PHILADELPHIA — Jerry Jones is often criticized for not admitting when he’s made a mistake. But the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager seemed to do just that Friday when discussing his rookie offensive linemen.
The Cowboys moved on from veteran LT Tyron Smith and starting center Tyler Biadasz in the offseason. Smith signed with the New York Jets. Biadasz joined Dan Quinn in Washington. Dallas’ plan to replace them was to draft OT Tyler Guyton in the first round to replace Smith and OG Cooper Beebe in the third round to replace Biadasz. Both players were making position changes from their previous years in college.
When talking about the two rookies on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones said he “probably got a little out over my skis, thinking just plug those guys in.” Jones also said he thinks both rookies have done well, but added: “We’ve paid the price to some degree.”
Guyton has struggled at times and dealt with multiple injuries, but the team feels like he remains a key piece of their future. Beebe has had an overall quality rookie season. He’s graded 16th among all NFL centers by Pro Football Focus.
The Dallas Cowboys added TE Princeton Fant (calf) to the injury report following the team’s practice on Saturday, and his status for the game is questionable.
The club also made the following transactions: pic.twitter.com/yG1Y0mmhd5
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 28, 2024
Your game-day prep
• The “One Star Cowboys Podcast” gets you ready with discussions on CeeDee Lamb’s injury and Mike McCarthy’s future.
• Brooks Kubena on Kenny Pickett making his first start with Jalen Hurts sidelined.
• Saad on Cooper Rush’s two impressive five-game stretches in 2022 and this season.
• With Lamb on IR, Jon and Saad look at what it means for the Cowboys.
• Looking back: The Nov. 10 meeting was a lopsided Philly victory.
• Vic’s Picks: His Week 17 picks against the spread
Enough cap space?
The Cowboys’ words and actions have made it clear that they are a draft-and-develop program. Since they aren’t major players in free agency, the expectation is that they will be competitive when it comes to re-signing their own. Well, that time is coming quickly as DT Osa Odighizuwa, CB Jourdan Lewis, DE Chauncey Golston and RB Rico Dowdle are all about to become free agents.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday on The Fan that they want them all back. But it will have to be at the right price.
“We want them back,” Jones said. “They’ve shown that they are Dallas Cowboys football players. They’re certainly guys we want to have back, it’s just making all the calculus work when it comes to fitting everybody under the salary cap.”
Final 2-game plan
One thing Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was adamant about was that even though this was the first week this season the Cowboys prepared to play a game knowing that they were eliminated from playoff contention, the goal was not any different.
“We’re not having tryouts for young guys,” McCarthy said Thursday.
I understand McCarthy’s sentiment, and the approach is consistent with how the Cowboys have played the second half of this season, even after falling to 3-7 with missing the postseason seeming like an inevitability. They still played the players who gave them the best chance to win and players (like Lamb) fought through injury to make a difference on the field. It’s the type of culture that McCarthy has instilled during his time in Dallas.
While the Cowboys don’t need to field open tryouts for young guys, it would be productive to start getting valuable reps to players who could be part of the solution in the future but the team doesn’t know enough about yet to thoroughly evaluate. It’s kind of how Lamb didn’t need to be shut down for the season but it made perfect sense to do so, considering the circumstances.
For example, we have a pretty good idea of what Jake Ferguson is and the kind of player the Cowboys have in him. Perhaps Luke Schoonmaker can get more opportunities to show he is worthy of second-round selection in 2023. Or they can evaluate if Brevyn Spann-Ford can demonstrate enough to be part of the mix in a bigger way next year. The Cowboys don’t need to tank but they have two games to see guys in meaningful game action that won’t be replicated until at least the 2025 preseason in August, if not later. It makes sense to get a better feel for some of the younger players.
Luke Schoonmaker has 25 receptions for 225 yards and a touchdown after catching just eight passes as a rookie in 2023. (Chris Jones / Imagn Images)
Predictions
Cowboys beat writer Jon Machota: For the first time since 2011, the Cowboys have a chance to get swept by the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas lost at AT&T Stadium, 34-6, to Philadelphia in Week 10. If the Eagles win today, it would be their first season sweep of Dallas since 2011 and only the second time in the last 18 years. The Cowboys have swept the Eagles four times over the last 18 years, meaning the two have split the series 12 times in the previous 17 seasons. If Lamb was playing, I’d probably pick the Cowboys. But he’s not, so: Eagles 20, Cowboys 10.
Cowboys beat writer Saad Yousuf: The Cowboys have been without a lot of key pieces, on offense and defense, and now Lamb has been added to the mix. I still like what the defense is doing for Dallas but I have a hard time seeing how the offense will move the ball much, let alone punch it into the end zone and score touchdowns. Even with Pickett leading the Eagles, I think Philly gets by. Eagles 17, Cowboys 6.
(Top photo of Kenny Pickett: Timothy Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
