Cowboys news: Cowboys get their extra week back in new virtual workout program

Teams with new head coaches will get their extra week of work - Charean Williams, PFT

The NFL lays out some guidelines for virtual team programs, and the Cowboys will get their extra week back for having a new head coach.

The NFL and NFLPA on Monday announced a virtual offseason program that will begin for all teams April 20.

It does allow for the Cowboys, Browns, Giants, Panthers and Washington to get their extra week back with a voluntary veteran minicamp on the back end. That gives the five teams with new head coaches a total of four weeks of virtual work.

All other teams get three consecutive weeks of virtual work.

The virtual work cannot go more than four hours a day and no more than four days a week.

On May 18, each team may elect to continue its offseason workout program under the virtual format or under an on-field format if team facilities have reopened.

“The Virtual Period will end and the On-Field Period will begin for all Clubs at any point during the offseason workout program when all NFL Club facilities have reopened,” reads the NFL Management Council document sent to teams Monday.

That means if some states with NFL teams relax social distancing mandates while others maintain stay-at-home orders, then none of the 32 teams can begin on-field work. All offseason workout programs must end by June 26.

Cowboys Draft: Dallas “Loves” Michigan Center Cesar Ruiz - Kevin Brady, InsidetheStar.com

Well, looks like I’m not the only one who think the Cowboys could trade back for a center.

Ruiz is the best center in this draft class, but that’s not enough to warrant using a first round pick on him. The Cowboys have real holes at defensive end and in their secondary, holes which need to be filled early on in this draft class if they’re going to help the 2020 roster.

Now, trading down and gaining more picks would obviously let the Cowboys acquire more players at different positions (duh), so this would be an excellent strategy if Ruiz really is their “guy” in round one.

Remember – the way the Cowboys drafted their future Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick was by trading down and shocking the world during the first round of the NFL Draft.

Film room: Cowboys find a giant DL, bonafide CB of the future in 7-round mock draft - John Owning, Dallasnews.com

A familiar name re-emerges as a Cowboys first-round draft pick.

Round 1, Pick 17: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

While many Cowboys fans are hoping Florida’s CJ Henderson falls to pick No. 17, South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw is a darn good consolation prize.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 324 pounds with massive 34 7/8-inch arms, Kinlaw is a giant human being who was built to destroy opposing offensive lines. Last season, Kinlaw’s dominance wasn’t adequately captured by traditional stats, as 35 tackles, six for loss, and six sacks aren’t truly indicative of Kinlaw’s play.

Kinlaw is the true embodiment of “disruption equals production,” as he was consistently wreaking havoc in opposing backfields before teammates would finish the job. Kinlaw utilized his size and absurd power to bludgeon opposing blockers with heavy strikes, which enabled Kinlaw to consistently reset the line of scrimmage against single blocks.

NFL Mock Draft 2020: Cowboys, Patriots trade up to land needed firepower and Vikings raise some eyebrows - Patrik Walker, CBSSports.com

The Cowboys take a risk giving up draft capital for the cornerback they covet in this mock.

There’s bound to be a curveball — or several — as the usual smoke-and-mirrors game is already well underway this offseason by virtue of draft rumors designed to either throw opposing teams off a scent, or to create anxiety that would lead to some being willing to give up assets in a trade. It’s the annual offseason Super Bowl, and although it’s wearing gloves and a cloth mask, don’t expect it to disappoint.

Round 1 - Pick 14 CJ Henderson, CB Florida • Jr • 6’1” / 204 lbs

The Cowboys have done well in free agency, but are still in dire need at CB1 with Byron Jones gone. With this move, they jump the Falcons and the Broncos — both in dire need of a starting corner — and the Bucs get an extra pick for sliding down three seats. Now having two fourth-round picks and tradable compensatories, the Cowboys can later figure out a way to jump back into the third round. Total compensation: Bucs are awarded the 17th, 82nd, and 179th picks in exchange for sending Dallas the 14th and 117th selections.

2020 NFL Mock Draft with all trades: 32 picks, 32 trades - Bill Barnwell, ESPN.com

In this mock, the Cowboys trade down for picks and a player to help the Cowboys O-Line.

17. Dallas Cowboys

Trade with New Orleans Saints

Cowboys get: 1-24, 2020 second-round pick, OL Nick Easton

Saints get: 1-17, 5-164

Sean Payton’s team is one of many that have had virtual meetings with Jordan Love. ESPN’s projection suggests there’s still a 78% chance Love will be on the board at No. 17, but that mark falls all the way to 13% by the 24th selection. The Saints have the deepest roster in football, and while they might want to try to add one final piece around Drew Brees, this could be a chance for them to add their quarterback of the future while Brees is still on the roster.

The Cowboys would be adding a second-round pick and Easton, who would compete with veteran Joe Looney and 2019 third-round pick Connor McGovern to take over as Dallas’ starting center after the unexpected retirement of Travis Frederick.

2020 NFL Draft: Ideal top two picks for all 32 teams - Chad Reuter and Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Another mock draft and yet another prospect people are considering.

DALLAS COWBOYS

» Round 1: No. 17 overall — Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

» Round 2: No. 51 — Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Murray is one of the top 20 prospects in this class because of his physical and mental toughness, as well as his positive character. The Cowboys re-signed Sean Lee, but his career is near its end. Dallas invested premium picks at linebacker in 2016 (second-round pick and first-round value Jaylon Smith) and 2018 (Leighton Vander Esch, 19th overall), so let’s keep the even-year LB selections coming with Murray, who can play on the weak side. Diggs is one of several former SEC cornerbacks who could bolster the team’s depth at that position. He’s a big, strong outsider corner capable of taking over the spot vacated by the departed Byron Jones. Note that Dallas has two 2021 free agent cornerbacks in Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis. My guess is that the Cowboys will look to the middle rounds of the draft to add another pass rusher, as they did with Dorance Armstrong and Joe Jackson the past couple of years.

BTB Podcast

Are the 2007 Dallas Cowboys the greatest team in franchise history to have not won the Super Bowl? We discuss.

Make sure that you never miss an episode from Blogging The Boys by subscribing to the Blogging The Boys podcast feed!

Also make sure to subscribe to the official YouTube Channel from Blogging The Boys. We’ve got big plans coming there throughout the offseason and you don’t want to miss a thing!