Dallas Cowboys: 4 intriguing storylines from training camp
By Matt Aaron
With real-life Dallas Cowboys training camp comes real-life drama! Read all about it!
With training camp underway, we’re starting get the exciting nuggets and clips that fans and pundits love. As always, there have been injuries and standouts.
And of course, there have been quite a number of exciting storylines. To whit, here are four intriguing storylines from training camp.
Suddenly, the Dallas Cowboys have a plethora of top edge rushers
Early in the offseason, the Cowboys had more questions than answers for the complement to Pro Bowl edge rush rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. Last year’s answer, 11.5 sack Robert Quinn was lost to the Chicago Bears with their massive $70 million contract offer.
Since then, however, the Cowboys have signed Pro Bowl defensive end Everson Griffen, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, and Aldon Smith, the former San Francisco 49er. Griffen, who’s had a high sack count his entire career, seemed like a pretty sure thing, even at age 32. (He had 8.0 sacks last year.)
But Smith, having been away from football for the last four years, seemed like more of a mystery. He doesn’t any more. Since camp began, quarterback Dak Prescott has called him a “monster” and “a great player.” Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy has raved about Smith, particularly his strength and length.
Neither of these men, though positive people in general, are given to exaggeration. So, some Cowboys-watchers are starting to get excited. Lots of us remember not so long ago, America’s Team didn’t have even one legitimate “war daddy”, a term owner Jerry Jones used to throw around.
Suddenly, Dallas has three beasts on the edge! (And that’s not even counting another beast edge rusher, Randy Gregory, who is awaiting a decision from the NFL regarding his appeal from suspension.) Where will they even put them all?! I’m too excited to worry about that. I’m guessing they’ll figure it out.