Cowboys News & Notes: Paxton Lynch Holds The Key To Cowboys Draft

Ranking The Top 50 Prospects In This Year’s NFL Draft Class - Bryan Broaddus, Dallas Cowboys
Broaddus offers his projection of the 50 best prospects in the draft. I'll let you click through the slideshow yourself, but it's worth noting that The Broad One has Paxton Lynch ranked as the top QB in this class, ahead of Jared Goff and Carson Wentz.

Jon Gruden: Paxton Lynch is the "most intriguing man in the draft." - Barry Horn, SportsDay
In a conference call last week, John Gruden talked about quarterbacks, and here's what he said about Lynch.

"To me the most intriguing man in this draft because of his size and his athletic ability. You don't find guys that are 6-7, 245 that can run this fast. He's got a 37-inch vertical jump, and he put Memphis on the map of college football. ... [He] has a poor man's Cam Newton style about him. You don't realize how much they rely on him as a runner in this offense. I like the way he's been coached. ... I think he could have used another year."

Memphis QB Paxton Lynch Fits Prototype - Nick Eatman, Dallas Cowboys
As DallasCowboys.com continues to run through draft prospects, Nick Eatman takes a look at how Lynch's status may have changed now that the top two picks are likely going to be QBs.

His stock has likely changed over the last few weeks with the two trades involving the No. 1 and No. 2 picks. It appears Jared Goff could be the first overall player taken and there is a debate on what Philadelphia will do at No. 2, but a quarterback could be in play. It’s not likely to be Lynch, here but if the two top quarterbacks are off the board early, it will only help him if teams feel like they must trade up to land him. He could go to Cleveland at No. 8 now that the Browns have moved back. If the Cowboys decide to trade down from the fourth pick, Lynch could be in play for them.

Interest in Paxton Lynch seems to have picked up over the last few days. Enough for a team to move up to the No. 4 spot to get him?

Popular landings spots for Paxton Lynch - Adam Stites, SBNation.com
This collection of mock drafts suggestst the 49ers (No. 7), Browns (No. 8), Jets (No. 20), and Broncos (No. 31), are the likeliest landing spots for Lynch.

Cowboys 2016 Draft: Don't Count Out A Trade Back For Dallas - Tom Ryle, Blogging The Boys
The market doesn't seem to have died yet, and Dallas still has a valuable spot to offer, the venerable Mr. Ryle writes and points out that for teams looking to draft Paxton Lynch, all roads lead through Dallas.

The fact that two of the three quarterbacks seen as legitimate first-round prospects are spoken for leaves a pretty skimpy market for teams with a real need for a passer. That makes the third name in that group, Paxton Lynch, a suddenly hot commodity. Suppose the Chargers hang onto their selection and take Laremy Tunsil, who was thought to be the top-pick overall until the Rams made their move. Suddenly the Cowboys have the key to Lynch.

Jets GM admits team asked about trading up for No. 1 pick - Seth Walder, NY Daily News
The Jets are looking for a QB, and tried to move up in the draft to get one.

General manager Mike Maccagnan admitted Friday that Gang Green investigated the possibility of trading all the way up to the No. 1 spot in this year’s draft.

"The short answer is yes," Maccagnan said Friday at his pre-draft press conference. "The short answer is we inquired."

Speculation about whether the Jets will draft a quarterback is almost an annual ritual, and this year is no different. Asked if he would consider drafting a QB in the first round, Maccagnan said, "I would consider drafting a quarterback at any point in the draft."

The Jets may have missed out on Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, but they could still trade up for Paxton Lynch, even if that might mean moving up to the No. 4 overall pick currently held by the Cowboys.

2016 NFL Draft Rumors: Broncos looking to trade up in the first round of the NFL Draft - Scotty Payne, Mile High Report
The Broncos are also in the market for Lynch, but do they have the ammo to move up far enough to get him?

There [is expected] to be a lot of movement and talks in the late first round. Teams like the Cleveland Browns, the Dallas Cowboys, the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and 49ers could all be looking to move [up] or down for a quarterback prospect.

One thing that favors the Broncos here is their amount of draft picks. They currently have 10 draft picks (10 draft picks were never making this team) and plenty of 2017 draft picks they could deal as well. So if the Broncos view Paxton Lynch as their quarterback of the future, they have the ammo to get it done.

Jets, Browns, Broncos all could look to move up for quarterback - David Fucillo, Niners Nation
Paxton Lynch is currently the quarterback of choice among mock drafters now that Jared Goff and Carson Wentz appear likely off the board in the top two spots. Fucillo wonders whether someone will move up for him.

The 2016 NFL Draft has already featured some high profile moves, with the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles climbing up to the top two spots. Both are expected to draft quarterbacks, thus leaving Paxton Lynch as arguably the top remaining quarterback on the board.

It is safe to say there will be some maneuvering this coming week, and the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos could be among the teams moving up.

In the event that the Cowboys don't trade down, and don't pick Lynch with their No.4 pick, Lynch remains a key to how the Cowboys draft develops in the later rounds.

Cowboys clearly understand need for young QB - Rick Gosselin, SportsDay
Rick Gosselin ruminates on life after Tony Romo, and wonders whether the Cowboys shouldn't invest a high pick in a backup QB, like the Broncos did with Osweiler (2nd round) or the Patriots with Garoppolo (2nd).

The Cowboys can now scratch Goff and Wentz off their list. That could leave Cook and Hackenberg in play in the second and Brissett and Prescott in play in the third. But the key quarterback in the mix should be Lynch. How high does he go?

If Lynch comes off the board in the middle of the first round, that could push the other quarterbacks up the board. Unlikely to happen? No more unlikely than Jake Locker going in the eighth pick of the 2011 draft, Blaine Gabbert at 10 and Christian Ponder at 12. All turned out to be colossal reaches. But when it comes to quarterbacks on draft day, there's both a premium and a sense of urgency.

Understand this -- just about every quarterback gets over-drafted. If Lynch is gone by 20, would the Cowboys be willing to trade up into the late first to secure either Cook or Hackenberg? Or how about trading up into the late second round to claim grab a Brissett or Prescott?

If not Lynch, there are still lots of interesting options for the Cowboys, inlcuding a new name.

Sturm's Weekly Mailbag: This is the Week It All Happens! - Bob Sturm, SportsDay
Sturm, who's been a staunch advocate of taking Joey Bosa @ No. 4 overall gets asked to explain why Bosa shouldn't be the pick.

Q: All I'm hearing now is the Cowboys have to take Bosa at No. 4. Tell me why they don't.

This one is interesting. You want me to make a case against the player I am making a case that they take. This feels like some sort of Jedi mind trick. OK. Well, I think Bosa is the right guy for this spot because he fits a need and is a Top 5 player in this draft. Those two things plus he is awesomely talented and is only 20. But, the case against would have to be that there will be at least one player available that I will have ranked higher. Either Laremy Tunsil or Jalen Ramsey (or both) will be there and I think pound-for-pound I will have them both ranked as better talents on draft day.

So, if you always take the highest ranked talent on your board, then Bosa would not be the Cowboys pick, but that means you are taking a player that you need less in Tunsil, or one that you aren't quite sure his best positional fit in Ramsey.

Dream NFL draft scenarios: Rams and Eagles may have saved the Cowboys from themselves - Dan Graziano, ESPN
Graziano takes a whimsical whirl through the draft's first round, selecting the best-case scenarios for each NFL team, and picks Jalen Ramsey for the Cowboys. Here's why:

The trades of the past week have been so fantastic for the teams picking Nos. 3-6, none of whom need quarterbacks. Dallas could find itself picking between Ramsey and Joey Bosa, either of whom would address their need to rebuild the Cowboys' defense for the long term. Bosa is the more immediate fit, but Ramsey is the better player, and his versatility helps their secondary long-term no matter their future needs there. It never made sense for Dallas to go quarterback here. The Rams and Eagles may have saved the Cowboys from themselves.

Cowboys 2016 NFL Draft: Shaq Lawson at No. 4? - Steve Mullenax, The Landry Hat
Mullenax makes a case for Lawson, who recorded 59 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for a loss and 12.5 sacks last season, and provides a quote from former NFL wide receiver Curtis Conway on Lawson:

"Now this is going to shock everyone. I’m going with my man, Shaq Lawson for the Dallas Cowboys," Conway announced on Path to the Draft on Thursday. "Cowboys, a true 4-3 defense. And I know some people like Bosa. I actually Bosa also. But when I look at the tape, especially this year, Shaq lined up every single time against the left tackle, which means that’s your best offensive lineman. I saw Bosa periodically, he can line up anywhere but he made most of his money on the right tackle. I’m giving a slight nod to Lawson…"

Doctor says Jaylon Smith needs a year off, could recover fully - ProFootballTalk
Dr. Dan Cooper, who is the head team physician for the Cowboys and Jaylon Smith's surgeon, told USA Today that Smith is expected to take a "redshirt" season in 2016.

But Cooper said both that Smith’s knee should become strong and stable, and that the nerve damage Smith suffered — which is a bigger concern than his torn knee ligaments — could fully heal as well.

"I also think he has a very good chance of getting his nerve recovery back," Cooper said.

The Dallas Cowboys Will Be Inescapable in 2016 - Anthony Crupi, AdAge
Cowboy up America, because whether you like it or not, the Cowboys will be in your face in 2016, as they will be featured in more nationally televised games in 2016 than any other franchise.

This season, Jerry Jones' minions will appear in no fewer than 11 coast-to-coast broadcasts, a roster that includes five primetime games and six contests set to air in the late Sunday afternoon window.

Despite amassing a lowly 4-12 record, its worst since 1989, "America's Team" last season still managed to reach a massive TV audience. According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, Dallas over the course of its 11 national games averaged 24 million viewers and a 13.5 household rating, making it the No. 2 draw behind the Green Bay Packers.

Dallas Cowboys Past & Present Blitz Childhood Cancer - Mark Lane, CowboysHQ
For the 20th year in a row, Cowboys legendary quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman led the charge along with current Cowboys to defeat childhood cancer at the Children's Cancer Fund Gala on Friday night. Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Terrance Williams, and Byron Jones attended the event as well, along with Jason Garrett.

Garrett called his players' involvement in the event a real "privilege" for them and the Cowboys organization.

"It's really just fantastic for those guys to understand the importance of an event like this. And it's a fun night. Everybody is going to have fun and enjoy themselves tonight. But it's for a great cause. So, to have those guys, they're really special young men, and to have them involved is really a privilege for them and a privilege for our organization."

NFL slow to embrace analytics for draft - Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
In a league where scouts can still get away with ignoring statistics by declaring they're "not an accountant," change may be slow, but it's coming.

"There's always an opportunity for it," said Aaron Schatz, editor-in-chief of FootballOutsiders.com, one of only a handful of websites devoted to football analytics. "NFL teams are already using it, but they just aren't letting on to it. Just because you don't hear them talk about it doesn't mean they're not doing it.

"Lots of teams are criticizing it in public and using it in private."

Getting someone in the NFL to talk about how they're using analytics is like trying to convince a stranger to give you their PIN. Even with the promise of anonymity, several executives known to be using analytics declined to speak on the matter.