Cowboys News: Will the Cowboys sign Dak Prescott long-term, plus the team cracks the top five

The Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott will buck the trend - Kenneth Wilson, The Landry Hat

Can Dak and the Cowboys come to an agreement after this season?

You also take into account that the Dallas Cowboys were his favorite football team growing up. It’s still a business (in case the $31.4 million dollars doesn’t scream that), but what person, man, or football player can honestly say that they would walk away from being a star player on the team that they grew up rooting for?

This goes double when thinking about the fact that you are the starting star quarterback, with a chance to carry your team, your favorite team, to the promised land. Tell me, what’s better than that?

Who would walk away from that? Especially when you’re bound to at least make close to what you are making this season to do it, within five million dollars per annually at the very least and that’s only if he just has an awful year this year, you can be certain of that as he is still a starting level and serviceable quarterback at the very worst.

These are all the reasons that through it all, the underhanded comments from his closest family members, the complicated negotiations with the Cowboys and Jerry Jones, the hardball hard stances taken by each side, and the through the narratives that have been painted by the fans, the media, and everyone else, they will get a deal done.

CeeDee Lamb Expected To Receive Carries in 2020 - Matthew Lenix, Inside The Star

This man is a weapon on the field, get him the ball anyway you can.

“Look for second-year offensive play-caller Kellen Moore to get Lamb touches as an outside receiver, inside receiver and ball-carrier on jet sweeps,” Jon Machota of The Athletic reported.

This makes a lot of sense when factoring in how explosive Lamb is once he has the ball in his hands. His speed, elusiveness, and ability to cut on a dime make him a threat to turn small plays into long gains and even touchdowns at any moment.

Another reason this is a good idea is that unlike his days as an Oklahoma Sooner he won’t be the first or even the second option in the Cowboys passing attack. Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup both went over 1,100 yards in 2019 and will certainly get more one-on-one opportunities with the presence of Lamb. That being said, getting the ball to Lamb in the running game could create an entirely different dynamic for the Cowboys offense which was the top-ranked unit of its kind last season.

ESPN produces their annual future rankings, and the Cowboys crack the top five - Dave Halprin, Blogging The Boys

It’s nice to see, but lets see if they can prove they deserve it.

At quarterback, Dak Prescott elevated his ranking from 15th in 2019 to fifth this year. That’s quite a jump but goes to show how impressive of a statistical year Prescott had in 2019. The Cowboys also jump from seventh in the draft category to first this year. Guess that’s the power of CeeDee Lamb.

The Cowboys dropped in two categories, non-QB roster went from fourth to seventh, and the front office dropped from eight to 13th. The non-QB roster drop is likely from Byron Jones and Robert Quinn leaving. As for the front office, maybe it’s not getting a deal done with Prescott long-term.

Here is some of what ESPN had to say.

Why they’re here: The Cowboys have been as strong as nearly any team in finding blue-chip talent, acing many draft picks to help build a top-flight nucleus. Though Dak Prescott didn’t get a new deal this offseason, if a deal is struck in the future, the Cowboys will have perhaps the best skill group in football basically all under contract long term. Couple that with an excellent offensive line, and points should come easy going forward. — Yates

Biggest worry: Will the lingering contract situation with Prescott have a negative impact on the focus and attention to detail of both QB and the team overall? Prescott seems intent on betting on himself for this season and dancing this dance again in 2021, which ultimately could lead to the Cowboys being in the market for a franchise QB in less than a year. Say it ain’t so. — Riddick

Mailbag: Dak Throwing Deep More? Latest On Camp? - David Helman & Rob Phillips, DallasCowboys.com

He was great at it last season, why stop now.

There was a report recently, based on Next Gen Stats, that Dak Prescott was the No. 1 deep ball QB last season. That said, the Cowboys didn’t go deep nearly as often as I had hoped for (as a fan). Do you think the team will go vertical more often this season, especially with the added depth at WR?— J.M. SMITH / SAINT CHARLES, MD

David: Personally, I don’t really think Dak needs to go deep more frequently. According to those same advanced stats, he was fifth in the league in deep attempts with 78. For me, I’d just like to see a more aggressive mindset. For a team with such a lethal running attack, I don’t think the Cowboys utilize play action nearly enough. It’s a great way to take advantage of opponents — not to mention get Dak on the move, where he’s dangerous as a runner and a passer. I think some very simple changes could make the offense that much more dangerous.

Rob: There’s not a team in the league that doesn’t use the deep ball on some level. Chunk plays are the lifeblood of an offense. A lot of times it’s based on favorable down and distance. With the Cowboys’ talent at receiver, I do expect to see it some. But it’ll be interesting to see how much of head coach Mike McCarthy’s West Coast principles will be used. Typically, that’s more of a shorter, timing pass game.

Every NFL Team’s Biggest Reason for Optimism Heading into Camps - Maurice Moton, Bleacher Report

This was a bit of a surprise.

Dallas Cowboys: QB Dak Prescott’s New Wide Receiver

Dak Prescott didn’t get a new multiyear deal. Instead, the Dallas Cowboys added to his riches in offensive weapons.

The Cowboys used their first-round pick on who they thought stood out as the best player available as opposed to addressing their biggest position need.

At No. 17, CeeDee Lamb went to Dallas. He’ll join a wide receiver corps featuring four-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper and promising third-year pro Michael Gallup, who logged 66 receptions for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.

Lamb had been a key component to Oklahoma’s offense for three terms between 2017 and 2019, averaging at least 17.5 yards per reception with 807 yards or more in each campaign.

Although Lamb lacks top-gear speed, the dynamic wide receiver brings another dimension to the aerial attack. He can haul in a deep pass over the top or shrug off defenders on shorter receptions to extend plays. As a collegian, the 6’2”, 198-pounder forced 43 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus.

Prescott has a three-wide receiver set that could help him accumulate 5,000-plus passing yards and 30-plus touchdowns in 2020. If that’s the case, Dallas may finally lock him into a long-term deal.

Film room: Breaking down the biggest unknowns on the Cowboys’ roster entering camp - John Owning, DMN

The biggest question marks heading into the Cowboys 2020 season.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Dallas’ biggest unknown is the guy who hasn’t played football in five years. Despite missing the last half-decade, [Aldon] Smith is only 30 years old — close enough to his athletic peak to give fans hope that he can still contribute on an NFL defense.

While Father Time could have a negative effect on Smith’s speed and explosiveness, it won’t affect his gargantuan frame, as he’s still 6-4, 260+ pounds (reportedly in the 280s) with enormous 35 3/8-inch arms. Still, even with that freakish frame, there’s still little known about Smith’s role in the Cowboys defense.

Stephen Jones mentioned in the past that Smith could play in a SAM LB/designated pass rusher (DPR) role in Nolan’s defense — the same position Kroy Biermann (above) played for Atlanta under Nolan in 2014, where he accumulated 75 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 42 total pressures.

Additionally, the Cowboys should utilize some 3-4 fronts, though we don’t know how frequently, in 2020. In an interview about his work with DeMarcus Lawrence, DeMarcus Ware revealed that the Cowboys were going to play some 3-4, which is why Lawrence was seeking out his help.

Dallas Cowboys 2020 rookie draft class contract signing tracker

The Cowboys are finally getting their rookie draft class signed, You can keep up with the signings in our tracker at the link above.

BTB Podcast

This season is going to look very different. We discuss on the latest episode of Girls Talkin ‘Boys.

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