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Here is your Sunday edition of Cowboys news...
NFL sets training camp dates for Cowboys, charts course for on-time season - K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire
All 32 teams have been officially informed of when they are allowed to report to training camp.
It appears that despite the elephants in the room that the league does not have a protocol in place should a team come down with mass Covid-19 infections, it appears it’s full-steam ahead for them wanting to get teams into training camp in hopes the NFL season can start on time. Despite no sign off from the NFLPA, the Dallas Cowboys and 31 other clubs received a memo from the league office outlining the reporting dates for later this month as outlined by the CBA.
Ceedee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and the rest of the Cowboys ballyhooed rookie class will report this coming Tuesday, July 21. Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton will join seventh-round selection Ben DiNucci two days later on Thursday, and the full squad will report the following Tuesday, July 28.
NFL clubs just received this email with reporting dates.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 18, 2020
Training camp is on. pic.twitter.com/lya1JtxW4o
All Cowboys will report by July 28, but the NFL’s plan to combat COVID-19 feels like a two-minute drill - Michael Gehlken, DMN
The schedule of expected arrivals at The Star.
The NFL formally notified all 32 teams on Saturday that training camp will begin as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement. This means that, barring an unexpected revision that would need to come soon, Cowboys rookies are required to report to The Star on Tuesday.
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Rookies must report Tuesday. Quarterbacks and injured players will arrive Thursday. All other veterans will report the following Tuesday, July 28, which is the required 47 days before the Cowboys’ Sept. 13 season opener at the Los Angeles Rams.
COVID-19 tests will be administered upon arrival. The Cowboys have yet to sign their seven draft picks from April; that is expected to occur in the next week upon the completion of physicals.
With camp 10 days away, NFL and players at odds over testing, preseason, money - Staff, The Athletic
With training camp coming up, there is still so much uncertainty about how this is all going to play out.
You have concerns about injury risk...
Tretter said players are concerned about the risk of injury if they return to football work too soon because of the extended time players have been off the field. There are some parallels to the 2011 lockout, but Tretter said he believes players will be even more prone to injuries upon return now because so many gyms and training facilities were closed this offseason.
To the idea of some players opting out...
But both Smith and Tretter said there is a litany of reasons players might, from the risk factors for complications from COVID-19 for individuals with high body mass index, those with asthma or sleep apnea, and for players who might live with at-risk individuals. The union is asking for players who opt out for these sorts of medical reasons to receive their scheduled bonuses and to have their contracts toll, meaning they would move a year closer to new contracts.
And much, much more.
NFLPA wants players tested daily for COVID-19 when training camps open - Associated Press, Dallas Morning News
What protocols will be in place once training camp begins?
“We believe daily testing is important, especially given some of these hot spots,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said Friday, referring to states with increasing numbers of coronavirus cases. “We don’t right now plan on changing that position.”
The league and the union already finalized protocols regarding team travel, media, and treatment response, and updated the facilities protocol to specifically address training camp based on recommendations from a joint committee of doctors, trainers and strength coaches formed by the league and players’ union. The committee recommended testing every other day.
NFLPA president JC Tretter, a center for the Cleveland Browns, called an “emergency” meeting Thursday night with head team doctors from clubs in hot spot cities to discuss whether it’s safe to start camp. Rookies for Houston and Kansas City are set to report on Monday. Players from all teams report by July 28. “They gave their medical opinion it was safe to open training camp, and that’s where we are,” Smith said.
How COVID-19 limitations will affect NFL rosters; respect Zeke! - Bucky Brooks, NFL
Preseason cancellations could significantly impact teams around the league, and NFL.com highlights a few of those things.
3) UDFAs could face long odds of making active rosters.
Despite the 24/7/365 attention paid to the draft nowadays, the NFL has quietly become somewhat of a working-class league comprised of scores of players who were never drafted. Last year, according to Over The Cap, 31 percent of the players on opening day rosters were former undrafted free agents who earned their spots through exceptional performances during training camp and preseason games. Think about that. Nearly a third of the active players in Week 1 last season were unheralded guys who worked their way onto rosters by overcoming the odds.
But without an extensive offseason program and full preseason to impress and earn the trust of coaches, it will be much harder for UDFAs to make the cut. There simply isn’t enough time or reps to supplant established veterans for the final roster spots. Remember: Many camp battles are ultimately decided by the special teams coach because of the importance of the kicking game, but it is harder to determine if young guys are ready to contribute in that phase without game action. Coaches are more likely to rely on their experienced players in the kicking game during the early part of the season, due to the expertise and urgency required to excel at this facet of the game.
NFL adopts new safety measure; rookies to report July 21 - Clarence Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram
And new safety protocols will be put in place regarding how teams travel.
And according to ESPN, the league has decided on travel rules for this year. The requirements include:
▪ Players are barred from using public or private transportation to or in other cities.
▪ Players and staff are prohibited from leaving their hotels to go to restaurants that are open to the public.
▪ No one outside of the team’s traveling party can visit a hotel room.
▪ Masks are required for all players and staff while traveling.
▪ Team buses may operate at no more than 50 percent capacity.
▪ There must be at least one open seat between passengers on the plane.
Zeke Is Absolutely Right — Just Check The Stats - Rob Phillips, Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott doesn’t get the love he deserves, and dagnabbit - he’s tired of hearing it.
The best way to measure Elliott’s total impact on the Dallas Cowboys since 2016? Compare his numbers to the most productive running back in franchise, and league, history.
Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, through his first four seasons with the club (1990-93): 62 regular-season games 1,262 carries for 5,699 yards (4.5 average), 50 touchdowns 189 catches for 1,235 yards, 3 touchdowns
Elliott through his first four seasons (2016-19): 56 regular-season games 1,169 carries for 5,405 yards (4.6 average), 40 touchdowns 189 catches for 1,619 yards, 8 touchdowns
Very comparable. Very little difference.
Here’s a fun fact...
The top six yards per game running backs in NFL history include five Hall of Famers and Ezekiel Elliott, so get off his back!
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) July 16, 2020
NFC East Superlatives: Best, Underrated & Breakout Players - Carter Donnick, The Draft Network
The Cowboys have a lot of great things happening on offense, but could they have the best defensive player in the NFC East? Carter Donnick from The Draft Network thinks so.
Best Defensive Player: Demarcus Lawrence, EDGE, Dallas Cowboys
Fletcher Cox probably would’ve been the choice if it weren’t for a foot injury that hampered his 2019 output, but with that being the unfortunate case, Demarcus Lawrence is the pick here instead. Although he also saw a dip in sack production like Cox (5.5), Lawrence still had a quality 2019 season, ranking third in ESPN’s pass-rush “win rate” metric and displaying complete dominance in the run game.
With his big contract and Dallas’ unavoidable spotlight, many have seen Lawrence’s basic numbers and assumed he’s disappointed, but that simply isn’t the case. Also putting forth quality pressure numbers, a lot of what Lawrence does isn’t flashy and won’t garner much attention, but he’s a fantastic edge presence with the ability to completely change games.
BTB Podcast
It was quite a week for the Cowboys. We discuss on the latest episode of Cowboys Hoy.
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