Cowboys news: Dak Prescott feels the Cowboys are building on consecutive 12-win seasons

Dak Prescott: Back-to-back, 12-win seasons shows the Cowboys are building - Charean Williams, PFT

Dak Prescott feels like the arrow is definitely pointing up for Dallas.

Dallas does have reasons for optimism, though.

The Cowboys are coming off back-to-back, 12-win seasons for the first time since winning three Super Bowls in four seasons in the 1990s, and they made offseason trades that delivered cornerback Stephon Gilmore and receiver Brandin Cooks. They also added a starting defensive tackle and a starting tight end in the first two rounds of the draft.

“You’re able to take two 12-win seasons over into this one and build,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said on 96.7 The Ticket, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “It’s the first time in my career I can say I feel like consecutive seasons are building. Going back to 2021, we’ve been able to build. We built that year, and we can build again. I think that’s the best real chance that you have of making it. You’ve got to give it knocks. You’ve got to see what it feels like. Us having that now, you feel a lot more comfortable; you’re excited about the details, the changes that we’ve had on the offense and just the team. I’m looking forward to it with a lot of excitement.”

‘They’ve walked the walk’: Dan Quinn notes Cowboys veterans’ role in mentoring younger players - Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire

The perfect mix of youth and experience could propel the team to the promise land in 2023.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn knows that as well as any coach in the league. His unit in Dallas is largely led by still-ascending superstars like Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs, but it also depends on a heavy dose of savvy veteran play from guys like DeMarcus Lawrence and Jayron Kearse.

And now with the team’s first-round draft pick and other promising rookies expected to step up and contribute in their first year, Quinn is thankful to have a growing stable of been-there-done-that mentors in uniform to help show the youngsters the way.

“If I was a young player- Mazi Smith- I would almost pay anything to have Johnathan Hankins mentor me,” Quinn said recently. “If I was Eric Scott, I would almost pay anything to have Steph[on] Gilmore be in the meeting room: talk about it, a technique, something that’s different. For the players who are here to take on that responsibility, knowing that these guys are going to help us play, and help us get them to our standards fast, I think it speaks volumes of the locker room and the culture that Mike [McCarthy]’s created here.”

Hankins and Gilmore bring a combined 21 years of NFL experience to the Cowboys locker room and are among the team’s four longest-tenured pros. Hankins was acquired in a midseason trade last year and made an immediate impact on and off the field; it was quickly clear to Quinn Gilmore would do the same after the club traded for him in March.

“When we did sign him,” Quinn recalled, “I bet I got 10 or 12 calls or texts to say, ‘DQ, this is your kind of guy. You’re going to love this guy.’ That told me a lot about what, and then the first interaction- just knowing how hard he works, seeing the connection with Tre[von] to start and then with some others- that was a big deal for me, to see that. To say, ‘Not only do I have all this knowledge, but I’m willing to share that wisdom.’ And that’s a really important thing for coaches to do, but also for veteran ballplayers to do if they have the ability to share it.”

3 Cowboys who could be cut before playing a snap - Randy Gurzi, The Landry Hat

Sometimes players don’t even make it to one regular-season snap with a team.

On the heels of back-to-back 12 win campaigns, the Dallas Cowboys have put together a solid offseason that included the addition of Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore. Poised to make a run at the NFC East once again, Dallas has a strong roster — which means there will be some talented players released as they trim it down to 53.

Due to that competition, there are some players who might be let go before ever taking a snap with the franchise, and here are three possible candidates.

3. Tristan Vizcaino, K

Over the past two seasons, the Cowboys have been on a roller coaster when it comes to the kicking game. They moved on from Greg Zuerlein, who wasn’t terrible, but also had his share of frustrating misses. They then tried to roll with rookie Jonathan Garibay but he was so erratic during training camp that they brought back Brett Maher.

2. Ronald Jones, RB

Not long after saying goodbye to Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys signed former second-round pick Ronald Jones. A two-time Super Bowl Champion, Jones is coming off his second title as he was a part of the Kansas City Chiefs roster in 2022.

1. Ben Banogu, EDGE

Another former second-round pick made his way to Dallas this offseason as they added Ben Banogu following his release from the Indianapolis Colts. A local prospect, Banogu grew up just six miles from the team’s practice facility and became a star at TCU — following a stint with Louisiana-Monroe.

Best EDGE room in the NFC East could be a coin flip - Mario Herrera Jr., Inside The Star

How do the Cowboys stack up against the rest of the division from an edge perspective?

Players were once regarded as either run stoppers or pass rushers, but never both.

Gone are the traditional monikers, and the defensive end position is now just being called “EDGE”.

EDGE players can do it all, and the NFC East has it’s fair share of these freaks of nature.

My NFC East position rankings series continues today as I analyze the EDGE position for each team.

Dallas Cowboys

Projected starters: Demarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong

Key contributor(s): Micah Parsons, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler Jr.

Demarcus Lawrence

Demarcus “Tank” Lawrence is the longest tenured player on the defense.

Drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Tank’s presence is always felt, even if it doesn’t stuff the stat sheet.

Micah Parsons

Despite not being listed as a starter at EDGE on the depth chart, Micah Parsons gets his own subheading.

New York Giants

Projected starters: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari

Key contributor(s): Oshane Ximines

Kayvon Thibodeaux

The New York Giants went into the 2022 NFL Draft with two picks in the top seven.

Role Call: Luepke’s Versatility Reigns Supreme - Nick Harris, DallasCowboys.com

Hunter Luepke’s diverse skill set gives him plenty of ways to make the 2023 Dallas Cowboys.

What’s Next: Luepke is one of the bigger wild cards in the entire rookie class for the Cowboys given his positional versatility and his early willingness to play wherever he is needed. His immediate contributions will most likely come exclusively on special teams, but his potential ability as an offensive playmaker cannot be overstated. During his time at North Dakota State, Luepke drew comparisons to perennial all-pro fullback Kyle Jusczcyk because of his versatility to pick up short-yardage first downs, line up out wide as a true receiving threat and his ability as a pass protector. Dallas will have flexibility with Luepke’s skillset which could unlock an extra layer to the offense that not a lot of teams in the NFL are able to utilize.

Bet You Didn’t Know: Prior to arriving at The Star as a member of the Dallas Cowboys for the first time, his only past experience in Frisco came in the FCS National Championship where he won two rings with North Dakota State at nearby Toyota Stadium. In the 2022 edition, Luepke rushed for three touchdowns in a 38-10 win over Montana State on his way to earning the game’s Most Outstanding Player award.

Quotable: “I’m not trying to be anybody else, I’m just trying to be the best version of Hunter Luepke that I can be every day.” - Hunter Luepke on his early Kyle Jusczcyk comparisons

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