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Cowboys news: Dak Prescott’s improvement progress, plus more free agency news

An entendre of Cowboys news for your Monday!

NFL: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Tyrod Taylor Could be a Great Fit as Cowboys Backup QB - Jess Haynie, Inside the Star

Could you see Taylor in silver and blue?

The former Virginia Tech standout, and the best QB to play in Blacksburg since Michael Vick, has put together a respectable NFL career over the last 10 seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015 while with Buffalo, a 24-20-1 record as a starter, and a career passer rating of 89.5. He’s also a true dual threat with 1,850 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Taylor is one of those guys who is good enough to help a good team compete but not carry a bad one. In that way he’s very much like last year’s backup Andy Dalton.

Dalton is set to become a free agent again after a one-year contract with Dallas. He ended up playing far more than expected or desired thanks to Dak Prescott’s injury and provided a stabilizing presence that at least kept the Cowboys competitive in Week 17.

Cowboys Source Gives Ruling on Russell Wilson Trade: Report - Zack Kelbermann, The Heavy

More insights into the Wilson saga...

On Friday, Fox Sports 1 talking head Jason McIntyre called for the Cowboys to include running back Ezekiel Elliott in a would-be trade package for Wilson, along with two first-round selections and a second-round choice.

“Jerry Jones, are you kidding me? This is a division for the taking if Russell Wilson is your quarterback. He instantly makes you the team to beat in the NFC East. I don’t know that there’s any decision at all here,” McIntyre said on Undisputed. “I say, ‘Jerry Jones, pick up the phone.’ I say, ‘Hey, Seattle, you want our number one pick this year? You want our number two? You want our number one in 2022?’ Seattle has said [they] want to run the football and play defense. I say, ‘Zeke Elliott, we had a good run. But I’m going to put you in that package.’ Zeke Elliott, two number ones, and a number two. I bring in Russ.”

“Russell Wilson will cover up a lot of those ugly warts that Dak Prescott could not,” he added. “Last four seasons, Dak Prescott: 6-20 against teams that finished with a winning record. For whatever reason, he did not show up great against the elite teams. I know the defense wasn’t good, and we could talk about the special teams was inferior, and the coaching, but Russell Wilson is a massive upgrade over Dak Prescott. Russ instantly makes them a 10- or 11-win team, a Super Bowl contender.”

Dallas Cowboys: Did CeeDee Lamb help sink the Eagles? - Steven Mullenax, The Landry Hat

Lamb’s season was more impressive in more ways than one.

But the fact is Lamb landing in Dallas seemed improbable before the start of the 2020 NFL Draft. Arguably the top wide receiver prospect in the draft class, the Oklahoma wideout wasn’t supposed to be available when the Cowboys’ number was called in the first round last year, 17th overall.

Lamb, who was coming off a 62 reception, 1,327-yard, 14 touchdown performance as a junior for the Sooners in 2019, was expected to be one of the top players chosen in the first round. And even if he somehow fell to Dallas, the Cowboys had several more pressing needs other than wideout.

The Cowboys had just signed wide receiver Amari Cooper, whom they traded a first-rounder for two years prior, to a massive five-year, $100 million contract extension. And second-year wideout Michael Gallup was coming off his first 1,000-yard season.

Dallas also had up-and-coming receiving prospects like Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Noah Brown. So there was really no reason to spend a first-round selection on a wide receiver. But when Lamb unexpectedly fell to Dallas, there was a tough decision to be made.

Could Zack & Nick Martin Reunite on Cowboys 2021 Roster? - Jess Haynie, Inside the Star

The return of the Martins would be interesting.

It’s been almost eight years since brothers Zack and Nick Martin played on the same football team. But after Nick’s release by the Houston Texans yesterday and the Cowboys’ potential need for offensive line help in 2021, could a family reunion in Dallas be in the making?

The Martins were both starting offensive linemen for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2013; Zack at guard and Nick at center. Zack would join the Cowboys the following year as a 1st-round draft pick and then Nick, three years younger, entered the NFL as a 2nd-round pick by the Texans in 2016.

While never the All-Pro or Pro Bowl player that his older sibling has been, Nick Martin has been a starter in every game he’s played for Houston. He missed all of his rookie season with an ankle injury but returned in 2017 and has only missed two games since.

The Texans released Nick yesterday to save over $6 million in salary cap space, just one year into a three-year contract extension.

Optimism is reasonable for the 2021 Dallas Cowboys season - Richard Caldwell, The Landry Hat

The vibe is pleasant in D-Town:

The draft will be in our rear-view mirror. Roster gaps will have been filled by the now-familiar “high value at low cost” free agency approach. I expect that the draft and free agency will focus on the defensive side, likely addressing needs at linebacker, a run-stopping defensive tackle, and at safety.

If we posit that. If we assume Prescott is healthy and starting in Week 1. If we assume that the team drafts well and snags a meaningful free-agent or two, what might the 2021 season hold for the Cowboys-faithful?

Dare a Cowboys fan dream of Super Bowl appearances anymore? After 26 years without an NFC Championship game appearance, is optimism foolishness? Is the Dallas fanbase now in the territory of the justified pessimism that once belonged to people like Cubs fans or Red Sox fans?

Dallas Cowboys: 3 Players to avoid in 2021 NFL free agency - Randy Gurzi, NFL Spin Zone

This is who NOT to pursue:

3. Von Miller, EDGE

Born in Dallas, Texas, there will be connections made between Vin Miller and the Cowboys when players are allowed to sign. And at one time, it would have been a dream come true for Dallas to land the Texas A&M product.

But that time has passed as the soon-to-be 32-year-old is no longer the threat he once was. He’s also not guaranteed to be healthy after suffering a dislocated peroneal tendon — which is a serious injury to his ankle.

If that wasn’t enough to steer clear, there are also reports that he’s been under investigation for domestic violence this year. Miller is a Super Bowl MVP and one of the best to ever play the game, but right now, he’s radioactive and the exact opposite of what Dallas needs.

BTB Podcast Schedule

  • Monday: Jersey Boyz with Dave Sturchio, Bret Ernst, and Keith Ernst
  • Tuesday: The 75O with Tony Casillas and RJ Ochoa
  • Wednesday: Talkin’ The Draft with Connor Livesay, Cole Patterson, and Dalton Miller
  • Thursday: Ryled Up with Roy White and Tom Ryle
  • Friday: Girls Talkin ‘Boys with Kelsey Charles and Meg Murray
  • Saturday: Cowboys Hoy with Mauricio Rodriguez

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