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Cowboys 1st & 10: Gauging RB needs as Dallas Hosts The Rams Today

In this edition of Cowboys 1st & 10 we start to break down, position-by-position, 2020 NFL Draft needs, along with everything you need before the Cowboys take on the Rams this afternoon ... Top 10 tales from Arlington and beyond
Matthew Postins|
Cowboys 1st & 10: Gauging RB needs as Dallas Hosts The Rams Today
Cowboys 1st & 10: Gauging RB needs as Dallas Hosts The Rams Today

1) 2020 DALLAS COWBOYS DRAFT NEEDS: RUNNING BACKS

CURRENT PLAYERS AT POSITION: Ezekiel Elliott (starter), Tony Pollard, Jamize Olawale (fullback).

2020 FREE AGENTS: None

DRAFT NEED: Low.

THE BREAKDOWN: Elliott got paid to end his holdout after preseason to the tune of $90 million over six years. Pollard is on a rookie deal that ends in three years. Olawale has two years left on his free-agent deal. Plus, former Ohio State product Mike Weber Jr. is on the practice squad. The Cowboys appear set at the position group. That isn’t to say that it’s not worth a late pick on a player that could offer the Cowboys something. But Elliott gives them the bell-cow RB1, Pollard gives them the change-of-pace back (who could take on a larger role in the event Tavon Austin does not return next season) and Olawale gives them the blocker they need in heavy-run situations. Weber, if needed, would be a maybe-capable backup to Elliott, should he get hurt.

If we’re prioritizing draft needs going into the 2020 season, running back falls on the low end, unless something miraculous falls into the Cowboys’ collective lap. Having said that: The wear-and-tear on guys like Todd Gurley and Zeke cause a smart organization to avoid falling asleep and missing any decline.

2. IF YOU WANT TO FIRE GARRETT, YOU MUST LET … IT … GO

There’s an odd duality to being a Cowboys fan right now. There’s the majority that want to win games and reach the playoffs. There’s also the majority that want Jason Garrett gone as head coach. In many cases, the same fan wants both.

But you can’t have it both ways. Cowboys success means owner and general manager Jerry Jones could be emboldened to bring Garrett back for another season. And if you want Garrett gone, you don’t want that. But losing drives you nuts, doesn’t it? Just a couple more wins gets the Cowboys to eight wins, probably the NFC East title and, once you’re in the playoffs, who knows?

There is no sweet spot here, though. The last thing you want is to tease Jerry into is thinking there’s hope (because hope, to Jerry, is like Johnnie Walker Blue on a chilly night — irresistible).

No, Garrett has to go, and if you believe that then you have to be prepared to let this season go where it appears its headed — into the dumpster of broken dreams, which includes Dez Bryant’s catch against the Packers and Aaron Rodgers’ insane completion in the NFC playoffs a couple of years ago.

After the Cowboys fell to 3-3, I wrote that it was time for Garrett to go. My mind hasn’t changed. Give it a read today. It feels like Jerry is in the same head space. But a lot can happen in three weeks. The waiting is gonna drive you nuts.

3. SQUANDERING THE ASSETS

If the Cowboys end up missing the playoff this season, they will have ended up wasting one of the most impressive statistical seasons in Cowboys history. Consider this tweet by USA Today’s Jori Epstein.

The original triplets — Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin — had seasons in which they had 3,000 yards passing, 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same year, respectively. Of course, they accomplished that in all three Super Bowl-winning seasons, too.

Having said of all this: Maybe this is why this week Dak used the term "trash stats.''

4. SPEAKING OF ‘THE COACHING SEARCH…’

Our Mike Fisher has been all over it all week.

The week started with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropping the ‘b#$@ s&!@’ bomb on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas when asked about whether he was embarrassed by the Cowboys’ performance against Chicago. So our Mike Fisher, well, broke down the ‘why’ of Jones’s deployment of those words and, as usual, there’s some ‘read-between-the-lines-strategery’ going on (and, yes, strategery is a made-up word but I’m using it anyway).

So after Jones ginned up the morning ratings of the Cowboys’ flagship radio network, it was down to business. Coaching search. Any thoughts, Jerry?

That led our Mike Fisher to write about why Meyer — who is considered a favorite for the job by oddsmakers in Las Vegas, if you’re into that — might be a good fit for the Cowboys.

Jimmy Johnson, a former Cowboys head coach who led them to two Super Bowls and used to coach Garrett, seemed to speak for the majority of Cowboys fans that same day when he used the word “miserable” in relation to Garrett’s potential return in 2020.

That led to pundits giving their takes about a potential Meyer marriage with Jerry Jones in Dallas. One, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, noted that the marriage would last one game.

He’s not breaking news to Cowboys fans here, either— Jones buts heads with big personalities and egos. But Jones managed to co-exist with Jimmy Johnson for five years and Bill Parcells for four. So Meyer lasting “one game” is about as close to hyperbolic click bait as you can get.

More quotes about potential coaching candidates in the college ranks emerged later in the week as Jerry talked about two Big 12 coaches — Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley and Baylor’s Matt Rhule. Riley has long been considered a coach the Cowboys might want to talk to should the opportunity arise. After all, Riley has produced two straight Heisman winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, and coaxed an incredible season out of former Alabama star Jalen Hurts. Rhule, meanwhile, resurrected the Bears and turned them into an 11-win team this year, with those only two losses coming to Oklahoma. Rhule was a candidate for the New York Jets job last year. Oddly, the pair met in the Big 12 Championship game last weekend in Jerry World, AKA AT&T Stadium.

Fish has been down this road before, in terms of coaching changes and coaching searches, so stick with him and the rest of the staff as the Cowboys potentially navigate choppy waters in search of a new coach (if, indeed, Jerry chooses to make a switch). After all, Fish’s time covering the Cowboys goes all the way back to the G.O.A.T. of Cowboys coaches.

Why all the talk about college coaches? Because Jones can’t be accused of tampering. If he were to talk about currently employed NFL head coaches in relation to a potential opening, that could open him up to a fine. That’s why up until now you heard only muffled chatter about Sean Peyton, a long-time favorite of Jones who is now in New Orleans. 

But today? The Payton-Cowboys chatter turned loud. See Fish's column on the subject here.

5. THE FUTURE OF BYRON JONES

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones is a free agent in 2020. In one of the more underreported stories of the week, CBS Sports reported that it was “increasingly unlikely” that Jones would return to the Cowboys in 2020. The only problem is that our Mike Fisher reported that about, oh, nine months ago.

Earlier this week Fish walked us through the logic of Jones not returning to Dallas in 2020, a story that he originally reported on March 13 for 247Sports.com, which is owned by … let me check my notes … CBS Sports.

Whoops.

6. A BOOK FOR ALL COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS

Looking for a great Christmas present for your college football fan? The 2019 College Football America Yearbook is out at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and features Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence on the cover. Myself and our two other contributors, Chuck Cox and Kendall Webb, travel the country every fall covering college football games each week for using the following year’s book.

The College Football America 2019 Yearbook features more than 930 college football teams from the United States and Canada in more than 250 striking, full-color pages. That includes every team from the NCAA (FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III), NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA and U Sports (Canada). It also includes updates on club football, one-year postgraduate prep/sports academies and Mexican college football, along with dozens of action shots and stadium photos taken by the CFAY staff.

Plus, the great thing about what I do for the yearbook is that I get to see great college football players each week that COULD become Dallas Cowboys next season, and I get to bring that experience to you through scouting reports and other stories throughout the next several months.

Get a copy today at the links below:

Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/2Gcb20X

BarnesandNoble.com: http://bit.ly/2jQUN1F

7. BEST COAST COWBOYS

In the latest episode of the “Best Coast Boys” podcast, hosts Landon McCool and the Dallas Morning News’ John Owning preview the Cowboys game against the Rams, review what’s wrong with the team and look ahead to the potential coaching search.

Landon and John dive into their review of what’s wrong with the Cowboys team. Landon discusses how execution is killing the defense and John piggybacks off that by lamenting Dallas’ tackling issues. The guys discuss why a healthy and effective Leighton Vander Esch is missed.

As far as the offense, John talks about Dak Prescott’s slight regression in recent weeks and Landon breaks down how mental lapses and poor situational play have stunted the offense in recent weeks. The guys also discuss the issues with the wide receivers, as they take a look at how injuries are affecting Amari Cooper. (Worth noting: A source tells CowboysSI.com this week that Cooper is "fully healthy'' - but that doesn't eliminate concerns that he might blow a tire in-game on Sunday).

8. INJURY REPORT AND INACTIVES

As of Friday, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch was the only Cowboy designated as out on the full injury report. With Sean Lee a "did not practice'' and questionable all week, you have to be worried about linebacker depth with the Rams coming to town.

Of course, our Mike Fisher is writing that it’s not time to give up the ship on Lee this week just yet. And it does look like he's playing today, as he's active.

And here's the latest ...

9. TWEET OF THE WEEK

Yep, it’s all the cat’s fault this is happening. Ignore the just-a-hair-over-.500 record before the cat invaded Met Life Stadium. Also ignore the fact that the Cowboys won that game.

10. THE FINAL WORD

Wanna talk more Cowboys? Head for the CowboysSI.com Community and hit up Postins on Twitter at @PostinsPostcard and Mike Fisher on Twitter @FishSports

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Published
Matthew Postins
MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist writes for CowboyMaven. He also writes for Inside the Rangers, CowboyMaven,DallasBasketball.com, Longhorn Country, All Aggies, Inside The Texans, Washington Football, covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and is the Editor of the College Football America Yearbook.

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