Restoring The Star: A Dallas Cowboys Franchise

[Cory Levy]

"Around The League 2020: Penultimate Preview;
Prescott, Zeke, Cooper & 10 More Cowboys Lead NFC Pro Bowl Team"



"The Cowboys Lead The League With 13 Pro Bowl Selections"

2020 NFL Pro Bowl Rosters
AFC Offense	Pos	Team	NFC Offense	Pos	Team
J. Brissett	QB	IND	D. Prescott	QB	DAL
B. Mayfield	QB	CLE	M. Ryan	QB	ATL
P. Mahomes	QB	KC	A. Rodgers	QB	GB
L. Bell	HB	NYJ	E. Elliott	HB	DAL
M. Ingram II	HB	BAL	D. Johnson	HB	ARI
N. Chubb	HB	CLE	D. Freeman	HB	ATL
P. Richard	FB	BAL	R. Hewitt	FB	PHI
A. Brown	FB	NYJ	J. Olawale	FB	DAL
O. Beckham Jr.	WR	CLE	J. Jones	WR	ATL
K. Allen	WR	LAC	G. Tate III	WR	NYG
E. Sanders	WR	DEN	A. Cooper	WR	DAL
A. Humphries	WR	TEN	C. Kirk	WR	ARI
M. Hardman	WR	KC	M. Thomas	WR	NO
T. Boyd	WR	CIN	C. Ridley	WR	ATL
E. Ebron	TE	IND	B. Jarwin	TE	DAL
D. Njoku	TE	CLE	G. Kittle	TE	SF
H. Henry	TE	LAC	C. Parkinson	TE	ATL
R. Stanley	T	BAL	T. Smith	T	DAL
L. Tunsil	T	HOU	D. Bakhtiari	T	GB
Q. Nelson	G	IND	C. Whitehair	G	CHI
J. Bitonio	G	CLE	J. Thuney	G	ARI
R. Hudson	C	OAK	T. Frederick	C	DAL
R. Kelly	C	IND	J. Kelce	C	PHI
D. DeCastro	G	PIT	Z. Martin	G	DAL
B. Winters	G	NYJ	B. Brooks	G	PHI
M. Schwartz	T	KC	L. Collins	T	DAL
B. Smith	T	IND	L. Johnson	T	PHI
AFC Defense	Pos	Team	NFC Defense	Pos	Team
C. Campbell	DE	JAC	D. Lawrence	DE	DAL
J. Watt	DE	HOU	D. Ford	DE	SR
M. Garrett	DE	CLE	A. Donald	DE	LAR
N. Suh	DE	OAK	B. Graham	DE	PHI
G. Atkins	DT	CIN	D. Harrison Sr.	DT	DET
C. Jones	DT	BUF	D. Buckner	DT	SF
E. Oliver	DT	BUF	F. Cox	DT	PHI
V. Miller	OLB	DEN	K. Mack	OLB	CHI
K. Van Noy	OLB	NE	D. Kennard	OLB	DET
D. Bush	MLB	PIT	B. Wagner	MLB	SEA
T. Edmunds	MLB	BUF	D. Jones	MLB	ATL
B. Chubb	OLB	DEN	S. Barrett	OLB	TB
T. Smith	OLB	JAC	K. Wright	OLB	SEA
J. Smith	CB	BAL	H. Hill	CB	MIN
P. Desir	CB	IND	K. Fuller	CB	SEA
L. Ryan	CB	TEN	D. Slay Jr.	CB	DET
M. Humphrey	CB	BAL	C. Davis III	CB	TB
M. Fitzpatrick	FS	PIT	S. Davis	FS	GB
A. Sendejo	FS	CIN	D. Savage	FS	GB
R. Harrison	SS	JAC	B. McDougald	SS	SEA
T. Mathieu	SS	KC	J. Peppers	SS	NYG
AFC Special Teams	Pos	Team	NFC Special Teams	Pos	Team
J. Slye	K	IND	C. Tracey	K	DAL
J. Gillan	P	CLE	J. Hekker	P	LAR
J. Jacobs	KR	OAK	J. Reagor	KR	DAL
J. Scott	PR	BAL	C. Wilson	PR	DAL

Final 2020 NFL League Leaders - Offense
Passing Yards			Passing Touchdowns
	1. M. Ryan	4537		1. J. Brissett	48
	2. J. Brissett	4381		2. M. Ryan	38
	3. D. Prescott	4338		3. P. Mahomes	38
	4. T. Brady	4301		4. P. Rivers	37
	5. D. Jones	4288		5. 2 Players With	35
Rushing Yards			Rushing Touchdowns
	1. E. Elliott	1801		1. N. Chubb	19
	2. T. Gurley II	1515		2. R. Freeman	13
	3. L. Bell	1333		3. T. Gurley II	13
	4. D. Johnson	1303		4. M. Ingram II	13
	5. K. Hunt	1296		5. 4 Players With	12
Receiving Yards			Receiving Touchdowns
	1. O. Beckham Jr.	1396		1. K. Allen	14
	2. K. Allen	1271		2. G. Tate III	13
	3. J. Jones	1233		3. C. Kirk	12
	4. E. Sanders	1208		4. M. Hardman	12
	5. A. Cooper	1195		5. A. Cooper	12

Final 2020 NFL League Leaders - Defense
Tackles			Tackles For Loss
	1. B. Wagner	141		1. C. Campbell	22
	2. D. Hightower	135		2. D. Ford	19
	3. D. Bush	133		3. M. Daniels	19
	4. E. Kendricks	131		4. T. McKinley	18
	5. T. Edmunds	130		5. J. Smith	18
Sacks			Interceptions
	1. D. Lawrence	23.5		1. D. Slay Jr.	6
	2. M. Garrett	20.0		2. P. Desir	6
	3. A. Donald	17.0		3. H. Hill	6
	4. B. Graham	15.0		4. 3 Players With	5
	5. K. Mack	12.5		5. 7 Players With	4
Forced Fumbles			Pass Deflections
	1. B. Wagner	5		1. X. Woods	12
	2. K. Neal	3		2. J. Lewis	10
	3. E. Thomas III	3		3. H. Hill	9
	4. A. Barr	3		4. N. Bradham	9
	5. 15 Players With	2		5. 4 Players With	8

Final 2020 NFL League Leaders - Special Teams
Field Goals Made			Extra Points
	1. C. Tracey	22		1. H. Butker	61
	2. J. Sanders	21		2. M. Crosby	56
	3. W. Lutz	20		3. J. Slye	56
	4. C. Rothe	18		4. J. Tucker	54
	5. 4 Players With	17		5. G. Gano	53
Punting Yards			Punting Net Average
	1. J. Hekker	3089		1. J. Hekker	50.9
	2. T. Way	2973		2. J.Bailey	50.7
	3. M. Darr	2833		3. R. Sanchez	50.5
	4. M. Wishnowsky	2824		4. M. DIckson	50.4
	5. S. Martin	2642		5. M. Haack	49.6
Kick Return Yards			Kick Return Average (Min. 10 Att.)
	1. J. Reagor	962		1. D. Dallas	27.8
	2. D. Smith	757		2. D. Mims	25.8
	3. S. Michel	753		3. J. Reagor	25.3
	4. B. Love	746		4. D. Smith	25.2
	5. J. Jacobs	735		5. A. Hardy	25.2
Punt Return Yards			Punt Return Average (Min. 10 Att.)
	1. J. Reagor	443		1. J. Reagor	12.3
	2. T. Cohen	267		2. T. Cohen	10.7
	3. D. Mims	241		3. T. Lockett	9.4
	4. T. Hill	228		4. T. Hill	9.1
	5. C. Patterson	209		5. W. Snead IV	9.0

[Cory Levy]

"Around The League 2020: Yearly Awards
Mahomes MVP For A Second Time; Cowboy's Richard Coach Of The Year"



"Kris Richard Takes Home The Coach Of The Year Award In 2020"

2020 NFL Award Recipients
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Offensive Rookie of the Year	Justin Herbert	QB	New Orleans Saints
Defensive Rookie of the Year	Isaiah Simmons	LB	Philadelphia Eagles
Best Kicker	Cole Tracey	K	Dallas Cowboys
Best Offensive Lineman	Quenton Nelson	OG	Indianapolis Colts
Best Defensive Lineman	DeMarcus Lawrence	DE	Dallas Cowboys
Best Running Back	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Dallas Cowboys
Best Linebacker	Devin Bush	LB	Pittsburgh Steelers
Best Wide Receiver	Kennan Allen	WR	Los Angeles Chargers
Best Defensive Back	Holton Hill	CB	Minnesota Vikings
Best Quarterback	Jacoby Brissett	QB	Indianapolis Colts
Defensive Player of the Year	Eric Kendricks	LB	Minnesota Vikings
Offensive Player of the Year	Patrick Mahomes	QB	Kansas City Chiefs
Coach of the Year	Kris Richard	HC	Dallas Cowboys
Most Valuable Player	Patrick Mahomes	QB	Kansas City Chiefs

[Cory Levy]

Saying Goodbye To A Cowboys' Legend... Again



"Jason Witten Directing Traffic On His Final Career Reception"

In a tear soaked press conference four days before Super Bowl LV, Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jason Witten announced his retirement from the NFL for a second time. This time, the All-Pro made clear, would be permanent. "I love this game, the people in it and most of all this team: the Dallas Cowboys. But the time is finally... as right as it will be for me to leave the game," Witten told reporters at The Sta complex in Frisco, Texas. "I gave everything I ever had to the sport of football as well as to my teammates throughout the years and I can only hope everything I've achieved in the National Football League is a good representation of the countless hours of blood, sweat and tears I've lost playing the best game in the world. I, as so many players do, wish I could play forever. But that's not feasible, this is a young man's game and as much as I try to act cool in front of my kids, I am certainly no longer a young man," Witten continued, getting choked up in the process.

Witten was a third round pick out of Tennessee in the 2003 Draft and has had one of the most storied careers in franchise history. 1,225 Receptions, 13,131 yards, 71 Touchdowns through 17 seasons puts Wittens name near the top of NFL history right next to greats such as Tony Gonzalez, Tim Brown and Terrell Owens. Witten is an 11 time Pro Bowler, a 4 time All-Pro Team member, the 2012 NFL Walter Peyton Man of the Year and already a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Five years from now he will be a lock for receiving a Gold Jacket and entering the NFL Hall of Fame.

Witten's personal life story, one marred with tragic pain and abuse at an early age, gave way to a passionate competitive fire that still remains burning to this day. Though Witten's physical body has lost the war with time like the rest of us, his mental fortitude and zeal for football has never waned. "Man, I thought this would be easier the second time around but the fact is it's never easy to leave the game, especially when you know, deep down in your heart, that this time it's for real. But I am proud of my career and my accomplishments. I am proud of how much I fought week in and week out and I will be forever thankful that I got to fight my damn heart out as a Dallas Cowboy!"

[Cory Levy]

"Around The League 2020: Unprecedented.
Brady, Patriots Defeat Panthers In Super Bowl LV, 27-21"



"Tom Brady Hoisting The Lombardi Trophy Up For An Incredible Seventh Time"

Tom Brady, Bill Belicheck and the New England Patriots have cemented themselves as the greatest sports dynasties in sports history. They captured their seventh Lombardi Trophy in the span of less than 20 years and their second in the last 3 seasons. Reports are already running rampant that Brady and Belicheck are moments away from announcing their dual retirements but that remains to be seen. Regardless, they have added another glorious victory to their nearly infinite list of accolades. The showcase game itself was a roller coaster match up of two titans clashing against an unwavering opponent. The Panthers held a slim one point lead with just over 4 minutes remaining in the game, 21-20, but that was before Tom Brady sliced and diced through the Panthers defense with the precision of a master who's been winning Super Bowls for nearly 20 years. Brady guided the Patriots down the field and lobbed a Touchdown to a wide open Sony Michel from 6 yards out for the game deciding score. Brady wins what may be his last game in what was certainly one of his most thrilling!

Super Bowl LV - New England Patriots at Carolina Panthers
January 31, 2021	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
New England Patriots (8-8)	7	10	0	10	27
Carolina Panthers (10-6)	7	7	0	7	21

Team Stats Comparison
	NWE	CAR
Total Offense	389	300
Rushing Yards	77	108
Passing Yards	312	192
First Downs	17	15
Punt Return Yards	13	17
Kick Return Yards	97	121
Total Yards	499	438
Turnovers	2	0
3rd Down Conversion	9	7
4th Down Conversion	0	0
2-Point Conversion	0	0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	2	3
Penalties	5-75	3-75
Posession Time	32:13	27:47

New England Patriots PASSING C/A YDS TD INT T. Brady 26/30 283 1 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD J. White 16 53 3.3 1 D. Henry 5 15 3.0 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD J. Gordon 7 85 12.1 0 A. Okwuegbunam 8 75 9.4 0 J. White 4 73 18.3 0 S. Michel 1 6 6.0 1 J. Meyers 2 22 11.0 0 N. Harry 3 15 5.0 0 K. Lipscomb 1 7 7.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD D. Hightower 10 0.0 0 0 D. McCourty 6 0.0 0 0 P. Chung 6 0.0 0 0 S. Gilmore 5 0.0 0 0 D. Harmon 4 0.0 0 0 J. Jones 4 0.0 0 0 M. Bennett 4 2.0 0 0 J. McCourty 3 0.0 0 0 L. Guy 3 1.0 0 0 J. Simon 3 1.5 0 0 M. Longacre 3 0.0 0 0 N. Vigil 3 0.0 0 0 4 Players With 1 0.0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG B. McManus 2/2 3/3 9 47 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 J. Bailey 3 146 48.7 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD S. Michel 2 49 24.5 0 D. Harris 2 48 24.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD D. Harris 3 13 4.3 0

Carolina Panthers PASSING C/A YDS TD INT C. Newton 22/34 192 3 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD C. McCaffrey 14 69 4.9 0 J. Kelley 7 26 3.7 0 C. Newton 3 13 4.3 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD D. Moore 4 55 13.8 0 C. McCaffrey 5 43 8.6 0 G. Olsen 4 34 8.5 0 C. Samuel 4 25 6.3 1 I. Thomas 1 14 14.0 0 C. Lamb 1 4 4.0 0 J. Kelley 1 3 3.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD L. Kuechly 11 0.0 0 0 J. Bradberry IV 8 0.5 0 0 K. Short 6 0.5 0 0 E. Reid 5 0.0 0 0 D. Jackson 5 0.0 0 0 B. Burns 5 0.0 0 0 T. Boston 4 0.0 0 0 T. Johnson 4 0.0 0 0 R. Gaulden 3 0.0 0 0 J. Carter Jr. 3 0.0 0 0 D. Poe 2 0.0 0 0 M. Haynes 2 0.0 0 0 D. Bass 2 0.0 0 0 6 Players With 1 0.0 0 0 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 M. Palardy 4 184 46.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD R. McCloud III 3 73 24.3 0 J. Agnew 2 48 24.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD C. McCaffrey 3 17 5.7 0

[Cory Levy]

"Around The League 2021: Offseason At The Offset
Coaching Carousel, Retirement Roundup & Free Agency Preview"



"Head Coach Andy Reid Has Added His Name To The List Of Those Saying Goodbye To The NFL This Offseason"

The first stages of the NFL Offseason are here, fresh off the heels of the New England Patriots come from behind victory in Super Bowl LV to rally past the Carolina Panthers that capped off the 2020 season in a thrilling manner. First up, the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and the Patriots themselves will all have new Head Coaches in 2021. Kansas City and New England have already announced replacements for their departing legendary leaders. On the players setting off into the sunset side of things, the big question since the last seconds ticked down in Super Bowl LV was whether or not Tom Brady would return for another NFL campaign. The answer is a justified no: Brady told reporters just five days after the Super Bowl that he would be taking the shine of another Lombardi Trophy to guide himself into retirement. Brady will finish his career, simply put, with a legacy of winning and enough accolades to fill its own t-shirt line. New England will face the task of replenishing both its Head Coach as well as its starting Quarterback in one Offseason, an unenviable task for the once more reigning Super Bowl Champs. They could turn to Free Agency, where QBs such as Mitchell Trubisky, Phillip Rivers and Teddy Bridgewater are searching for new homes. Same goes for electric RB Christian McCaffrey, who has openly confirmed he won't be returning to the Super Bowl runner-ups next season.

-2021 Head Coach Changes-

Kansas City: Andy Reid (Retired) -> Tomas Pita

Washington Redskins: Demetrius Turner (Fired) -> Matt Hedrick

New England Patriots: Bill Belicheck (Retired) -> Griffin Murphy



-2021 Retirements-

QB Tom Brady, 21 Seasons
TE Jason Witten, 17 Seasons
K Mike Nugent, 16 Seasons
TE Delanie Walker, 15 Seasons
LB Lorenzo Alexander, 15 Seasons
S Eric Weddle, 14 Seasons
K Matt Prater, 14 Seasons
QB Joe Flacco, 13 Seasons
DE Michael Bennett, 12 Seasons
CB Jason McCourty, 12 Seasons
OT Demar Dotson, 12 Seasons
TE Jimmy Graham, 11 Seasons
LB Sean Lee, 11 Seasons
DE Tyson Alualu, 11 Seasons

2021 NFL Free Agency Preview - Offense
Quarterback			Running Back
	1. M. Trubisky	CHI		1. C. McCaffrey	CAR
	2. P. Rivers	LAC		2. M. Mack	IND
	3. T. Bridgewater	NO		3. J. White	NE
	4. K. Cousins	MIN		4. D. Henry	NE
	5. A. Dalton	CIN		5. L. Fournette	JAC
Wide Receiver			Tight Ends
	1. W. Fuller V	HOU		1. G. Everrett	LAR
	2. J. Ross III	CIN		2. G. Olsen	CAR
	3. J. Reynolds	LAR		3. J. Cook	NO
	4. D. Moore	SEA		4. R. Seals-Jones	CLE
	5. C. Conley	JAC		5. S. DeValve	CAR
Offensive Line			Kicker
	1. D. Dawkins (OT)	BUF		1. J. Myers	SEA
	2. G. Bolles (OT)	DEN		2. J. Elliott	PHI
	3. R. Foster (OG)	PIT		3. K. Fairbairn	HOU
	4. L. Warford (OG)	NO		4. D. Hopkins	WAS
	5. M. Skura (C)	BAL		5. B. Maher	MIN

2021 NFL Free Agency Preview - Defense
Defensive End			Defensive Tackle
	1. M. Brockers	LAR		1. M. Dareus	JAC
	2. C. Campbell	JAC		2. J. Hankins	OAK
	3. D. Barnett	PHI		3. C. Liuget	BUF
	4. E. Ogbah	KC		4. A. Woods	DAL
	5. R. Quinn	HOU		5. P. Ford	SEA
Linebacker			Cornerback
	1. S. Ebukam	LAR		1. V. Hargreaves III	HOU
	2. R. Kerrigan	WAS		2. S. Nelson	PIT
	3. D. Davis	NO		3. P. Desir	IND
	4. K. Wright	SEA		4. J. Smith	BAL
	5. D. Perryman	LAC		5. J. Lewis	DAL
Safety			Punter
	1. K. Neal	ATL		1. S. Martin	DET
	2. M. Jenkins	PHI		2. M. Wile	N/A
	3. D. Kazee	ATL		3. R. Allen	ATL
	4. T. Thompson	SEA		4. P. O'Donnell	CHI
	5. B. McDougald	SEA		5. B. Colquitt	MIN

"Roster Churning Begins Anew For The Cowboys"

While the majority of the Dallas Cowboys' roster is still licking their wounds, some of them will be facing the task of attracting a new suitor in Free Agency in just a few days. The major retention of the 2021 Offseason was already signed during the 2020 bye week for the Dallas Cowboys when they re-signed CB Chidobe Awuzie to his second contract with the team. Their second flashiest re-signing will be making sure their vastly improved Special Teams continues into the future; LSU alum Cole Tracey has signed off on a 3 year contract worth $10M to remain in Dallas. Tracey was much more reliable than previous Cowboys' Kicker Brett Maher, while Tracey's few miscues came from longer than average kicks.

In an unsurprising move the Cowboys have decided to part ways with CB Jourdan Lewis, who manned the Slot CB all year long and logged some starting CB snaps when rookie CB Bryce Hall was injured late in the year. While Lewis has been a dependable player with a penchant for flashing some play-making ability, he simply doesn't fit the mold Head Coach Kris Richard prefers to see in his secondary. The Cowboys will also opt out of another year of S Obi Melifonwu and change course at Strong Safety. While Melifonwu displayed the bounty of physical gifts he has throughout the season, his lack of mental preparedness and average-at-best play wasn't good enough for Dallas to re-sign.

FB Jamize Olawale will also find himself in Free Agency, as he was released from his contract by the Cowboys. Olawale is a decent player but Kellen Moore's Offense simply doesn't utilize a Fullback much.

-2021 Dallas Cowboys Re-Signings-

CB Chidobe Awuzie, 4 Years, $51.5M (Signed Mid-Season)
S Xavier Woods, 2 Years, $17.5M (Signed Mid-Season)
K Cole Tracey, 3 Years, $10M
DT Christian Covington, 1 Year, $3.95M
QB Nick Fitzgerald, 1 Year, $750K



-2021 Dallas Cowboys Departures-

FB Jamize Olawale, Released
CB Jourdan Lewis, Not Re-Signed
DT Antwaun Woods, Not Re-Signed
S Obi Melifonwu, Not Re-Signed
DT Hassan Ridgeway, Not Re-Signed
HB D'Onta Foreman, Not Re-Signed
LB Ty Summers, Not Re-Signed
C Adam Redmond, Not Re-Signed

[Cory Levy]

"Cowboys Only Add Two In Free Agency"


"DT Poona Ford and CB Charvarius Ward Are The Two Newest Cowboys"

The Cowboys have made their mark in Free Agency this year to a... mild reaction at best. Casting out their net has yielded a catch of just two players: DT Poona Ford of the Seattle Seahawks and CB Charvarius Ward of the Kansas City Chiefs. It's a yearly business-as-usual approach for the Cowboys to defy temptation while some of the league doles out big contracts to cast aways who usually are Free Agents for a reason. Dallas prefers to build their own talent from the inside; molding key players out of draft selections rather than overpaying veteran players. Not to mention, this is a Cowboys team that just went 13-3 whose biggest departure was either a Slot CB or a Strong Safety that was average at best. Needless to say, the Cowboys already have a ton of talent, talent they need to reserve salary cap space for as much as possible.

Both Ford and Ward should join the team as depth players. Ford, a slab of round beef if there ever was one, is a suffocating body at the Nose Tackle position. His numbers don't jump off the page by any means (2.5 Sacks in 3 seasons) but his value comes from his ability to clog lanes and free up those around him to make plays. It would not be surprising to see him as a starter in the base defensive package. Ward, a slender, long armed CB that Head Coach Kris Richard has raved about since his signing, re-joins the Cowboys for his second stint in Dallas. Ward was a Cowboys during the 2018 Preseason before being traded to Kansas City prior to the season beginning. Again, Ward doesn't have flashy numbers and was at times lost in the shuffle in Kansas City but he's got all the hallmarks of a Richard project and should be in contention for the third CB spot, duking it out with Amani Oruwariye and Chris Westry during Training Camp and Preseason.

Poona Ford signed a 2 year contract worth just over $4M while Ward's 2 year contract is worth $6M.

"Around The League 2021: Free Agency Frenzy
A Patriotic Reload, Trubisky The Raider & McCaffrey Madness?"

The dust has settled on a wild Free Agency period and many players have begun the reshuffling and resetting of their lives in their new home towns. The major storyline coming out of Free Agency has to be how frenetic the New England Patriots and new Head Coach Griffin Murphy were. Within the first few hours, the Patriots had fresh contracts for both S Keanu Neal and WR Will Fuller V and a day later they added the bruising HB Derrick Henry to their arsenal, three of the biggest names in Free Agency this year. The Patriots are clearly looking to add talent in their quest to defend their Super Bowl crown and are vying for a third straight Super Bowl. The Patriots signed veteran QB Andy Dalton to lead the team... for now. There are whispers that the Patriots are eyeing up Brady's successor in the quickly approaching NFL draft.

Another QB, Mitchell Trubisky, will now be calling the Black Hole in Oakland home in a somewhat puzzling move. After all, Derek Carr still exists. Is Jon Gruden igniting a QB competition or just preparing for life after Carr? Teddy Bridgewater will be returning to the team that drafted him, the Minnesota Vikings, while the QB he is replacing, Kirk Cousins, will be the man to lead the Los Angeles Chargers into 2021.

The most perplexing news has to be the still un-signed status of RB Christian McCaffrey. The explosive jack of all trades has yet to be signed after the opening stages of Free Agency and with the NFL turning it's eyes to the Draft it's unlikely he'll find a team before Training Camps begin to open. There are rumors that his less-than-graceful exit from Carolina has soured most of the league on him. Still, Run CMC has a right to be angry after the way he was handled in Super Bowl LV and his immense talent will surely be too salivating for one NFL team to resist signing him.

-2021 NFL Free Agency Signings-

QB
M. Trubisky -> Oakland Raiders
T. Bridgewater -> Minnesota Vikings
K. Cousins -> Los Angeles Chargers
A. Dalton -> New England Patriots

RB
M. Mack -> Jackson Jaguars
D. Henry -> New England Patriots
L. Fournette -> Carolina Panthers
J. Williams -> Carolina Panthers

FB
A. Janovich -> Arizona Cardinals

WR
W. Fuller V -> New England Patriots
J. Reynolds -> Buffalo Bills
C. Williams -> Buffalo Bills

TE
G. Everett -> Jackson Jaguars
R. Seals-Jones -> Carolina Panthers

OL
D. Dawkins (OT) -> Los Angeles Chargers
L. Warford (OG) -> Arizona Cardinals
G. Bolles (OT) -> New York Jets
R. Okung (OT) -> Denver Broncos
R. Foster (OG) -> New England Patriots

DE
M. Brockers -> Indianapolis Colts
D. Barnett -> Cincinnati Bengals
E. Ogbah -> New England Patriots
S. Thomas -> Miami Dolphins
T. Crawford -> New York Jets
T. Hendrickson -> Jacksonville Jaguars
N. Suh -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers

DT
J. Hankins -> Arizona Cardinals
D. Shelton -> Denver Broncos

LB
S. Ebukam -> Indianapolis Colts
D. Perryman -> Green Bay Packers
D. Wilson -> Tennessee Titans
R. Anderson -> Carolina Panthers

CB
P. Desir -> Cincinnati Bengals
D. Dennard -> New England Patriots
Q. Wilson -> New York Jets
B. Roby -> Pittsburgh Steelers
D. Kirkpatrick -> Pittsburgh Steelers

S
K. Neal -> New England Patriots
S. Davis -> Philadelphia Eagles

K
D. Carlson -> Pittsburgh Steelers

P
M. Wile -> Arizona Cardinals
R. Allen -> Philadelphia Eagles
P. O'Donnell -> Houston Texans
T. Townsend -> Atlanta Falcons
B. Mann -> San Francisco 49ers

[Cory Levy]

"Around The League 2021: 2021 NFL Draft Preview
Lawrence A Lock? Defense Wins Championships?"

The 2021 NFL Draft is almost upon the city of Cleveland, teams have their draft boards set up and the Washington Redskins are about to be on the clock. The draft represents the biggest way NFL teams can shape the futures of their franchise in the span of three days. The 2021 iteration of the draft is headlined by Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence has all the physical tools needed to not only excel in the NFL but also the mental ability to dominate the league. Despite selecting Dwayne Haskins Jr. in the first round 2 years ago, many believe Lawrence is a lock for the first overall selection. Haskins hasn't shown the flashes expected of a franchise QB in his first 2 seasons, even struggling to see the field behind veteran QBs such as Alex Smith and Case Keenum.

Beyond the first pick, the 2021 NFL Draft looks loaded with ready made collegiate prospects on the defensive side of the ball with headliners such as secondary stars in Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II, Georgia's Tyson Campbell (CB), Texas S Caden Sterns, DTs Jordan Davis (Georgia) and Phidarian Mathias (another Alabama graduate), Clemson DE Xavier Thomas, LBs Micah Parson (Penn State aka LB U) and K'Lavon Chaisson (LSU). Draft pundits have been predicting as many as 7 defensive players going in the Top 10. Will the old trope of 'defense wins championships' rule over the draft process this year? Or will teams look to add more offensive firepower to their arsenals? WR Justyn Ross of Clemson would be a great addition to any team looking to open up their Offense with his phenomenal size, speed and catching prowess.

2021 NFL Draft Positional Top Five - Offense
Quarterback			Running Back
	1. T. Lawrence	CLEM		1. R. Slade	PSU
	2. J. Eason	UW		2. C. Verdell	ORE
	3. A. Martinez	NEB		3. L. Dixon	CLEM
	4. S. Ehlinger	TEX		4. Z. White	UGA
	5. J. Daniels	USC		5. L. Lingard	MIA
Wide Receiver			Tight End
	1. J. Ross	CLEM		1. B. Jordan	MIA
	2. J. Chase	LSU		2. M. Muhammad	MICH
	3. T. Terry	FSU		3. L. Farrell	OSU
	4. A. Brown	USC		4. P. Freiermuth	PSU
	5. J. Waddle	ALA		5. K. Gamble	UF
Offensive Tackle			Offensive Guard
	1. P. Sewell	ORE		1. M. Hayes	OKLA
	2. T. Wirfs	IOWA		2. J. Salyer	UGA
	3. J. Carman	CLEM		3. T. Smith	TENN
	4. C. Mays	UGA		4. W. Davis	OSU
	5. B. Olaseni	UTAH		5. D. Scaife Jr.	MIA
Center			Kicker
	1. T. Hill	UGA		1. J. Toner	STAN
	2. J. Myers	OSU		2. J.Verity	ECU
	3. C. Humphrey	OKLA		3. M. Coghlin	MSU
	4. L. Cushenberry III	LSU		4. B. Cimaglia	TENN
	5. R. McCollum	TAMU

2021 NFL Draft Positional Top Five - Defense
Defensive End			Defensive Tackle
	1. X. Thomas	CLEM		1. J. Davis	UGA
	2. T. Smith	OSU		2. P. Mathis	ALA
	3. R. Perkins	OKLA		3. J. Elliott	MIZZ
	4. A. Hutchinson	MICH		4. T. Shelvin	LSU
	5. T. Booker	STAN		5. T. Vincent	OSU
Outside Linebacker			Middle Linebacker
	1. K. Chaisson	LSU		1. P. Gaoteote IV	USC
	2. M. Parsons	PSU		2. E. Brooks	PSU
	3. J. Cox	NDSU		3. L. Henry	MISS
	4. M. Robertson	ASU		4. T. Borland	OSU
	5. T. Johnson	ASU		5. T. Fogg	RUTG
Cornerback			Free Safety
	1. P. Surtain II	ALA		1. A. Cisco	SYR
	2. T. Campbell	UGA		2. J. Holland	ORE
	3. D. Kendrick	CLEM		3. A. Crosswell	ASU
	4. T. Dean III	UF		4. J. Sutherland	PSU
	5. H. Griffith	ND		5. T. Thompson	SDSU
Strong Safety			Punter
	1. C. Sterns	TEX		1. M. Duffy	UK
	2. L. O'Neal Jr.	TAMU		2. J. Smith	CIN
	3. J. Lars-Woodbey	FSU		3. D. Chrisman	OSU
	4. X. McKinney	ALA		4. Z. Von Rosenberg	LSU
	5. T. Hufanga	USC

"Cowboys Pick Up Fifth Year Option On Leighton Vander Esch -
NFL Draft Visits & Dallas Day Review"


"LB Leighton Vander Esch Won't Be Slipping Through The Cowboys' Grasp"

All is quiet at The Star in Frisco ahead of the NFL Draft that is now just days away. A little too quiet, perhaps. There was some noise early today when it was announced by Stephen Jones that the Cowboys had officially picked up the fifth year-option for LB Leighton Vander Esch. Vander Esch has been a standout since entering the league with over 400 Tackles, 5.5 Sacks and 4 Interceptions in his young 3 year career. The sky is the limit for Vander Esch, who has been improving every season as the focal point of Kris Richard's Defense. It was never a question whether or not Vander Esch would be a Cowboy for a long time and the fifth-year option is simply the first step in that process.

The Cowboys will have another fifth-year option to make in just a few years for whoever they select in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. It's hard to poke holes in a roster as talented as the current Cowboys when predicting which position they will target in the first round. The only glaring need is a starting Strong Safety to pair with S Xavier Woods. Dallas could use more help at Cornerback (which looks to be a three man race between Charvarius Ward, Amani Oruwariye and Chris Westry for CB3) as well as Defensive Line (DT especially as none on the current Cowboys' roster really stand out, disappointing given the high draft statuses of both Lorenzo Neal Jr. and Trysten Hill). WR is a sneaky need with Michael Gallup entering the last year of his rookie contract and they could use a TE to replace the retired Jason Witten, though Blake Jarwin has clearly entrenched himself as the starter. The Cowboys could always continue to pour resources into the Offensive Line. Though stocked, it is anyone's guess as to how long veterans Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zach Martin will actually last given the tremendous punishment they take every campaign.

-2021 Dallas Cowboys 30 Day Vists-

HB Brian Robinson Jr., ALA
WR Isaiah Hodgins, ORE
WR Rashod Bateman, MINN
WR Anthony Schwartz, AUB
TE Pat Freiermuth, PSU
TE Grant Calcaterra, OKLA
TE Austin Griffin, BSU
TE Dalton Keene, VT
OL Creed Humphrey, OKLA
OL Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU
OL Trey Smith, TENN
OL Ben Cleveland, UGA

DE Kwity Paye, MICH
DE LaBryan Ray, ALA
DT Tyler Shelvin, LSU
DT Taron Vincent, OSU
DT Jordan Scott, ORE
LB Hamsah Nasirildeen, FSU
LB Lakia Henry, MISS
LB Colin Schooler, ARIZ
CB Jaycee Horn, SC
CB Trey Dean III, UF
CB Dreshaun Miller, WVU
S Andre Cisco, SYR
S Caden Sterns, TEX
S Leon O'Neal Jr., TAMU
S Jaiden Lars-Woodbey, FSU
S Xavier McKinney, ALA
S Antoine Winfield Jr., MINN
S Kamren Curl, ARK

QB Shane Buechele, SMU (Dallas Day)
RB Da'Leon Ward, SFA (Dallas Day)
WR JHamon Ausbon, TAMU (Dallas Day)
WR Tren'Davian Dickson, TXSO (Dallas Day)
WR McLane Mannix, TTU (Dallas Day)
TE Cade Brewer, TEX (Dallas Day)
OL Carson Green, TAMU (Dallas Day)
DE Payton Turner, HOU (Dallas Day)
LB Riko Jeffers, TTU (Dallas Day)
LB Lorenzo Dantzler, UTSA (Dallas Day)
CB Elijah Blades, TAMU (Dallas Day)
CB Anthony Cook, TEX (Dallas Day)
S Derrick Tucker, TAMU (Dallas Day)

[Cory Levy]

"Jerry Jones Finds A Dance Partner,
Does The Safety Dance After Massive Trade Up"


"The 2021 Draft In Cleveland Was A Roller Coaster Ride For The Dallas Cowboys"

For years the Dallas Cowboys have settled for either average or slightly above average at their Safety position. Xavier Woods has been a nice young player and helped solidify one half of the position but Jerry Jones, Kris Richard and the Cowboys' brass pulled the trigger on a massive deal to land a player they covet who they believe can be a major playmaker at the Safety position they've been missing since Hall of Famer Darren Woodson retired a long time ago. The draft had trickled to the fifth overall selection before the announcement came down: the Dallas Cowboys had come to terms with a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers to move all the way up to the seventh overall pick, up from Dallas' original slot of 30. Whether or not the cost was worth it will be debated for years and the actual answer won't be known for quite some time but it was a steep cost just on face value. The Cowboys parted ways with their First Round draft selections both this year and next, their 2022 third round choice, and starting Offensive Lineman Connor Williams for Pittsburgh's number 7 overall.

The selection would end up being Texas S Caden Sterns. The 6'1", 210LB playmaker stays close to home, having been born in Dallas. Sterns ended his college career with over 10 Interceptions and the Cowboys are banking on him bringing the ability to be a takeaway turret in the secondary as well as a smash mouth run defender in the box to the team next season. Sterns is the first time the Cowboys have taken a Safety in the first round since 2002 (Roy Williams) and the highest Safety taken since J.J. Wilcox (3rd Round in 2013). The Cowboys reportedly stole Sterns from both the Miami Dolphins and division rival Philadelphia Eagles who are both also desperate at the Safety position (the Eagles would draft a Safety in the second round). Late in the first round, Kris Richard joined the NFL Network's coverage of the Draft to comment on Sterns: "Hell of a player, hell of a fighter, hell of a leader. Right kind of guy that we can't wait to get out on the field for us, making plays with a star on his helmet."

On Friday, the Cowboys were slightly less flashy in terms of moving around the draft itself but they did add another flashy offensive piece in the form of WR Terrace Marshall Jr. in the second round. The 6'4", 204LB LSU product brings great length and height with tons of speed to an offense already loaded with talent. As noted, Michael Gallup is entering the last year of his rookie contract and there's only so many players the Cowboys can pay top dollar to. It's fairly likely that Marshall will end up a starting WR for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. The same could be possible for Dallas' third round selection, TE Pat Freiermuth out of Penn State University. Freiermuth (6'5", 262LBS) is a jack of all traders at the Tight End position. Slightly raw, the youngster will have time to become more experience in the receiving and blocking aspects of the game with Blake Jarwin reigning as the starting TE after a breakout year in 2020.

With their final four picks of the draft, the Cowboys filled out depth on both sides of the football. CB Brandon Sebastion (6'1", 190LBS) of Boston College has flexibility in the secondary and can play at S as well, a trait this coaching staff covets. LSU HB Clyde Edwards-Hellaire is undersized (5'8", 209LBS) but brings a fierce competitiveness to the Dallas backfield and could compete as a good option as a third down back. Sixth round selection Riko Jeffers (6'2", 245LB LB out of Texas Tech) will be a Special Teams role player to begin his career and their last selection, DT Austin Faoliu of Oregon (6'3", 293LBS) will have an uphill battle to make the roster on a stacked defensive line but could be a shoe in for the Practice Squad as a rookie.

Dallas Cowboys 2021 Draft Selections
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
1-7	Caden Sterns	Texas	SS	6'1"	210
2-30	Terrace Marshall Jr.	LSU	WR	6'4"	204
3-30	Pat Freiermuth	Penn State	TE	6'5"	262
5-7	Brandon Sebastian	Boston College	CB	6'1"	190
5-30	Clyde Edwards-Helaire	LSU	HB	5'8"	209
6-30	Riko Jeffers	Texas Tech	LB	6'2"	245
7-30	Austin Faoliu	Oregon	DT	6'3"	293

2021 NFL Draft First Round Selections
Pick	Team	Player	POS	COLLEGE
1	Washington Redskins	Trevor Lawrence	QB	CLEM
2	Buffalo Bills	Justyn Ross	WR	CLEM
3	New Orleans Saints	Penei Sewell	OT	ORE
4	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Tristan Wirfs	OT	IOWA
5	Minnesota Vikings	Jordan Davis	DT	UGA
6	Arizona Cardinals	Patrick Surtain II	CB	ALA
7	Dallas Cowboys	Caden Sterns	S	TEX
8	Miami Dolphins	Xavier Thomas	DE	CLEM
9	Philadelphia Eagles	Tyson Campbell	CB	UGA
10	Baltimore Ravens	Phidarian Mathis	DT	ALA
11	Detroit Lions	Micah Parsons	LB	PSU
12	San Francisco 49ers	Brevis Jordan	TE	MIA
13	Denver Broncos	Jacob Eason	QB	WASH
14	Cincinnati Bengals	Derion Kendrick	CB	CLEM
15	Jaconsonville Jaguars	Trey Dean III	CB	UF
16	New York Giants	Jackson Carman	OT	CLEM
17	New York Jets	Ja'Marr Chase	WR	LSU
18	Seattle Seahawks	Jordan Elliott	DT	MIZZ
19	Los Angeles Chargers	Cade Mays	OT	UGA
20	Houston Texans	K'Lavon Chaisson	OLB	LSU
21	Kansas City Chiefs	CJ Verdell	HB	ORE
22	Green Bay Packers	Tyreke Smith	DE	OSU
23	Tennessee Titans	Andre Cisco	S	SYR
24	Los Angeles Rams	Jaycee Horn	CB	SC
25	Chicago Bears	Adrian Martinez	QB	NEB
26	Cleveland Browns	Houston Griffith	CB	ND
27	Atlanta Falcons	Tyler Johnson	OLB	ASU
28	Indianapolis Colts	Isaiah Wilson	OT	UGA
29	Oakland Raiders	Ronnie Perkins	DE	OKLA
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	Asante Samuel Jr.	CB	FSU
31	Carolina Panthers	Jabril Cox	OLB	NDSU
32	New England Patriots	Sam Ehlinger	QB	TEX