends the NFL Pro Bowl Weekend Celebrity All-Star Game 2023 benefiting the charity D Up On Cancer at the Cox Pavilion on February 04, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) No. 10 QB Cooper Rush Wednesday: — | Thursday: — | Friday: DNP No. 11 DE Micah Parsons Jun 5, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parson (11) warms up during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports No. 13 LB DeMarvion Overshown Jul 29, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (35) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports No. 14 Safety Markquese Bell Wednesday: Limited | No. 15 RB Ezekiel Elliott Jun 4, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) on the field during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports No. 17 Kicker Brandon Aubrey Sep 17, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) watches his field goal in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports No. 18 LB Damone Clark : Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports No. 19 QB Trey Lance EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 10: Trey Lance #15 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on September 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) No. 21 CB Caelen Carson No. 23 RB Rico Dowdle ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 12: Rico Dowdle #23 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) No. 24 Safety Israel Mukuamu Aug 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Israel Mukuamu (24) walks off the field after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports No. 25 CB Andrew Booth Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (23) looks on during the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports No. 28 Safety Malik Hooker Jul 29, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker (28) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports No. 29 CB C.J. Goodwin Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive back C.J. Goodwin (29) catches a pass for a first down on a fake punt in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports No. 30 Safety Juanyeh Thomas Nov 19, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas (30) during pregame warm ups against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports No. 35 LB Marist Liufau No. 40 FB Hunter Luepke Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Hunter Luepke (43) during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports No. 41 LB Nick Vigil Sep 12, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Nick Vigil (59) reacts after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (np) in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports No. 42 RB Deuce Vaughn ARLINGTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 12: Deuce Vaughn #42 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a preseason game at AT&T Stadium on August 12, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) No. 44 Long Snapper Trent Sieg ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 01: Trent Sieg #44 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates with Chauncey Golston #99 of the Dallas Cowboys after Golston’s two point conversion during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at AT&T Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) No. 50 Linebacker Erick Kendricks Jun 5, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau (35) and linebacker Eric Kendricks (50) go through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports No. 55 DE Carl Lawson Nov 29, 2020; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson (58) reacts to his team prior to the game between the New York Giants and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie
Did the Cowboys screw up by letting this DB walk in free agency?
Stephon Gilmore was a key part of the 12-4 Cowboys last season. The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year paired with DaRon Bland to form one of the better cornerback duos in the league in 2023. Acquired in an offseason trade, Gillmore was well worth the price of admission. But as the Cowboys prepared to break the bank for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb in 2024, Gillmore faced the same fate many of the Cowboys other free agents faced, a handshake and a goodbye. Instead of re-signing Gilmore, Dallas inked the seven-year veteran Jourdan Lewis to a new deal. He was of very few who were asked to come back, and as arguably the best performing CB on the Cowboys this season, it’s been money well spent. With Trevon Diggs also coming back in 2024 and DaRon Bland coming off a breakout All-Pro season, Gilmore was on the outside looking in. Despite sitting unsigned in free agency for a brutally long period of time, the Cowboys didn’t bite. Eventually Gilmore signed with the Vikings for one year, $7,000,000 million, fully guaranteed. It’s a decision he’s likely pleased he made with Minnesota at 5-0 and in first place in the NFC. How he performed with the Cowboys Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports Gilmore wasn’t the All-Pro he used to be in 2023, but he was a solid, starting-quality CB who provided both dependable play and veteran leadership. Pro Football Focus graded him 35th out of 127 graded CBs last season, giving Dallas two CBs in the league’s top 35. How he’s performing in 2024 Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Even at age 34, Gilmore is still clear value-added to his team. PFF ranks the veteran 30th in 2024. His 8.5 yards/reception allowed is a career best. His 69.7 passer rating when targeted is his best since 2019. He’s logged two pass deflections, one interception and allowed zero touchdowns. It’s safe to say he’s an absolute steal at $7 million. How he’d fit had he been re-signed (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) On paper he would have never displaced Bland or Diggs. The Cowboys could have moved Bland back inside but given his success outside in 2023, that would be hard to believe. Gilmore would have fit well as an outside replacement, which based on the Cowboys history, would have been a significant role. As luck would have it, Bland was injured before the season began and the second outside CB spot became of revolving door of low-level options. We know now Gilmore would have played a significant role early in 2024 and given his high-end play against the run, he would have helped the Cowboys considerably. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Was it a mistake not re-signing him? Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports For the Cowboys, yes. For Gilmore, no. If Gilmore would have accepted $7 million to play a reserve role, retrospect says that’s a great deal to make for Dallas. Diggs started the 2024 campaign strong but isn’t playing with the same effort or precision as before. He could have used a veteran presence like Gilmore playing across from him and prodding him to play better. With Bland coming back after the bye, the need isn’t as significant for Gilmore going forward. Assuming the Cowboys can stay relatively healthy at CB, they may not need an extra boundary CB again this season. Regardless, having that veteran stability on the roster and given the injury-filled nature of the position in Dallas, Gilmore would have been well worth re-signing for $7 million had he been willing to accept it. Related articles Saturday, July 29, 2023.
