Plus other news from around the team.
McCarthy: Schultz Absence Strictly “Business” – Rob Phillips, Dallascowboys.com
Schultz and his contract has been widely discussed as of late.
FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy fully understands the business side of the NFL as it pertains to Dalton Schultz’s absence from this week’s final set of voluntary organized team activities.
McCarthy said he and Schultz spoke last Friday about the starting tight end’s decision not to participate in OTAs this week as he hopes to increase contract talks with the organization while on the one-year franchise tag.
“Business is business and I’m in the business of winning football games. We all have contracts. We all have these types of situations that they come about,” McCarthy said. “Timing obviously plays into these decisions and transactions. Now, as a head coach, it takes you a few years to get used to it, but I think you have to learn to separate things in this world.
“Dalton deserves this position that he’s in. So hopefully we can get it worked out.”
Schultz and the Cowboys have until July 15 to work out a multi-year deal or Schultz must play the 2022 season on the tag, worth just under $11 million. Schultz signed the tag in late March.
He set career highs in catches (78), receiving yards (808) and touchdowns (8) last year and figures to have a larger role this season as the Cowboys move forward without four-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper, who was traded to Cleveland in March.
McCarthy said he and Schultz have not yet discussed whether Schultz plans to return for next week’s mandatory minicamp.
Report: Cowboys LB Devante Bond suffered knee injury in earlier OTA, to miss ‘22 season – Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire
Injuries are always tough to deal with, especially when they happen this time of the year.
The Cowboys linebacking corps, already one of the thinner position groups on the roster, has suffered what appears to be a serious loss.
Devante Bond injured a knee at an earlier practice, as per a Thursday report from ESPN’s Todd Archer. He will now require surgery and will miss the entire 2022 season.
The injury may have occurred during May 25’s voluntary session at The Star; Bond left the field early that day with the Cowboys’ head athletic trainer, Jim Maurer.
Bond was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 2016. He was released during the 2019 campaign and subsequently signed with Chicago. He stayed with the Bears until the conclusion of the 2021 season.
Dallas signed him to the practice squad in the final days of 2021; he signed a reserve/future contract with the club in January of this year.
How the Cowboys can replace Amari Cooper’s impact on rest of WR corps? – Lucsas Mascherin, The Landry Hat
The Cowboys wide receiver room is going to look different this year. Can they still be effective?
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb has big shoes to fill, but he can do it
Lamb has taken a step up from year one to year two and will be looking to take another heading into year three. As a route-runner, he is more smooth and utilizes his explosiveness to catch corners off guard. This year he is expected to be the bonafide WR1.
Tolbert is a third-rounder coming out of South Alabama. He played in the Sun Belt and was named Offensive Player of the Year. That’s primarily due to his ability to separate himself from cornerbacks with his sudden and seamless cuts paired with his 4.49 speed.
The space both players will be able to create should make up for what Cooper provided. If that doesn’t help, the Cowboys have mismatches ready for the opponents.
Tony Pollard is a wide receiver turned running back who could see snaps as a wideout this year. One of the most efficient players in the NFL deserves more opportunities to torch defenses. Linebackers won’t be fast or quick enough to keep up, and the top defensive backs will be occupied.
State of the 2022 Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy needs to produce a playoff run, or else … – Adam Rank, NFL.com
This is a big season for everyone in Dallas.
Members of the Cowboys organization, Cowboys fans around the world and those who just want to see the Cowboys win some playoff games again:
Dallas dominated the NFC East in 2021. Which, well, wasn’t saying much, given the state of the division. But hey, the Cowboys posted a perfect 6-0 record against their closest rivals, winning the divisional crown by three games. They closed out the regular season with five wins in their final six contests. Once again, though, a promising campaign ended without a playoff win, much less a Super Bowl title. Dallas hasn’t even come within sniffing distance of a Lombardi Trophy since the mid-1990s. Are the ‘Boys any closer this year?
That’s the question we’ll explore in this file. But before we dive in, I want to mark the recent passing of former Cowboys running back Marion Barber III, who died in his apartment on June 1, just nine days before his 39th birthday. Miserable. Far too young. Barber spent his first six NFL seasons in Dallas, earning a Pro Bowl bid when he rushed for a career-high 975 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2007. But honestly, the best summation of his rugged, inspiring playing style comes via a random first-down carry appropriately dubbed “The Greatest 2-Yard Run of All Time.” What a warrior. Rest in peace.
2021 rewind
One high from last season: The Cowboys beat the Vikings in Week 8 with Cooper Rush at quarterback. This was a classic trap game for Dallas, which was 5-1 coming out of its bye week. I don’t recall people giving the Cowboys much of a chance in this Halloween night road contest with a backup quarterback, but they won the game. And started to make believers out of a lot of people.
One low from last season: Losing to the 49ers on Super Wild Card Weekend. There are Cowboys fans of a certain age who probably hate the 49ers more than any of their NFC East foes, based on what happened between the two franchises in the 1990s. And if you don’t remember, then maybe Google that classic stretch of games, because it was pretty good. Losing to the Niners at home in the playoffs stings — especially when you consider how the game ended.
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