Committee says Bryant ‘14 playoff play should be a catch in the future - Kevin Seifert, ESPN
Dez did catch it, apparently.
On Tuesday, the rule committee determined that the 2014 famous/infamous catch/no-catch featuring Dez Bryant in the NFC Playoffs against the Green Bay Packers will be recorded as a catch in the NFL rules moving forward.
Four years too late.
Dez caught it.
The NFL competition committee has reached a “unanimous” agreement that some of the league’s most debated catch controversies should be ruled complete in the future, according to committee member and New York Giants owner John Mara.
“I think where we are unanimous,” Mara told ESPN on Tuesday, “[are] plays like the Dez Bryant play in Green Bay, going to the ground, the Calvin Johnson play from a couple of years ago. I think all of us agree that those should be completions. So let’s write the language to make them completions.”
NFL considers a change to the catch rule, and a 15-yard limit for pass interference -
After all of the criticism surrounding the “catch rule”, the NFL is now adjusting their rule book and interpretation on what actually is a catch.
But some of the biggest catch-rule controversies have resulted from the portion of the rule that requires a receiver who goes to the ground while making a catch to maintain control of the football while on the turf.
That became known as the Calvin Johnson rule after the former Detroit Lions wide receiver was involved in a notable non-catch ruling. It came up again on an infamous non-catch call involving Bryant and the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC playoff game, which ended in a loss to the Packers. And it helped to determine the outcome of a key Steelers-Patriots game in Pittsburgh this past season on a non-catch by James, a tight end for Pittsburgh.
The competition committee’s reworking of the rule likely will lead to a new version by which all of those plays would have been ruled catches.
Oh, and a 15-yard pass interference rule?
15-yard pass interference limit: Committee members might propose a 15-yard maximum for defensive pass interference penalties. This would mirror the college version of the rule. Some committee members feel that allowing penalties of 30, 40 or 50 yards — or more — puts too many game-changing and possibly season-altering decisions in the hands of the game officials.
Clarence Hill adds more.
Cowboys fans long believe they would have won the game if the play hadn’t been overturned, sending Dallas to the NFC title game for the first time since 1995.
The latter is up for debate.
But pretty soon they will be officially right about one thing.
Dez caught it.
Report: Cowboys plan to cut or trade cornerback Orlando Scandrick - RJ Ochoa, BTB
The youth movement in the Cowboys secondary is taking place more and more. It began when the Cowboys moved on from Morris Claiborne, Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox and Brandon Carr and drafted Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, and Xavier Woods last offseason.
Now, the Cowboys look to be parting ways with veteran corner and longtime Cowboy Orlando Scandrick.
The Cowboys reportedly shopped Orlando Scandrick during last season’s draft when they also drafted multiple cornerbacks. While they denied that rumor about Scandrick and nothing ultimately came of it, it seems that his time in Dallas was indeed running on fumes.
Back at the tail end of last season, after it all but ended against the Seahawks on Christmas Eve, Scandrick posted a cryptic Instagram post that signaled he knew his time in Dallas was up. The writing has been on the wall.
A Scandrick release would leave the Cowboys with Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, Anthony Brown, and apparently Byron Jones as their top cornerbacks. That’s a solid group, but it still would hurt to see Scandrick go.
Stephen Jones said CB Orlando Scandrick will likely be cut or traded
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) February 27, 2018
Jones said that a final decision has not been made, but the writing looks to be on the wall.
Ten-year veteran cornerback Orlando Scandrick said at the end of the season that he’s wondering if he’s played his last season in Dallas. With an influx of young secondary players, where do the Cowboys stand on Scandrick’s role next season?
”Those are things that we take a look at,” Jones said. “We haven’t made that decision, made any decision final at this point. Those are all things that go into the mix.”
If the Cowboys do part ways with Scandrick, they obviously would rather trade him instead of cutting him so that they get something in return, Jones said.
Speaking of the cornerback positon, Hairopoulos writes on the Cowboys and Byron Jones. The Cowboys are still confident in their 2015 first-round draft pick.
“Kris’ background in Seattle points to him liking big corners, but we like big corners too, if we can find them,” Jones said. “Obviously we drafted Jourdan [Lewis], and he’s not a long corner, but he’s very gifted. He’s got a lot of skills that we like, especially in the slot. I just think that those are all things that we’ll continue to look at. Byron Jones is more borne out of we think that may just be where he plays better versus safety.”
Is it frustrating for Dallas that Jones’ best position is still fluid after three seasons?
”No,” Jones said, “because he’s been effective for us. Obviously I think he’s one of the best in the business in covering tight ends, and that’s a big deal in our game right now. Everybody’s got a good one that they’re trying to get the ball to. And I’d be hard-pressed to find someone who covers them better than he can. I think he’s been efficient, it’s just finding his optimal spot.”
Cowboys will tender David Irving as a restricted free agent - Josh Alper, PFT
The Cowboys will place a tender on stud defensive lineman David Irving.
The Cowboys have a couple of impending restricted free agents on their roster and they plan to tender a contract to at least one of them.
The team could use a first-, second- or original round tender. If they opt for the latter, they would not receive any compensation if another team signed Irving to a contract that Dallas opted not to match.
It’s not clear what level of tender it will be, though.
Speculation all along has been that the Cowboys will hit Irving with a second-round tender, meaning another team risks parting with a second-round pick should they choose to sign him and the Cowboys don’t match. That’s a pretty hefty price to pay for any player, but Irving is talented.
If you’ll remember, the Cowboys poached Irving away from the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad in 2015. Cashing out now for a second-round pick does make some legitimate sense, but again, Irving is quite special.
For now we wait.
Cowboys not counting on Randy Gregory for 2018 - Todd Archer, ESPN
While David Irving could potentially be back, the Cowboys are not expecting anything from Randy Gregory this upcoming season.
The Cowboys are not allowed to have contact with Gregory, who was the 60th overall pick in 2015. He slipped in the draft because of off-field woes. He played in 12 games as a rookie but did not record a sack. He played in the final two games of the 2016 season and had one sack.
The Cowboys do not play a role in reinstatement. That comes from Gregory and his agent. Jones said it has been difficult for the Cowboys since they have not been able to keep tabs on Gregory.
“At the same time we obviously invested in Randy and wish nothing and hope for nothing but the best for Randy,” Jones said. “I know he’s on a journey and I know he’s trying to get his off the field situations worked out and he’s certainly got a lot of skill as a football player. But first and foremost he has to get himself personally and his physical well-being off the field in a good place.”
That said, he did post this to his Instagram page on Monday evening:
Can’t end the links without some draft news to satisfy your cravings! Could Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson end up playing for the Cowboys?
Q: Where would Malik Jefferson fit along the Cowboys front seven and how quickly would he be starting?
Brugler: Jefferson would have a chance to earn the starting SAM linebacker role in training camp. And then based on how Jaylon Smith performs, his best long-term position is probably at the MIKE, depending on how he develops. Jefferson has NFL athleticism and an attacking mindset, but he tends to attack before diagnosing and his instincts are still in the development phase.
Cowboys won’t use first-round pick on “pure nose tackle” - Drew Davison, Star-Telegram
If you wanted a big, run-stuffing 1-tech in the first round of the draft, you might be disappointed. Although Stephen does leave some wriggle room.
“If you’re talking about a pure nose, I don’t see that changing for us,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Tuesday from the NFL Scouting Combine.
“I think we just feel like in Rod’s system that we can get the job done without a big, first-round nose, if that’s all he really is. Now, some of these guys might be more than a nose than you think. They could have some under tackle to them and you’re certainly looking at them if that’s the case. Obviously that under tackle position is a big one for us.”