Dallas Cowboys 2026 Offseason Thread

dbair1967

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Broderick Jones has starting experience at LT and RT.

Kinda tells you what they think of Thomas and Shelton if either had to play this year, and I do think they are worried about Steele.

He was a 1st rd pick in 2023. I'd be curious to know what Klayton Adams thought of him that yr as he was the OL Coach for the Cards and probably would have scouted him. Jones went to Georgia and was the 14th overall pick in 2023. 6'5, 311lbs.

Jones, Pittsburgh's first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, gives Dallas more experience in the offensive trenches, having played in 45 games and started 38 for the Steelers over the course of the last three seasons.
Last year, Jones played all 603 of his snaps at left tackle, but in the two years prior had seen most of his work on the right side. Jones gives the Cowboys an option as their swing tackle, but at just 25 years old, may also eventually compete for a starting role
.

Write up from Walter Football

Summary: Jones was a backup in 2020 and 2021, but injuries forced him onto the field in crunch time. Jones became the Bulldogs starting left tackle for the final four games of the 2021 season, and he helped them to finish off their National Championship. In 2022, Jones was the program's starting left tackle and put together a good season of protecting Stetson Bennett while their team repeated as the National Champion.

Jones has aggression and a mean streak as a run blocker. Finding nasty bullies up front is getting more difficult because the uptempo and spread concepts have changed the game. Jones is a throwback who blocks through the whistle, pushes defenders around, buries them into the ground, and finishes them off with violence. He has developed strength to push defenders out of their gaps and open holes in the ground game. With heavy hands, Jones is able to sustain his blocks after shocking defenders back. He also has the quickness and athleticism to get to the second level. He can pull and could fit either a zone- or power-man-blocking scheme.

In pass protection, Jones has the quickness and agility to mirror speed rushers. He also has a strong base to hold up against bull rushes. While Jones has talent and technique, he lacks length, and that could be problematic for him in the NFL. Longer defensive ends and rush linebackers could give him issues in terms of being able to shed his blocks.

Strengths:
  • Rare blocker with a mean streak
  • Tough run blocker
  • Heavy hands
  • Generates movement in the ground game
  • Sustains blocks
  • Physical
  • Can manipulate in the ground game
  • Bullies defenders and blocks through the whistle
  • Has quality technique
  • Good at pulling
  • Agile in space
  • Awareness
  • Anchors well against bull rushes
  • Dependable pass protector
  • Ability to bend
  • Fires off the line
  • Has quick enough feet
  • Can bend at the knee
  • Sustains blocks well
  • Experienced against good competition
Weaknesses:
  • Lacks length
  • Short height
  • Maybe should move inside
 

Mustang1

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Broderick Jones has starting experience at LT and RT.

Kinda tells you what they think of Thomas and Shelton if either had to play this year, and I do think they are worried about Steele.

He was a 1st rd pick in 2023. I'd be curious to know what Klayton Adams thought of him that yr as he was the OL Coach for the Cards and probably would have scouted him. Jones went to Georgia and was the 14th overall pick in 2023. 6'5, 311lbs.

Jones, Pittsburgh's first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, gives Dallas more experience in the offensive trenches, having played in 45 games and started 38 for the Steelers over the course of the last three seasons.
Last year, Jones played all 603 of his snaps at left tackle, but in the two years prior had seen most of his work on the right side. Jones gives the Cowboys an option as their swing tackle, but at just 25 years old, may also eventually compete for a starting role
.

Write up from Walter Football

Summary: Jones was a backup in 2020 and 2021, but injuries forced him onto the field in crunch time. Jones became the Bulldogs starting left tackle for the final four games of the 2021 season, and he helped them to finish off their National Championship. In 2022, Jones was the program's starting left tackle and put together a good season of protecting Stetson Bennett while their team repeated as the National Champion.

Jones has aggression and a mean streak as a run blocker. Finding nasty bullies up front is getting more difficult because the uptempo and spread concepts have changed the game. Jones is a throwback who blocks through the whistle, pushes defenders around, buries them into the ground, and finishes them off with violence. He has developed strength to push defenders out of their gaps and open holes in the ground game. With heavy hands, Jones is able to sustain his blocks after shocking defenders back. He also has the quickness and athleticism to get to the second level. He can pull and could fit either a zone- or power-man-blocking scheme.

In pass protection, Jones has the quickness and agility to mirror speed rushers. He also has a strong base to hold up against bull rushes. While Jones has talent and technique, he lacks length, and that could be problematic for him in the NFL. Longer defensive ends and rush linebackers could give him issues in terms of being able to shed his blocks.

Strengths:
  • Rare blocker with a mean streak
  • Tough run blocker
  • Heavy hands
  • Generates movement in the ground game
  • Sustains blocks
  • Physical
  • Can manipulate in the ground game
  • Bullies defenders and blocks through the whistle
  • Has quality technique
  • Good at pulling
  • Agile in space
  • Awareness
  • Anchors well against bull rushes
  • Dependable pass protector
  • Ability to bend
  • Fires off the line
  • Has quick enough feet
  • Can bend at the knee
  • Sustains blocks well
  • Experienced against good competition
Weaknesses:
  • Lacks length
  • Short height
  • Maybe should move inside
Much needed pickup on position of extreme need going into regular season. Maybe Steele becomes our swing tackle and this guy becomes a starter. Regardless, I am glad they addressed an area of Obvious need right now. Looking forward to our first game. Going to be an exciting season!
 

dbair1967

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So a lot of fans were grumbling (not just 2 or 3 of our 9 members) at CZ and other media platforms about getting robbed/fleeced or giving away the farm to get Jones.

If you go off the trade value chart for this most recent draft, this is how the trade shapes up:

Dallas sent what would have been pick their 3rd rd pick # 76 (which was actually the George Pickens pick I believe) and a 6th rd pick (which would have been around pick 190 or so, would have to go back and piece together other trades made) to the Stealers for their 4th rd pick (#121).

The point values of these picks were 210+ 13 for Broderick Jones + 52pts. The 171 pt net difference is equal to a late 3rd rd pick.

Next year the draft positions will obviously be different and it seems likely to me (and most prognosticators) that we will finish with a better record than the Stealers (which wasn't the case this yr). Which means our payout will be less.

While Jones has not been good enough to warrant the 14th pick overall the Stealers used on him, he does have several yrs starting experience and is still only 25yrs old and will now be working with better OL coaches. Trading a late 3rd rd pick for a guy with proven starting experience and still being young enough to potentially develop more is not an overly bad deal, especially when you take into account how bad our backup T's on this roster were now.
 

dbair1967

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Yeah, definitely getting a failed 1st rounder Kenneth Murray type vibe from this one.
You'll definitely know it's reached rock bottom if they pick up failed 7th overall pick OT Evan Neal from the Giants when he's cut today.
He's a Guyton clone, only worse.
They arn't going to pickup Evan Neal
 

dbair1967

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I mean...
Desperate times call for desperate measures, LOL!
Pretty sure they are done at OT now, they did "pay" to get Jones. They probably did that for 1 of 2 reasons. Either they had been trying to get him for a couple weeks or so or they studied what was likely going to be available after waivers today and decided none of those options were better than Thomas/Shelton.

Thomas is almost assuredly getting released now and Shelton likely makes the team as the inactive 4th OT all year, with a chance to prove himself next yr in offseason and camp.
 

dbair1967

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My predictions for the 53 now:

QB (3) Prescott, Howell, Milton
RB (4) J Williams, Luepke, Davis, Blue (or acquisition)
TE (3) Ferguson, Spann-Ford, Schoonmaker
WR(5) Lamb, Pickens, Flournoy, Turpin, Mingo
IOL (6) Tyler Smith, Beebe, Booker, Bass, Leverett, Keegan (or Cornelius)
OT (4) Guyton, Steele, Jones, Shelton
DL (5) Q Williams, Clark, Ogbonnia, Overton, Bullard (or acquisition)
OLB/Edge (5) Gary, Ezeiruaku, Miller, Lawrence, Houston
LB (5) Overshown, Winters, Barham, James, Barron (or acquisition)
CB (5) Bland, Durant, Revel, Moore + acquisition
FS/SS (5) Thompson, Downs, Hooker (hope he is a surprise cut though) Locke, Wood
ST (3) Aubrey, Anger, Sieg

They could go 5 on IOL and that would open a 6th WR spot for Camden Brown. At ILB Barron (or the vet there in his spot) could go 4 instead of 5 to do the same. His spot might also come down to do they want him or a 6th Edge (like Wheat or Williams, who both play ST as well) Wood/Bell is probably the battle for the 5th safety but dumping Hooker would allow them to keep both. If they surprised everyone and didnt acquire another CB then maybe Reddy makes it. I'm not convinced Bullard makes the team now either. They could keep Dunn or Toia, or even go outside and get another vet. Bullard might be a short term IR candidate.
 

dbair1967

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Roster observations:

1) Surprised Caelen Carson, Ameer Speed and Alijah Clark made it, but they are probably cuts 1, 2 & 3 for whatever roster moves they make this week

2) No true backup C on the roster with them releasing Leverett and Keegan, would think one of those is a likely lock to come back.

3) Little surprised Jonathan Bullard made the active roster when he's done basically nothing all camp and preseason. Perhaps he is close returning. I think they used two of the short term IR to return on Liufau and Moore.

4) They went short at RB which was probably smart. They can add Davis, Mafah , Abanikanda or Blue (seems unlikely for him, he might be truly done here from the sounds of it) to the PS and call up as needed.

5) Seems like they still have a problem at #4 CB, maybe at backup ILB and perhaps still OT until they see more of Broderick Jones.

6) They kept 6 safeties but two of them are trouble for us if they ever see the field on defense (Bell and Clark). Honestly 3 of them are because Hooker is one of the worst safeties in the league.
 

dbair1967

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Not much here to get overly excited about (or honestly even a little excited about) Not hard to see why they made the trade yesterday for Broderick Jones now.

 
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