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Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Dez Bryant: "We Have Moved A Step Closer"

Latest Cowboys headlines: Dez Bryant has high hopes for 2016: Senior Bowl impressions; and Sean Lee showing off his great hands.

By Dan Rogers
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Dez Bryant thinks Cowboys 'moved a step closer' to Super Bowl in 2015 - Will Brinson, CBSSports.com

It's not often that a team moves closer to greatness after losing eight more games than they did the previous year, but Dez believes the Cowboys did just that.

On 2016 being special and a Super Bowl season:

DB: I'll tell you this — every year you have a chance to go to the Super Bowl. I honestly think we have moved a step closer even though our record doesn't show it. I still think we're a damn good football team and we had an unfortunate situation no one could do anything about. I think right now we had an opportunity to get our mind right and understand what we have at stake. This doesn't last long, this team won't be together for a while, we have damn near all the pieces together, we have to somehow get it to back to where it's been. I just feel like injuries took a toll on us and we have to live with it and get better from it.

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant on defensive end Greg Hardy: 'I love him,' 'I hope we can get him back' - Staff, SportsDay
Keep him, or let him go? That is the big question when it comes to the infamous Greg Hardy. Everyone has their own thoughts on what the Cowboys should do, but here is what Dez thinks about him:

"You see guys perform at a high level around him, and that's what he brings to the defense," Bryant told Sporting News. "I know I would love to see Greg back with us. He's a great teammate. I love him. I hope we can get him back.

If the Cowboys don't bring back Hardy, they are definitely going to need help on the defensive line. Help on the outside. Help on the inside. Help everywhere.

Scout’s Eye: Impressive RB; QB & DE Grades Highlight 12 Thoughts From Senior Bowl - Bryan Broaddus, The Mothership
Bryan Broaddus gives us his 12 thoughts from the Senior Bowl, including an impact defensive tackle that could be found outside the first two rounds of the draft.

When you study Notre Dame DT Sheldon Day, you will see him line up at several different spots along the line for the Fighting Irish. He has a similar build to former Cowboys draft pick Ken Bishop, but Day has more quickness. I feel like Day's best position in the NFL is going to be as a three-technique, even though Rod Marinelli had him playing some defensive end and doing it with some success. His pressure was outstanding the entire game.

10 Senior Bowl observations: How Jason Garrett improvised after calling Zack Martin's brother by wrong name - Jon Machota, SportsDay
Interested in hearing how the Cowboys coaches interacted with the players in the Senior Bowl? Here are 10 ten observations, including a nickname Jason Garrett gave to Zack's little brother.

Cowboys right guard Zack Martin's brother, Nick Martin, was on the North team. Did Garrett ever accidentally call him Zack? "I have called him Zack," Garrett said with a smile. "'Set the huddle, Zack.' I caught myself. I call him Notre Dame now."

Cowboys: Defensive Line Needs More Size And Strength - Christian Blood, Fansided
Where's the beef? The Cowboys were ranked 8th in the league in 2014 in run defense. Last year, they finished 22nd. The team needs to strengthen the interior defensive line if they are going to get to the next level.

How about a true run stuffer, something that Marinelli highly coveted with the Bucs and was able to acquire in Anthony McFarland. At 6’0" and 300 pounds, the former Louisiana State University lineman teamed with Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp to create one of the top defensive interiors in NFL history.

Dallas Cowboys Draft 2016: Let's Talk First-Round Options At Pick #4 - Michael Sisemore
I'm starting to think that Mr. Sisemore has a man-crush on the cornerback from Florida State. But can you blame him? The kid looks like a special athlete and I wouldn't mind hearing his name when the Cowboys make their #4 pick.

Ramsey is so intriguing because his intelligence is off the charts. His athleticism and fluid movement are something to marvel. This kid just flat-out balls when he's out on the field and his play recognition skills are fantastic as well as his ability to change directions and hunt for the ball. If the Cowboys decided to go with the best cornerback or just perhaps the best secondary prospect in the draft, it would certainly be a difference maker for this defense.

A nice shiny new corner would be great to have, but is the Cowboys answer at cornerback already on the roster?

The case for keeping Cowboys Byron Jones at corner - Steven Mullenax, The Landry Hat
Some people want Jones at safety. Some want him at corner. If only we had more Byron Joneseses to go around.

Obtaining a free agent or a draft selection at safety should cost you much less than a top-tier cornerback would. Speaking of free agents, there are several talented players at the safety position scheduled to hit the open market in March. Those veterans include Eric Weddle, Eric Berry, Reggie Nelson, and Walter Thurmond just to name a few. Some of them are older players, but age at safety doesn’t always equate to a slow down in performance like it does say for the running back position.

Cowboys Draft 2016: Will Dallas Draft Either Jared Goff or Paxton Lynch? - Ryan Ratty, BTB
And for those of you that have your hearts set on a quarterback, Ryan takes a look at a couple strong candidates.

And if the Cowboys do want to target a quarterback with the fourth-overall pick and that guy isn't Wentz, I'm picking....(sorry, I'm not playing spoiler).

Dallas Cowboys May Not Have Chance To Grab Their Quarterback Of The Future - KD Drummond - Scout
Everyone is talking about whether or not they want a QB at #4, but has anyone considered they may not have a choice in the matter? KD has.

With the Senior Bowl rolling this week, and the early returns on North Dakota State's Carson Wentz being as promising as his supporters anticipated it would be with the increased level of talent around him, the Cowboys might have another consideration to concern themselves with. What if there's a team desperate enough for a quarterback to move ahead of Dallas in the draft?

And while one former BTB front page writer discusses how a stud quarterback might not be available at pick four, another one seems fascinated on moving back and stockpiling the talent with more picks.

Top 5 players the Cowboys regret passing on in 2012 draft - Rainer Sabin, SportsDay
Oh, what could have been. Most of us know Bobby Wagner would have been the Cowboys second round pick had they not traded for Morris Claiborne in 2012. If only Dallas would have waited until the fourth round to take a cornerback. I wonder who they could have gotten?

Josh Norman/Drafted 143rd overall by the Carolina Panthers/Every team regrets passing on Norman, who is now considered the best cornerback in the NFL. This season, Norman was named first-team All-Pro and returned two interceptions for touchdowns, becoming a key member of the NFC champions. The maturation of Norman has got to rankle the Cowboys, who moved up to take cornerback Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick.

Would you rather....?

Morris Claiborne + Matt Johnson, or

David DeCastro (All-Pro) + Bobby Wagner (All-Pro) + Josh Norman (All Pro)

Sean Lee finally got a chance to play in the Pro Bowl and he wasted no time letting people know he was there. It's always fun to watch Eli Manning getting picked off, but it's extra sweet when it's from Hawaii 5-0.

Lee has great hands when it comes to picking off passes, but he doesn't always know what to do with them.

And Travis Frederick made his debut at quarterback in the Pro Bowl, which will be good to know should the Cowboys have QB issues again next year.

Broncos’ DeMarcus Ware gets shot at ring that has eluded many all-time greats - Charean Williams, The Star-Telegram
It's great to see him healthy and playing well. He's got the heart of a champion, so he might as well have the ring of one.

"Moments like this are just why you play the game," Ware said. "I’m just being a competitor and a team guy. You can have the individual accolades, but that doesn’t mean anything. At the end of the day, what have you done for the team to make them even better?

Super Bowl XXVII quiz: How well do you remember the Cowboys' first of three title wins in the '90s? - Kristi Scales, SportsDay
Here is a little Super Bowl trivia for you pertaining to the year the Cowboys returned to glory. Man, what a great season that was.

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