Each week, we’ll get questions on Twitter and Facebook about the Dallas Cowboys players and other questions surrounding the team. So let’s get straight into it.
“How many kickers did the Cowboys have to try?”
(Submitted by Keith Hopkins via Facebook)
Mike – As of now Tristan Vizcaino is still an available option for Dallas. since John Fassel said Prior to recruiting who wanted to “bring in anyone on earth,” the front office didn’t budge an inch in finding someone else. The assumption is that someone will come by before training camp, and most invite former San Francisco player Robbie Gould. It comes with issues like age and also not being someone you can count on for a kickoff, so the team can look elsewhere. Watch kickers from the XFL and USFL now, this is something Mike McCarthy has been talking about in previous press conferences. As odd as that sounds since he doesn’t have a player ready for the season, remember that last year the team didn’t sign Brett Maher until mid-August.
brandon – At the beginning of the month, the Cowboys had a workout with seven free agent players, none of whom were kickers. The front office and coaching staff are comfortable going with Tristan Vizcaino as the only player heading into training camp. As far as I know, the team hasn’t had a player yet in practice, but I expect that to change once they head to Oxnard in July. Special teams coach John Vassell talked about not having a kicker take unnecessary reps during OTAs and a mini-camp to tire their leg. When the cowboys on the bus head to the airport in late July, I suspect another passenger will be on the bus with them.
Any word on Dennis Houston’s development for a second year?
(Submitted by Big Lebarski via Facebook)
Mike – So far away from his private workouts with Duck not much has been reported. Houston appeared in camp last year but quickly faded during the regular season. This was in part due to his biggest strength, which was his relationship with Duck, and his breakup with him in the first week. But the question for Houston more is whether he was just a one-camp wonder, or does he have something to offer on offense. Let’s see how he does in training camp and during pre-season matches and revisit the question of his development.
brandon – Along with the rest of the receivers, Dennis Houston was present at nearly every off-field workout with Prescott. This will go a long way in building chemistry between them before the long road ahead of him to make the team in 2023. Not only will the Cowboys fight Jalen Brooks in the seventh round, but he can contend with a tight fourth. In the end, a fourth running back, or another depth piece on the roster. To answer the question, Houston has been doing all the right things, but we won’t know what his development looks like until training camp.
“What happened last year to the Ball Falcons that we had in 2021?”
(Submitted by @k5stkDonny via Twitter)
Mike – I somewhat disagree with the idea that the Cowboys’ defensive backs failed to get the junk food. True, the number of interceptions is down from the previous season, but the team still ranks fourth, and DaRon Bland has the second most interceptions by a rookie cornerback. What made the numbers look so different was the influence of Trayvon Diggs. Every week, Diggs has been pulling off a takeaway, so fans had a feeling this trend would follow next year. instead of. He was more circumspect and took fewer punts and, in my opinion, played better last season than he did in 2021. Interceptions will come, and with a guy like Stephon Gilmour no stranger to catching the ball, expect the Cowboys’ interception numbers to be one of the highest. teams as a team this year.
brandon – I agree with Mike on this. The Cowboys defense led the NFL in takeaways in back-to-back seasons and was the first team to do so since the Steelers’ “steel curtain” of the 1970s. Sure, Trevon Diggs hasn’t had 11 interceptions, but DaRon Bland has shown he can be a ballhawk, and with the addition of Stephon Gilmore, I think there will be more. The cornerback position in the NFL is so fickle that league leaders can change hands almost every season, with Jalen Ramsey being the only exception to the rule. As long as they continue to stop offenses and help make turnovers, there’s no need to pressure just one player to do so. If the entire team contributes, it’s an elite defense.
Poll of the week: Finally on the mailbag, we asked which offensive linemen will be kicking off in Dallas this year. Here are the results and what we saw in the survey.
Mike – All I’m saying is don’t sleep on Chuma Edoga. The guy is sneaky talent in fact, he doesn’t have a chance to prove it due to injuries. But I’d go with the majority pick and pick Waletzko for the hack this year as well. I had high hopes for him last year and it’s a shame he got injured before he could prove himself. If he stays healthy this year, there’s no doubt he’ll be the right replacement, and if Steele has to take an extra week to prepare himself from his injury and miss the first week, I’m not bummed at the idea of Waletzko being the starter.
brandon – In full swing with the poll, I think the players with a guaranteed spot on the list would be Matt Varniuk and Matt Waltzko. Varnyuk is someone the coaching staff likes because he can play almost every position up front. Not to mention he’s the team’s backup center and potential left guard. If Waletzko can make the two-year jump as the poll predicts, it could create a scenario in which the team decides to move on from Terence Steele in 2024 if they can’t reach a contract agreement, and Waletzko becomes the right starter. The last point in the o-line room might come down to Edoga and Ball. Edoga’s veteran presence may be something the team aspires to, but they also like to protect their recruiting choices. If it was a coin flip I would say give ball another chance.