Cowboys news: Zack Martin still waiting on his long-term extension, hopes it gets done

Five things we learned about the Cowboys -Clarence Hill- Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Zack Martin still hasn’t gotten a long-term contract, and it’s been bothering him. It’s better now that he’s back working out with his teammates, but he still wants to see it get done.

3. Guard Zack Martin is still waiting on the long-term contract extension that the Cowboys have been promising him the past two offseasons. He admits it’s a nuisance that it hasn’t gotten done but allows he is able to cope better because he is back working with his teammates and focusing on football in the offseason program and coming OTAs.

“It’s been better now that we are in the facility with the guys,” Martin said. “I don’t think about it now because I am with those guys working out. And it’s kind of back to normal. We will see. Hopefully it gets done. We will see where it goes.”

Lost In The Shuffle, These 10 Players Shouldn’t Be Overlooked in 2018 -Nick Eatman- Dallas Cowboys
These players may not be getting as much attention but they shouldn't be overlooked.

This team has added several new faces in both free agency and the draft, which provided a few highly-rated players that fell in the Cowboys’ lap.

There has definitely been a lot of turnover with this roster, and with that, has left a few players to fall in between the cracks.

As we get close to starting up OTA and minicamp practices, here’s a list of 10 players who might not be getting the publicity right now, but could find themselves making some headlines before too long.

Dallas Cowboys consigning veteran backup QBs to the dustbin of history -Tom Ryle- Blogging The Boys
It’s another of the changes happening in Dallas but recently having a veteran quarterback is not as necessary.

Of course, it is always chancy to try and emulate the Machiavellian moves of Bill Belichick, because no one seems to be able to do it nearly as well. Still, this seems to represent another significant shift in philosophy for the Cowboys. The fact they used a draft pick on White, the second one in three years, signifies that. Prior to taking Prescott in 2016, they had only taken two quarterbacks since 1991. A three-year sample size may not be enough to be sure, but it looks like a new interest in taking a developmental QB every couple of years rather than go back to the pool of veteran signal-callers.

And let’s be honest. That pool is shallow and scummy. The continuing emphasis that so many teams still place on having that veteran presence standing on the sideline is hard to understand, given how rarely a backup is actually able to keep a franchise competitive when called on. The Philadelphia Eagles are a notable exception, with Nick Foles doing a simply outstanding job last season when Carson Wentz was lost to injury. But Dallas’ own experience in 2015 with Weeden and Cassel seems much more typical.

Veteran QBs? No thanks -- Cowboys want backups with potential -Todd Archer- ESPN
The Cowboys are more interested in keeping their quarterback room younger than experienced.

“We want competition there. I think we’ve said it’s been historically what we’ve done. I don’t necessarily know if that’s right, but to have good competition at the quarterback position with Cooper is a good thing,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “Obviously, you put this kind of resource into a quarterback, we could easily carry three, and I think that’s very healthy in terms of having competition. Obviously, Coach Garrett stresses that. That’s what we feel like we’ve done with that is create depth and competition at all levels, and at the same time, draft players with upside to develop into players who can help us win football games.”

Examining the 1,600 mile NFL draft pick pipeline from Boise State to the Dallas Cowboys Kate Hairopoulos- SportsDay
The Cowboys have done a nice job at getting the most out of players they've drafted from Boise State and seem to love the program.

“You have to be careful about that; ascribing traits to a guy just because of the school he came from,” Garrett said. “There is something about that program that grows them the right way. It’s competitive, it is hard working. A lot of those guys are a little bit under the radar as they are coming out of high school, and so there is a hunger to them.

”...We’ve had a lot of success with those guys, and it just seems like Leighton is exactly like the rest of them. He loves ball, has a chip on his shoulder and is a driven guy in everything in his life. We are excited about that part of it.”

What Makes Byron Jones “A Perfect Player” For CB Under Kris Richard? -Rob Phillips- Dallas Cowboys
One of the first things Kris Richard did when he was hired was move Byron Jones back to cornerback.

“Prototypical,” Richard said. “Fantastic athlete, size, length, speed.”

That vision is becoming reality this offseason with Richard as the Cowboys’ new defensive passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach. Jones, the team’s starting free safety the last two seasons, is moving back to corner as Richard tries to align his new personnel in ways that best fit his style.

Bigger corners, Richard believes, can use their length and power to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and beyond.

Jones (6-0, 205), is also outstanding athlete who set a broad jump world record at the 2015 NFL Combine.

“Everything is there,” Richard said. “He has a great attitude. He’s been working really hard from Day 1. I’m thrilled to be around him.”

A deep dive into the Cowboys makeover of their offense - Ryan Ratty- Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys shook up their offense in a way that we haven’t seen in a while.

The departures of Bryant and Witten, and the uptick in talent in the offensive line, leads one to believe that the Cowboys are going to run the ball a lot in 2018. After a shortened season in 2017, Elliott will be fresh and ready to go for another bell-cow-like workload. But Dallas does not need to exhaust the former first-round pick. Rod Smith proved his worth as a situational, change-of-pace back in 2017. And the Cowboys invested a draft pick in Bo Scarbrough, giving them yet another tenacious, tone-setting running back. Dallas also traded for a familiar face in Jamize Olawale, who could make noise as a lead-blocker and a pass-catching back in 2018.

The running back room looks talented, ready, and well-put together. But the same cannot be said about either the wide receiver or tight end room. Who even is the Cowboys’ primary target in 2018? While fans may not value him, the Dallas coaching staff likes what they have in Terrance Williams. There are question marks of route-running, top speed, and body-catching, but Dallas loves his feel for the offense and his run-blocking ability.

Hurns is a unique player for Dallas. He is taller than any receiver they have had in here in awhile at 6-foot-3.. He has decent speed to go along with his height, and he could line up inside or outside.

Why these two undrafted DBs have a real shot of making the Cowboys' 53-man roster -Jon Machota- SportsDay
There could be some undrafted talent that make splashes in the offseason program and force the Cowboys to consider them for the 53.

Machota: It would have to be the bigger defensive backs like San Diego State’s Kam Kelly and Oregon’s Tyree Robinson. Kris Richard comes from a defensive system that prefers bigger defensive backs. Kelly and Robinson are both listed at 6-2.

The Cowboys have an available safety spot on the roster with Byron Jones moving back to CB. If one of the young DBs can impress, they probably have the best shot of any position of making the final 53-man roster.

Dallas Cowboys raise $50,000 for charity in home run derby-Sam Quinn- 247Sports
The Cowboys made a hefty sum for charity on Wednesday at their annual home run derby.

The team held a home run derby on Wednesday, forcing its players to trade in pads for bats, and after splitting the two sides into an offensive team and a defensive team, they ultimately raised $50,000 for the organization according to DallasCowboys.com in a very impressive effort. The players enjoyed the event, with Travis Frederick calling it an event he looks forward to and saying “It’s a fun way for us get out here and raise some money.”

Spagnola: Think 14.5 Sacks Were A Fluke? D-Law Says ‘Stay Tuned’ -Mickey Spagnola- Dallas Cowboys
DeMarcus Lawrence is out to prove that he's no "one-year wonder".

This time around the Cowboys became overly cautious with his rehab. Lawrence spent the entire offseason rehabbing, doing very little in OTAs and the minicamp. Thought was to have him ready for training camp, 2017. He was, but again, they slow-played his return during camp, making darn sure he was ready for the season.

Boy, was he ever, recording at least one sack in each of the first seven games, giving him 10.5 at the halfway point. The cat was out of the bag by then. Without much pressure coming from the other side, teams began doubling Lawrence and chipping him with a back or tight end, making sure he did not disrupt their offenses. The Cowboys began to counter by moving him around, left to right defensive end on certain downs.