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Training camp is very different this year for the Dallas Cowboys, and the National Football League as a whole, but there is football practice happening at The Star in Frisco. That is starting to make it feel more like football season. But perhaps you are not quite there yet. It is possible that you still need more for it to truly feel like football is upon us.
There is maybe nothing more indicative of football being back in our lives than Jerry Jones being back on media. The Dallas Cowboys owner took to the airwaves of 105.3 The Fan on Friday marking the first of his regularly-scheduled appearances throughout the season, and naturally he had a lot to say.
Jerry Jones mentioned Aldon Smith, Tyrone Crawford, and Trysten Hill as players standing out thus far
We have heard a lot about these Dallas Cowboys defensive linemen, and most of it, outside of the awful Gerald McCoy news, has been overwhelmingly positive. For instance Dak Prescott called Aldon Smith a “monster.”
QB1 is not the only person hyping up Aldon Smith, though. Jerry Jones was asked who has been impressing him so far and he included Smith among a few others.
“Well of course I’ve got to separate name or reputation sometimes with some of these veteran players with what you’re actually seeing. But it always looks a little better if you come in with a reputation like we’ve got with some of these free agents that we’ve had. 58 Smith speaks for himself. You’ve guys have noted him and if you hadn’t you oughta read up on him. But let me say this. He looks like he’s ready to line up against the Giants, or against the Rams.”
“But of course our own that we know well Lawrence, Griffen I’ve been able to freshen up on him, talked to him just right before practice today. But the guy that I’d note is 98 Crawford. Crawford is, we know what he is in his heart. You saw him down in Florida, he’s a bad boy. He’s who you want on your side now. Boy he looks on the edge here and looks excited about makeup of his defensive group. I like some of these younger guys that we think.”
“I think Hill, I had heard Tom Landry say that don’t ever, ever make a crisp hard decision, especially on a defensive lineman, until three years. From the time they leave college. You might get surprised. You might go when you should’ve not gone in a decision. So Hill last year, we’d like for him to have had more snaps, but I’d say he’s, I’m going to note him out there.”
“We’ve got some rookies that might put some pressure for us. I’m talking about the, either the stand up pass rushers or the down linemen in our front. I’m excited about the front on this defensive football team. And if I had to say today what that I would note relative to past years I’d say our front. Our defensive front.”
Jerry mentioned Florida when talking about Tyrone Crawford which seems to be a call back to Tyrone’s incident in the sunshine state last March. What Jerry does is what Jerry does, obviously.
Obviously any hype should be handled with caution as the Cowboys disappointed greatly last year when a lot of people had plenty of high hopes for the season. Still, though, it is encouraging to hear such a widespread level of belief, particularly in the defensive line.
Are you buying what Jerry’s selling? The fact that he’s trying to sell you anything at all is the surest sign that football truly is here.