It's hard not to be pleased with what's coming out of Dallas Cowboys training camp. Not only is Christian Parker's defense making life difficult for Dak Prescott and the offense, but Quinnen Williams just signed a $105 million extension to keep him in Dallas through 20230. No pomp and circumstance. Just business.
That momentum will be put to the test in Tuesday's joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams. It could provide the best barometer yet of whether a front office that hasn't been shy about wanting to add an impact player still feels compelled to make a move.
In a recent chat with Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones discussed the possibility of extending George Pickens. Jones said it's "realistic," but maintained that Dallas has to be mindful of other things.
"Jones insisted paying all three playmakers (Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens) is possible. But he noted funds will be needed for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and pass-rush production," Epstein wrote.
Pass-rush production, you say? Where's that coming from?
Cowboys' EVP Stephen Jones may have hinted a pass rush move is on the way
The Cowboys are a rare team that doesn't have an obvious pass rusher to pay.
Rashan Gary just took a pay cut to facilitate being traded to Dallas from Green Bay. A breakout year would set up Donovan Ezeiruaku for a nice payday, but history says the Cowboys won't pay him until after his third season.
The other options are Sam Williams and James Houston, who are fighting to make the 53-man roster, and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence, who's yet to play an NFL snap. They don't factor into the equation.
While Quinnen Williams has 41.5 sacks in seven seasons, Jones seemed to be talking about Williams and pass-rush production as separate entities. Maybe the Cowboys' VP of player personnel tripped over his words. Or maybe he revealed more than he intended.
Jones' quote becomes even more interesting in light of recent comments he made to DallasCowboys.com. When asked about positions the team might be looking to upgrade, Jones circled two: Cornerback and linebacker. No mention of a pass rusher.
It's clear the Cowboys are after defensive upgrades
"The interesting ones are where there's question marks," Jones said. "Obviously, the cornerback position. ... And then the linebacker spot. ... So those two positions, for me, are ones that I'm keeping a close eye on because there's not necessarily an incumbent, so we're looking forward to that."
If you weren't confused before, you certainly are now. Our best guess? The Cowboys are monitoring all three positions. After all, Jerry Jones wouldn't have said he's still interested in Maxx Crosby if the team didn't feel it could use another pass rusher.
While it's true that Dallas doesn't have an incumbent starter at CB2 or LB2, it's not like the pass rush has been setting the world on fire in training camp. DaRon Bland, Caleb Downs, Cobie Durant, and Shavon Revel are all having excellent camps, while Jaishawn Barham's rise is reshaping expectations for the linebacker room.
That's not to say the Cowboys shouldn't be looking to add at either position, but Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku would rank pretty low among starting edge duos. A proven specialist to deploy behind them is arguably a bigger need right now than cornerback or linebacker.
Jones' comments make it impossible to predict Dallas' next move. But we wouldn't rule out a pass rusher just because he's on the record saying he's monitoring the cornerback and linebacker markets.
Add us as a preferred source on Google