McCarthy reveals 2024 theme, but what are these Cowboys actually ‘rooted’ in? Todd Brock Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has employed a different theme for each of his seasons with the team. In his first year, it was “20/20 Vision.” The next year, “Victory.” The 2022 rallying cry was “Resilience,” and last season implored the team to “Carpe omnia.” The 2024 mantra has been revealed, and this one seems to be landing a bit differently. The word is “Rooted,” the coach told reporters on Wednesday. While the previous mottoes were forward-looking and could be seen as encouraging a particular mindset or play style, this one feels very introspective. Reflective. Based in the past. And, it has to be said, maybe more than a little self-serving for McCarthy, who will be coaching to keep his job all season long. “It’s based on the foundation we’ve built here over five years,” he said, per the team website. “I got good advice from my father about living your life in five-year increments, and what you can learn in that time and space, to not do too much too fast. It’s more of a life lesson. We’re in the fifth year of what we’ve done and what we have to build off of as part of the root system that’s in place here.” But what, exactly, are the 2024 Cowboys rooted in? Cynically speaking, they’ve certainly established a knack for regular-season success over inferior opponents, only to be followed by a disappointing premature collapse in January. https://twitter.com/VoiceOfTheStar/status/1831372074847195453 To be sure, a foundation is there. Three consecutive 12-win seasons aren’t nothing, as McCarthy himself pointed out in stark terms recently. Stephen Jones called it “hanging around the rim” not too long ago. But that’s clearly not enough, or else McCarthy wouldn’t be coaching this season without a contract for 2025. Are there plenty of teams who would love three straight 12-win seasons? Of course there are. But if the Cowboys don’t venture any deeper into the postseason this time around, McCarthy could well be interviewing with some of them come February. That would mean putting down new roots for the NFC’s fourth-longest-tenured head coach. The 60-year-old may feel rooted in what he’s grown in Dallas, but he and some or all of his coaching staff- also working without a net- could find themselves transplants in new cities if this season doesn’t bear fruit. Rooted may be the team’s slogan for 2024, but it also feels very much like the coach’s plea to Jerry Jones to stay the course beyond this season. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] How much will his players buy in to the theme anyway? Of the 53 men who will presumably make up the Cowboys’ Week 1 roster, only 10 of them- that’s 19%- have been wearing the star for McCarthy’s entire Dallas tenure. And six of those 10 are currently set to hit free agency in 2025, so how deep are those roots, really? Similarly, how rooted are this year’s rookies in the seeds that McCarthy and the team’s veteran leaders were dutifully planting in 2020? Tyler Guyton and Caelen Carson were freshmen still getting settled in their college dorm rooms. And forget trying to draw on any sort of ties to the franchise’s larger, more illustrious history. The last of those five Lombardi Trophies they walk past every day in The Star’s lobby, for example, had already been sitting in the display case and collecting six years worth of dust before they were even born. But rooted does imply an anticipation of growth. And plants that are well-rooted are better equipped to handle stressors like drought and extreme temperature, under- or overwatering, disease, and neglect. The ’24 Cowboys will no doubt get more than their fair share of stress this make-or-break season. And the younger players can always look to their more experienced teammates- the Dak Prescotts, the DeMarcus Lawrences, the Jourdan Lewises, the Zack Martins- for cues on how to withstand those times. But the coach got even more specific on what he expects to grow out of his newly-chosen theme, even dropping some horticulture knowledge of his own. He referenced a certain type of bamboo tree that takes four years to fully establish itself in the ground. Then, in the fifth year, it explodes: one inch or more in less than an hour, three feet in a day, well over 80 feet in a month. Is that what McCarthy is hoping to see from the Cowboys in his own fifth year? Obviously. It may be the only thing that keeps him firmly planted in Dallas. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Playing for hated college team will help Cowboys rookie LB ‘cut it loose’ as Week 1 starter in Cleveland Todd Brock It’s now just a few days until he makes his NFL debut, but Marist Liufau sure seems like anything but a wide-eyed rookie. The third-round draft pick has already been penciled in as one of the starting linebackers for the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s regular-season opener in Cleveland. And with all due respect to the venerable Dawg Pound, nothing the newly-renamed Huntington Bank Field can throw at him is likely to faze the 23-year-old Liufau. He did, after all, see his very first college snaps as a visitor between the fabled hedges in Athens, Georgia. Then over his tenure with the Fighting Irish came road contests at The Big House in Ann Arbor, The Horseshoe in Columbus, L.A. Memorial Coliseum, and Clemson’s Death Valley: some of the biggest and most awe-inspiring settings in the nation for a college player. “You either love Notre Dame or you hate them, so everywhere we go on the road, everyone hates us, ” Liufau told reporters this week at The Star. “That’s helped me to grow as a player and kind of handle those environments and sort it out.” So Liufau’s nonchalant approach to his first game week as a pro is perhaps to be expected. “I really just take every day and treat it like it’s game day,” he said, “so that when I get to the actual environment, it’s really easy.” In fact, most everything has seemingly come easy for the native-born Hawaiian since joining the Cowboys. Liufau is just one part of a larger defensive overhaul engineered by new coordinator Mike Zimmer, but the rookie reveals that despite the brain-bending learning curve that comes with learning the NFL ropes- as well as an entirely new playbook- his DC has given him very simple instructions for his pro debut. “Especially for me, Coach Zim would just say to me, ‘Just cut it loose,’” Liufau explained. “Let him do the thinking, and when we get to game time, just go out there and have fun.” [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The fun has apparently already started in practice. Head coach Mike McCarthy let it slip recently that Liufau could be seen seen grinning ear-to-ear behind his facemask as new defensive tackle additions Linval Joseph and Jordan Phillips were making their presence known on several run plays during drills. Shutting down the ground game this season will no doubt be a focus for Liufau and his linebackermates, a job that should made somewhat easier with 670 pounds of experienced run-stuffing beef in front of them. “Having great D-linemen in front of linebackers is, it’s everything, really,” Liufau confirmed. “Any time we step onto the field, it’s really trying to prove that we’re a top defense in the NFL.” If Liufau is able to help the Dallas defense do that with a strong debut showing in Cleveland, much of the credit, he says, will go to the Cowboys coaches staff. More intense film study and opponent-specific prep work, he’s found, is one of the major differences in making the transition from college- even a big-time program- to the pros. “The detail that coaches go through to get, really, the game plan to us, detailing out the personnel for us, what our opponent likes to do,” he offered by way of example. “Also, the attention to detail from the players is next-level. Everyone is being intentional with what they’re doing out there on the field and in the meeting room.” Liufau is confident that very intentional approach will translate to a business-as-usual NFL debut versus the Browns in their own house on Sunday, even if it’s all brand new to the fresh-faced rookie. As new as, say, Liufau’s first-ever college tailgating experience, which took place just this past weekend when his alma mater paid a visit to yet another intimidating football mecca, Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. “It was very fun,” Liufau reported. He said it with a smile. But just wait until he makes his first tackle in front of the Dawg Pound. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

‘Are you stupid??’ Cowboys star got early-career wakeup call after going broke K.D. Drummond It’s often joked how the NFL stands for “Not For Long”, but for many players it’s no laughing matter. In the blink of an eye, childhood dreams can go up in smoke, whether it be from injury, not working hard or simply not being good enough. The average NFL career is three years, meaning for every player who lasts 9 years in the league, there’s three more that never last beyond that first season. Just think of all of the hopefuls that were released last week from their teams but weren’t added to any club’s practice squad. Their careers are over. Even still, the players that do make it in the league, whether role players or stars, can often find themselves overwhelmed by the financial side of things. Even for high-pedigree draft picks, managing the money they get during their careers in order to last them a lifetime is hardly as easy as it seems in the eyes of fans who only dream of that level of salary. For the Dallas Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence, he recently admitted that he was one of those who squandered the majority of his rookie contract, but fortunately he wisened up with the help of his dad. Speaking to the Level Up Lifestyle Podcast, Lawrence recounted the story of his accountant calling him after his third season, telling him his bank account was in the negative. The end of my third year, I go completely broke. I get that phone call from my accountant, and he’s like ‘Hey man, you don’t have no more money in your account.’ I’m like ‘What do you mean no more, you mean like zero dollars? What are you saying?’ And he’s like ‘I mean like negative $100.’ Lawrence explained how shortly after his dad called looking for assistance and he had to tell him, Dad, my accountant just told me I have zero dollars.’ He was like, ‘Huh? What’s going on?… Are you stupid?’ And Lawrence said he asked himself and that the comment really struck his soul, inspiring him to get his act together and better manage his finances. Lawrence, who suffered a foot injury that derailed his rookie campaign, broke out in Year 2 with 8 sacks, but then suffered a four-game suspension to start the 2016 season and only received 13 of his 17 game checks. His season ended early when he succumbed to a back injury, playing in just nine games. Lawrence’s rookie contract was for a total of $5.5 million and included a $2.3 million signing bonus and base salaries of $420,000, $670,000 and $703,000 across those first three seasons. It was all gone. NFL players only get paid during the regular season. They don’t get paid between January and July when they get paid out-of-contract stipends for training camp. Lawrence made $1.17 million his fourth year, a breakout campaign where he notched 14.5 sacks, made the Pro Bowl and ended up fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The Cowboys didn’t immediately reward him with a new contract though. They placed the franchise tag on him and while it was for a whopping $17 million, there’s no bonus attached to that. Lawrence was fortunate he had the talent to overcome his early financial mistakes. Now entering his 11th season, he’s made over $117 million across his career. Having the physical ability to make it to the NFL is a tremendous blessing, but it takes a ton of work to maintain a place, even more to become a star. And hopefully those who get the opportunity hear stories like this to let them know they need to be as responsible with their money as they are with their bodies. h/t Brandon Loree for the find. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Nike releases new Dallas Cowboys sneaker, check out the 2024 Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 41 running shoe Cowboys Wire The Dallas Cowboys kickoff their NFL season with a Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Nike is celebrating the start of the season by releasing the 2024 Air Zoom Pegasus 41 NFL Collection. Dallas Cowboys Air Zoom Pegasus 41 running shoe (Fanatics) Shop Dallas Cowboys 2024 Nike sneakers These Nike Air Pegasus sneakers are unisex and you can see a size chart for both men and women here. Most importantly, they are officially on sale now, and they can be yours for just $149.99. Dallas Cowboys Air Zoom Pegasus 41 running shoe (Fanatics) Gear up for the 2024 NFL season with the new Dallas Cowboys 2024 Nike Air Pegasus sneakers. Shop Dallas Cowboys Nike shoes We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Cowboys Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

NFL Week 1: Five compelling storylines for Cowboys vs Browns Mike Crum A challenging offseason for fans began immediately after a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium, continued through a non-existent free agency season, and finalized with a still unsigned All-Pro quarterback, Cowboys Nation is ready for meaningful games. Their time has final come, as the Dallas Cowboys will travel to play the Cleveland Browns to start the 2024 season on Sunday. That crazy offseason has led to multiple questions and concerns heading into the year. The team is leaning heavy into their draft class to fill holes in the roster. CeeDee Lamb barely joined Dallas last week after signing his new extension. The running back room is filled with older options without much explosiveness. The entire defense has too many unknowns at every level, and all of that is before they even get to the fact the Browns are a 2023 playoff team with a once great QB attempting to bounce back to his once excellent self. There are a ton of storylines going into the first game of the season, here are the top ones to look for when Dallas goes into Cleveland Sunday. CeeDee Lamb’s ability to go full throttle ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 14: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys walks on the sideline during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. The Packers defeated the Cowboys 48-32. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) Last season Lamb was in on 46 plays, 79% off the total offensive snaps in the Cowboys’ opener. If Lamb isn’t able to manage that to open this season, Dallas only has themselves to blame. After waiting all offseason, Dallas gave in and sign Lamb to the second-highest receiving contract behind Justin Jefferson, just like everyone knew they would many months ago. This delay in signing Lamb resulted in a holdout that extended through the entire training camp. Now he doesn’t have a typical ramp up period that helps players avoid soft tissue injuries like groin or hamstring pulls. There is a good chance Lamb will need to ease himself into the season, or risk getting a lingering injury that hampers his play all year. The Cowboys already saw this play out a year ago when Zack Martin missed all but the last few weeks of camp, ended up dealing with injuries all season, and instead of being the best offensive guard in the NFL, he admittedly struggled with injuries. Brown’s DL vs revamped Dallas OL OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton #60 of the Dallas Cowboys stretches during training camp on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) As soon as the first-round of the draft ended, Myles Garrett welcoming rookie Tyler Guyton to the NFL became a talking point. These might be the names on the marquee, but the matchup in the trenches goes beyond just two players. Garrett could easily move over to Terence Steele because he had a down year coming off of injury in 2023. His ability to bounce back or even improve on his 2022 season could be a key to this offense and this opening game. The All-Pro offensive guards for Dallas should be in good shape, even against a tough Browns defensive line, but rookie center Cooper Beebe will have to show he can snap, transition to his blocks and hold on to good defensive tackles like Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris. Harris has had two different six sack seasons in the last five years, and even though Tomlinson is a run stuffer, he has averaged three sacks over the last five seasons. If Garrett, Harris, Tomlinson, and Za’Darius Smith dominate the new OL in Dallas, this could be a long game for the Cowboys. The strength of Cowboys cornerbacks EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 10: Trevon Diggs #7 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) On paper this could be the top unit of corners in the NFL. Trevon Diggs was an All-Pro, and interception leader in 2022, then DaRon Bland followed that up with his own All-Pro season, leading the NFL in interceptions, and breaking the record for interception returns for touchdowns. With two All-Pro players on the outside, and a scrapy playmaker like Jourdan Lewis in the slot, the Cowboys cornerback group was nearly untouchable, but there are issues with Bland out multiple weeks with an injury. Bland’s replacement is fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson, who has impressed all training camp, but will have his ups and downs. Lewis has never been a top of the league corner; he’s better than average, but would struggle if he had to be the top CB on the team. Diggs is coming off a major injury and Dallas doesn’t have much luck with those. If Diggs is slow to come around with Bland is out, cornerback becomes a possible weakness. New look linebackers in Dallas Jul 30, 2024; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (13) during training camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, California. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys have long struggled to put together a great linebacker room. Whether it was injuries (Sean Lee, Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith), or safeties playing out of position, the unit has rarely been a strength. Last season Dallas added DeMarvion Overshown but the injury bug eliminated he and Vander Esch and left Damone Clark and a safety out of position. This season the front office might have finally nailed it. Eric Kendricks is a veteran of Zimmer’s defense, has stayed healthy and can lead a young linebacker group. Overshown looks built up, ready to take on a full year at the position, Clark is back to playing

Russini: Cowboys, Prescott haggling over years in new contract, not money Todd Brock It’s not the money. It’s the time. That’s the take from The Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini on where things stand with quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys. The two sides have just a few days until their season opener in Cleveland, but they have no binding contract beyond the 2024 campaign. The runner-up in last year’s MVP race is expected to be in line for a new deal that will put him in the neighborhood of $60 million per year, but the front office has repeatedly said they’re in no hurry to make that official. According to Russini, though, speaking on the latest episode of the Scoop City podcast with cohost Chase Daniel, it’s not that gaudy dollar figure that’s gumming up the works: “The holdup at this point, from what I understand, is about the years the Dallas Cowboys are willing to commit to. It’s assumed that Dak is going to be paid at the top of the market; the Dallas Cowboys are aware of that. It’s: do they want to put themselves in a position- contractually- that keeps Dak in Dallas longer than two, three, four years? And that’s what Dak is looking for. He’s looking for a long-term commitment from Dallas. The holdup here is really the belief from the Dallas Cowboys.” Prescott said last week he would like for a deal to be done before Week 1. “I think it says a lot if it is or if it isn’t,” Prescott said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. When asked what exactly it says, his reply was telling: “Just how people feel.” Team owner Jerry Jones and heir apparent Stephen Jones have said over and over that they do feel Prescott is the guy. But they’ve also dragged their feet on locking him up, comfortable with letting the idea of the 31-year-old wearing a different uniform next year marinate for the entire 2024 offseason. No one knows what the conversations in the hallways of The Star are really like, but every day Prescott isn’t inked would seem to elevate the risk of alienating and offending him to a point of no return. And the club even went out late last summer and traded for Trey Lance. Even if that move was truly nothing more than picking up a once-hot property on the cheap to see if the Cowboys can coach him up and flip him for a profit, it didn’t do much to make the quarterback situation any clearer in Dallas. The team can’t trade Prescott without his approval. They can’t tag him, since they’ve already used that stall tactic twice. They’ll get socked with a $40 million dead cap hit if they let Prescott hit free agency and sign with another team. And they have no quarterbacks at all under contract for 2025. Russini said she’s never seen a quarterback with as much leverage as Prescott has right now over the Cowboys. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The Cowboys are coming off the first three-year stretch of 12-win seasons in the franchise’s history. But they inexplicably find themselves in a high-stakes game of chicken with the guy who, over that same span, won 31 games for them, more than all but three passers in the sport. “This is a guy who’s won a lot of games, but is that enough? Winning’s not enough for Jerry Jones. We know this. They want to do more,” Russini pointed out. “They don’t want to just be the team that wins a lot of games; they want to be the team that can play in the Super Bowl.” It remains to be seen if Jones will make Prescott actually prove he can do that in his final contract year before he gets out his checkbook. But it may not even be about the payday. If Russini’s report is correct, what the 10th-year signal-caller really wants is a commitment that- like Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Tony Romo before him- he’ll be the face of America’s Team for the duration of his career… and therefore inextricably linked to the Dallas Cowboys for the rest of his life. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Extended CeeDee Lamb Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images It took much longer than expected, but the wide receiver finally got his extension. Lamb’s massive deal came in right where everyone thought it would, just under Minnesota Vikings’ WR Justin Jefferson’s deal in terms of total money and average annual salary, although Dallas’ WR got more for his signing bonus. The work on the field is important, but locking Lamb in was one of the biggest things the team needed to do before the season began. Without Lamb, the passing game would be anemic, and the offense would lack punch, so the extension had to get done. Now the eyes of the football world are on quarterback Dak Prescott, but at least the Cowboys completed one of their goals, which was working out a new deal for their superstar WR. Mission accomplished. Found WR depth Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Heading into camp, the Cowboys lacked quality depth at receiver, especially with Lamb not guaranteed to be in the fold. The expectation was that Lamb’s deal would get done, but without him, the team got a long look at some of the other options to fill out depth at the position. Those first team reps were now available to a host of WRs, and the Cowboys found a few to step up at the position. The hope was that third-year WR Jalen Tolbert would improve, and he had a great camp to earn the WR3 role. Pint-sized WR and return man KaVontae Turpin was also expected to have a role, but beyond that, the Cowboys were searching for WRs to turn into quality options. Jalen Brooks showed a second-year leap that saw him win a job convincingly and rookie Ryan Flournoy impressed after he returned from an early camp injury. Flournoy scored in each of the team’s final two preseason games and found his way comfortably onto the 53-man roster. The size and athleticism for Flournoy showed up on tape and he’s picked up the nuances of the game to match his physical gifts. It remains to be seen how big of a role he’ll have as the fifth or sixth WR on the roster, but the Cowboys might have found something special. Dallas came into camp with a bunch of guys at WR, but they go into the regular season with six quality options. The team found good depth at the position this summer. Improved the offensive line Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports One of the big goals for the Cowboys heading into training camp was about remaking their offensive line. The team had lost two starters, one of them an All-Pro and a 13-year starter, and needed to usher in a new group. Early returns weren’t positive when first-round selection Tyler Guyton wasn’t starting at left tackle and third-round pick Cooper Beebe was the second-team center. Veterans Chuma Edoga and Brock Hoffman held down those jobs initially, which wasn’t a sign of an upgraded offensive line. Things turned around quickly as Guyton showed rapid improvement and Beebe settled down to make progress with his biggest weakness, shotgun snaps. Both rookies didn’t take long to work their ways into the starting lineup. The original starting five the Cowboys began camp with on the offensive line is not who they are heading into the regular with, and that’s a good thing. Guyton and Beebe showed they were worthy of their selections and the unit is a much better group now than they were when they arrived in Oxnard. Both rookies are ready to play large roles, which was the goal when they were drafted. Eventually created defensive line depth Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images It was evident heading into training camp just how thin the defensive line was for the Cowboys. There were a few starters and a small group of veteran backups, but the team needed to find some depth at defensive tackle. The team let competition for the younger guys go on for almost the entirety of camp before eventually finding some quality help. The Cowboys traded for veteran DT Jordan Phillips and signed Linval Joseph in late August to give the defense some more beef in the trenches. Neither are full-time players anymore, but they do give Dallas a better group at DT. Depth wasn’t good for the defensive line when camp began, and the Cowboys set out to find some. It took looking into veteran options and swinging a trade with a division rival to find some help, but it eventually got done. The team accomplished their mission of finding depth on the interior of their defensive line. Find out if Trey Lance can play Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Finding out if Lance was a capable QB was one of the more difficult things the team had to do heading into training camp. If he got the reps and couldn’t play, the Cowboys would be mocked for the trade that brought him to Dallas and they’d lose an option at quarterback if Prescott doesn’t re-sign. Jones and McCarthy knew the team needed to see more and unfortunately, they probably didn’t like the results. For a team that likes sure things, this was a gamble they had to see play out. Lance was a mixed bag of results, but it’s evident he still needs more time to develop. That’s time the Cowboys no longer have. The former third overall pick has the ability to make plays with his athleticism and legs but struggles in the passing game and reading defenses. Lance flashed some potential, but he also threw five interceptions in an ugly Week 3 preseason performance. The results of the summer were clear, Lance couldn’t overtake primary backup QB Cooper Rush and isn’t ready to start games if needed. Dallas had to find out if Lance could be a option to play in meaningful games, or possibly start in 2025, and they found out that isn’t likely. The result is disappointing, but the team accomplished the goal

How to buy Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland Browns NFL Week 1 tickets Nick Wojton The Dallas Cowboys’ regular season begins in less than one week! The Cowboys and Cleveland Browns will kickoff their respective regular seasons with a Week 1 matchup on Sept. 8, 2024, at 4:25 p.m. at AT&T Stadium. This opener features two teams from different conferences that will have high expectations heading into the 2024 NFL season. That will make for an exciting matchup. Limited tickets remain for this first game in Cleveland. SHOP: Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland Browns tickets In terms of the Cowboys, a big year awaits the names at the top: Quarterback Dak Prescott and head coach Mike McCarthy. Is this their last chance in Jerry World? On the flip side, the Browns will have their front office brass, head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry, around for awhile after their offseason extensions that were signed. But can DeShaun Watson solidify himself as their starting quarterback after recent injury struggles? Will the Cowboys or Browns take this Week 1 battle between two teams that want to start off on the right foot? Tickets for this contest start as low as $185. Shop Cowboys at Browns Week 1 tickets We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Cowboys Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

NFL names Cowboys’ Cooper Beebe among 10 most overlooked rookies reidhanson NFL.com scout and occasional Cowboys contributor, Bucky Brooks, knows a thing or two about college players transitioning to the NFL. The former player turned writer and scout, makes a living breaking down film while explaining and projecting player performance. He’s a draft expert and someone many people turn to for informed and insightful takes. While looking through a list of NFL rookies hoping to make splash in their first season in the league, Brooks named a Cowboys rookie as one of 10 overlooked rookies who have “showed serious flashes” this preseason. The player he mentioned was aspiring starter, Cooper Beebe. The Cowboys took a gamble when they selected Beebe in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft. It’s not that the Kansas State guard was a poor prospect because he was actually very well regarded in the draft community. Dane Bruglar at The Athletic even slotted him in as the No. 3 guard in the class rating as his 38th ranked prospect in the draft. What made Beebe a gamble was role the Cowboys were going to ask him to play. Drafted as a center, Dallas wanted Beebe to play a position he wasn’t acquainted with in the past. In his 48 collegiate starts, Beebe played at left tackle, right tackle and left guard, but never center. The Cowboys strategy was a rebuttal for what scouts perceived to be Beebe’s biggest weakness, arm length. For as much as Brugler liked Beebe as an NFL prospect he did admit his 31.5-inch arms could be a dealbreaker for some team scouts. Interestingly enough, the Cowboys are one of those teams who value arm length to an extremely high degree. They just found a way to work around the issue. At center arm length isn’t as much of a factor as it is at other spots along the line. Center is often seen as an extra blocker who either takes part in a double-team, picks up blitzes, or slices the defense in half getting up to the second level. They aren’t susceptible to long-armed defensive lineman like the other linemen are. The reason all dominant short-armed guards don’t make the transition to center is because the center position is challenging in its own way. NFL centers are required to be one of the smartest players on the field. Based on previous Wonderlic scores, center ranks as the second highest scored position in the NFL. The Wonderlic test, designed to measure a number of items up to and including intelligence, has been widely used in the NFL for years. Center falls just one point behind offensive tackle and one point ahead of quarterback in average scores. Tasked with recognizing defenses and calling blocking assignments, center plays a vital role in both phases of the offense. It’s why many (this writer included) thought Beebe might struggle as a rookie and Brock Hoffman could possibly start. Low and behold, when the pads came on and the contact was real, the cream rose to the top and Beebe, not Hoffman, stood out as the man to beat. “Obviously, once you get in a game it’s easier,” Beebe said. “The playbook shortens down and it gets easier, but I think I’ve been doing well. There are some weird looks here and there that I’ve got to continue working on but, overall, I think I’m doing pretty well.” Brooks at NFL.com sure thinks so. He saw Beebe flash signs of dominance saying, “the rookie has shown impressive skills controlling the point of attack from the pivot.” Brooks even doubled down saying that playing between Zack Martin and Tyler Smith, Beebe could play like an all-star as a rookie. For as bold at that is to say about a third-round rookie, it’s hard to find a Cowboys fan or media member who disagrees. It’s hard to tell where the 2024 season will take the Cowboys, but most believe the success of the team hinges on the Cowboys’ ability to replace two-fifths of their offensive line with a pair of rookies who came into the summer with major question marks. By all accounts Tyler Guyton at LT and Beebe at center have answered those questions by exceeding all immediate expectations. The Cowboys organization was hoping for it, Cowboys fans were seeing it and now the national media is predicting it. Beebe is going to make some waves in Dallas. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

3 reasons why Prescott signing before Week 1 make sense for Cowboys QB K.D. Drummond Seven days and counting. The Dallas Cowboys will hit the field to begin their 2024 campaign in just a week’s time, and time is running out on their window to extend quarterback Dak Prescott. The MVP runner up from 2023 has imposed a soft deadline for the organization to put their money where their mouth is and make him the highest-paid player in the league. If the two sides can’t agree, Prescott has said that he isn’t interested in negotiating when actual games are happening, so he will end up hitting free agency. We covered three reasons why Prescott may not want to re-up just yet. The Cowboys’ drought, anticipation of a bidding war and uncertainty with the coaching staff are all great reasons for Prescott to wait until next offseason to want to sign. But there are certainly reasons why he’d want to get the deal done now before they take on the Cleveland Browns. Prescott is immensely integrated with the city of Dallas. His foundation, Faith, Fight, Finish, as well as other philanthropic efforts are based in the area. Prescott has recently expanded his family unit and while families relocate across the country all of the time, most prefer to stay where they set their roots. Also, the perks if he can win in Dallas are unfathomable. He’d be a king in the state for ending the drought of 30 years and there simply isn’t a better way to forge lifelong opportunities than being an NFL champion from Dallas. Also on the table, he’s the big dog at said table. The Cowboys have been approaching Prescott with unacceptable contract offers for half a decade now, and he’s never caved. In fact, most would say that after being franchise tagged when they didn’t give him an acceptable offer through three and four career seasons, he’s owned owner Jerry Jones in negotiations. A no-trade clause is one thing, but forcing the second tag before signing (meaning any future tag would be the third at 140% prior salary) AND getting a no-tag clause for this negotiation was a masterpiece. He’s given no quarter to the man who believes he’s the best in the business at GMing. Finally, Prescott’s rapport with teammates is certainly a thought to consider. Prescott is the true leader of the team and when a player is beloved in the locker room (not always synonymous with leadership) like he is, there’s an emotional tie. The quest to finish what was started in 2016, to complete the mission, is something that is certainly weighing into Prescott’s thought process as he surveys the landscape across the league. It’s not just Prescott who is going to be asked questions in every city they travel to for 2024; his teammates are going to grow tired of it as well. Also, he’s no dummy. He’s rather wise, and the grass is not always greener on the other side. And while it’s unlikely he could price himself out of Dallas, getting things done now to remove any distractions throughout the season seems a smart move.