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The NFL still has an open investigation into the Ezekiel Elliott domestic violence allegation, despite the case being closed by law enforcement amidst some fairly persuasive evidence this involved false accusations.
When asked about Elliott's status in a news conference Wednesday afternoon, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gave essentially the same answer he did two months ago: The investigation remains ongoing with no end in sight.
"I am not putting any pressure on our investigators," Goodell said. "We have highly trained, highly skilled investigators who are looking into this. We do not put timetables or pressure on them to make these decisions. We want them to be thorough. We want them to be fair and to come to the right conclusion.
"When they do, they will notify me and then we'll take it from there. But at this point there is no timetable."
At this point, it is hard to see this as anything other than foot dragging or some kind of prolonged fishing expedition. It has reached the point that it is a real disservice to Elliott and the Cowboys.
Smashing Kam Chancellor set tone for Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott - Jean-Jaques Taylor, ESPN
The Cowboys always believed they had something special in Zeke, but one play in preseason offered evidence to the league what they were facing. Head coach Jason Garrett offered his assessment of that moment, and it broke Garrett's normally reserved manner in pieces.
What do you remember about him running over Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor?
"Just that," Garrett said. "He played 12 plays in that Seattle game, and I think he showed everybody the kind of player he was.
"We never had any doubt about the kind of football player that young man is. You talk about competitors, and he's one of the great natural competitors I've ever been around.
"He ... f---, he loves it."
The rumors continue to swirl about where Tony Romo might end up, since the odds of him remaining in Dallas seem slim to the point of nonexistence. Cowboys great Daryl "Moose" Johnston offered his take, although his belief the team can actually stop him from landing with another NFC team may be a bit of a stretch.
"I don't think that the [Dallas] organization is going to allow Tony Romo to go to a team in the NFC." Johnston told Newy Scruggs on his NBC Sports Radio show Wednesday. "That would be a roadblock to the Cowboys getting to the Super Bowl."
"It would be fine to meet Tony Romo in the Super Bowl, but you don't really want to meet Tony Romo in the championship game."
All that said, Johnston thinks the best fit for Romo is in Houston.
Jerry Jones' maverick ways changed NFL's business model - Todd Archer, ESPN
On Saturday, Jerry Jones may be named a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game. He has come a long way from his often tumultuous entry into the league as an owner.
He was a maverick compared to most of the owners who were in the league when Jones purchased the Cowboys.
Jones pushed the NFL's group-think marketing strategy. He didn't believe he needed help from other teams to make money; nor did he want any. Years before Jones bought the Cowboys, NFL owners created the NFL Trust, which resulted in teams transferring rights to use club marks and logos for commercial properties. From there came a licensing agreement with NFL Properties.
"He's trying to tear down this league, god damn it!" former Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell told Sports Illustrated.
Giants co-owner Wellington Mara said in a New York Times article, "I don't think he has the concept of what it means to be a member of a team. When you do something to enhance yourself at the expense of your team, you hurt the team. It looks like he wants to share other people's revenue, but not his."
In an interview with 104.5 The Zone in Nashville (because EVERYONE cares about the Cowboys), Jerry Jones talked about regrets and achievements of his tenure as owner/GM.
The quarterback position has been a constant topic of debate since October, when the Cowboys got rolling on what would evolve into an 11-game win streak. Asked about that fact in the interview, Jones joked that there was no way he could have come to a satisfying conclusion.
"If I have that answer, I should be President of the United States," he said. "That's a tough one. But one thing for sure: going into that playoff game, I really thought that we had the best quarterback personnel, even with all the due respect to Rodgers - we had two quarterbacks that were capable, in my mind, of playing at a level that could get us to the Super Bowl."
Dak Prescott is of course crucial to the future of the Cowboys. Quarterback guru Tom Shaw thinks he is up to the task.
Shaw is well-known in NFL circles. He's trained some of the league's top quarterbacks, including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb.
Shaw won three Super Bowl rings in the early 2000s as the New England Patriots' speed and conditioning coach. He sees several similarities between Brady and Prescott.
"Tom Brady realizes there are equipment managers, trainers, a coaching staff and they all have families," Shaw said. "All those people are getting fired [if you don't perform] because you're the franchise quarterback. Dak understands that.
"This has to be the most important thing in your life in order for you to be successful."
Outlining Four Tiers Of Cowboys Draft Needs This Offseason - Rob Phillips, Dallas Cowboys
This is a reasonable ranking of the needs Dallas faces in the draft - and it is hard to argue with the top priority chosen.
Defensive Line/Pass Rush: Executive vice president Stephen Jones called it their No. 1 priority last week in Mobile, and given the franchise's hesitancy to overspend in free agency, the draft is probably the best course. The Cowboys' pass rush improved steadily as the season wore on, and their 36 sacks ranked in the top half of the league (13th). But Jones best summed up the importance of more pressure: "We're big believers that it can certainly change your dynamic of your defense and therefore your football team."
Rod Marinelli doesn't come right out and say he needs some more talent - but he doesn't deny it, either.
"We just got to drill and get into those situations and you got to find guys who can execute at those certain times. We didn't do that well enough. We had to pressure [blitz] more than I wanted to. I want to be able to rush four. Everything starts to open up for you there. We just got to keep working toward it. We got some good young players coming up. You just work with them."
It’s time for Cowboys to prepare for life without Jason Witten - Brian Carson, Cowboys Wire
Jason Witten is already something of a legend for the Cowboys, and still is able to perform at a high level. But the team cannot stop trying to find his eventual replacement, especially given his contract status.
However Witten's time with the Cowboys appears to be coming to an end. With declining numbers and increasing age, it is not a matter of how long Witten wants play, but rather how much longer he can go. With one year remaining on his contract it is important for Dallas to find his replacement.
The Cowboys have high hopes for the 2017 season, but the rest of the NFC East is looking to supplant them at the top of the division. Washington beat writer Liz Clarke offered this take on the role of Josh Norman with them.
He brought a competitive fire and singleness of purpose that the Redskins defense needed. He demonstrated a fierce work ethic, staying after practice to do additional drills daily. To be sure, his emotional outbursts on the field cost the team in some respects, in the form of penalties. But I think the spats with Dez Bryant and other NFL receivers amounted to more posturing than anything of consequence. Norman finished the season as he started it, the best player on a Redskins defense that needs upgrades at several positions.
Cowboys fans I promise you I'm coming back bigger badder and better than ever. Surgery went great! #thereisnooffseason
— Demarcus Lawrence (@TankLawrence) February 2, 2017