The impact of re-signing Cooper Rush - Tony Stahl, Inside the Star.
The Dallas Cowboys haven taken the approach of “we like our guys” into overdrive this week, resigning several of their players that were available in free agency. Recently they turned their attention to the offensive side of the ball, retaining another one of their own. Quarterback Cooper Rush agreed to a new deal with the team and though it may be seen as insignificant, there are reasons to pay close attention to why the re-signing of Rush matters.
The Cowboys staff managed to grab a tight hold on their backup after what Rush proved last season when he won 4 out of 5 games to help the Cowboys save their season from certain doom. Now that they have Rush locked in, how will this deal affect the Cowboys’ upcoming games? That question can be answered with a simple statement: it depends.
The Cowboys may or may not need him, but they are in good hands if anything happens to Dak Prescott again. Last season, after suffering a thumb injury near the end of the first game, Cooper Rush was going to take over for multiple weeks. You all know what occurred next, so no need to explain.
Rush has already proved himself to be a really good quarterback, and for single-handedly saving the Cowboys’ entire season last year, he is now a true member of the team. This doesn’t just impact the Cowboys, but the entire NFL. There has to be a team or two who were eyeballing Rush throughout the early weeks of last season.
I am sure that Rush would have gotten scooped up by a team who needed a new quarterback if the Cowboys didn’t make a contract with him. Overall, Rush is a loyal player, and he really loves the atmosphere of Dallas. He is a good leader and a great team player.
The Dallas Cowboys definitely have the best backup quarterback in the entire league for sure. As previously stated, Rush is a player who could start on other teams as their main quarterback, so to see him back is a huge victory.
1 obvious mistake Cowboys can’t make in wake of releasing Ezekiel Elliott - Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat
As hard as it was for some to say goodbye to Ezekiel Elliott, the team should be lauded for making the right decision financially. Running back isn’t a position that normally warrants paying a premium price tag, therefore with that perspective, the Cowboys did the right thing. But the Cowboys can undo all that financial progress they’ve made by making this one mistake.
Cowboys shouldn’t sign another running back after releasing Ezekiel Elliott
Dan Orlovsky really likes making an enemy of Cowboys fans, huh? His Dak Prescott criticism is one thing (he infamously thought Carson Wentz was better back in the day), but advocating for Dallas to splurge on a RB the second after they finally ditched Elliott’s contract is either awful analysis or high-class trolling.Either way, the Cowboys simply cannot do this. They already have $10.01 million committed to Tony Pollard via the franchise tag.
Orlovsky’s preferred target, Jamaal Williams, inked a three-year, $12 million contract with the Saints after a career year in Detroit. The deal includes $8 million fully guaranteed. While not big-time money, it’s a really solid deal for a 27-year-old back, and it’s far more expensive than what the Cowboys should even think about doling out to another back.
The right course of action would be to wait until the draft. Taking Texas phenom Bijan Robinson in the first round would drive some fans up a wall, but you can make a stronger argument for it now that Dallas bolstered the CB room in the form of Stephon Gilmore. A back in the second or third round would be our preferred choice, but beggars can’t be choosers.
As long as Jones doesn’t sign a free agent in the immediate aftermath of Elliott’s release. That’s all that matters. If the front office wants to circle back to the free agent market post-draft, be our guest. The running back market is incredibly deep this year, so someone like Damien Harris, D’Ernest Johnson, or Leonard Fournette could still be available.
Cowboys New CB Stephon Gilmore Still Taking Cues from Patriots Coach Bill Belichick - Mike D’Abate, Cowboys Country
Newly-acquired cornerback Stephon Gilmore has been a great player for a long time in the NFL. The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year brings a lot of experience to the Dallas Cowboys’ secondary. Many have characterized Gilmore as a student of the game. That great student acknowledged recently that he still takes lessons from perhaps the games best teacher, Bill Belichick.
The former South Carolina standout spent his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2016. However, Gilmore truly developed into an elite defensive back after signing a lucrative free-agent deal with the New England Patriots in 2017 — under the tutelage of Pats head coach Bill Belichick.
Though Gilmore may have left New England in 2021, he still carries a great deal of “Belichickian’ wisdom and counsel in his heart. Accordingly, he will be carrying that knowledge with him to the Cowboys, who acquired the lockdown corner by trading a fifth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday.
“He’s a great coach,” Gilmore said of Belichick in 2022. “He does everything…whatever he can to help his team win. He taught me a lot of football and how to be a better player ... how to prepare. As a coach, he helped me in a lot of ways.”
During his four seasons with the Pats, he was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 after leading the league with six interceptions and 20 passes-defensed. He also extended his Pro Bowl selections to four, received two first-team All-Pro selections, and was a member of the team that won a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl LIII.
Still, Gilmore was drawn to Belichick’s consistent desire to learn about the game and impart that expertise to others. Former teammates such as Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson have praised Gilmore’s patience and prowess as a teacher. As such, the Cowboys are gaining an exceptionally smart player with the desire to be a mentor to their young and talented corps of cornerbacks — including current alpha defensive back Trevon Diggs.
2023 NFL Draft: 5 players who could be surprise 1st-round picks for the Cowboys - Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys
Never shy to buck conventional belief, the Cowboys aren’t shy about leaving fans stunned with their selections in the draft. Last year some fans were in disbelief at the prospect of the team taking Tyler Smith in the first round. If history does repeat itself, here’s a list of players who might set social media on fire if the team were to select them in the first round.
CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
Drafting a cornerback in the first-round seems a little unlikely after the Dallas Cowboys traded a fifth-round pick to acquire Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts. However, for a player with the kind of elite physical profile and athleticism Kelee Ringo possesses it might be too difficult for them to pass up on.
The former Georgia CB checks all of the boxes Dan Quinn looks for in an outside CB as far as size (6’2”, 207), length (31 1⁄4 inch arms), and speed (4.36 40-yard dash). However, he sometimes struggles to anticipate in coverage which has led to him giving up big plays in the past. Despite that, his rare physical attributes are really intriguing.
RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
With Ezekiel Elliott officially released and Tony Pollard playing on a one-year franchise tag, the Dallas Cowboys could find themselves in the market for a new long-term running back. While Bijan Robinson would be the ideal pick in the first-round if he’s still available at No. 26, Jahmyr Gibbs is the more likely of the two to still be available.
The former Alabama RB by way of Georgia Tech is a little undersized at 5’9”, 199-pounds, but is one of the most dynamic and versatile running backs in the entire 2023 draft class. He is a threat to take it to the house anytime he touches the ball as either a runner or receiver, and would provide a much-needed explosive threat to Dallas’ offense.
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