Dallas Cowboys OTA News + Nuggets | Will Miles Sanders DETHRONE Javonte Williams?

Dallas Cowboys OTA News + Nuggets | Will Miles Sanders DETHRONE Javonte Williams?

My Sanders could be the week one starting running back for the Cowboys. What does that mean for their offense? We’ll break it down next. You are Locked On Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Welcome back to the Locked On Cowboys podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. We’d like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. I am your host, Marcus Moer. You can follow me on Twitter, Marcus Moer. You can also listen to me on the Lockdown Dynasty Football Podcast. Joining me today, as always, is Landon Mcool. You can follow him on Twitter, Mcoolbc. Landon, we’re going to continue to to discuss the Cowboys OTAA uh from last week. They have another practice on Tuesday. But one of the big takeaways from the Thursday practice that was open to the media is that my Sanders, the veteran running back the Cowboys signed from the Panthers looked pretty good during that session. Uh so, first of all, do you believe that he has a chance to be the RB1 week one starter against the Eagles? I mean, I I certainly think it’s there’s a chance, right? Like I I it’s it’s obviously an open competition. I I think we have kind of, you know, put our our our money down on who on which horse we think is going to kind of end up there. Um, but I I think that Miles Sanders, you know, is a guy that if you could get something close to what you saw from him, uh, in Philly, uh, you know, I think a lot of that was, you know, based on who he was running behind, but I I think that that’s fair to say the opposite of what was going on with him in Carolina, you know, and I think you watched the between the 2022 season and the 2023 season when he goes to Carolina, he went from being a pro bowler behind the Eagles offensive line, which obviously was the, you know, the bulk of probably his production to, uh, uh, you know, an incredibly inefficient running back in Carolina. So, which kind of running back are the Cowboys getting? I imagine it’s somewhere in between. I think it’s easy for us to look at him as a 28-year-old running back who’s on his third team that’s kind of bounced around a little bit. Um, but it also could easily be, hey, this is a guy that uh, didn’t get a lot of carries in his time. uh in in in Carolina and and you know when he did didn’t get a lot of help uh blocking up front in front of him. Maybe there’s still a lot of juice left in this guy when we maybe we get into camp we find out hey a better system a better blocking you know more attention elsewhere uh that that he can actually produce when in a better situation much like some of these other folks we’ve talked about. I just think he’s the more dynamic running back between Javvante Williams and then obviously Miles Sanders. Now the knock on Sanders compared to Gavvante is that Javvante I think is a better pass blocker. I think Javvante is a little bit more reliable just as like an outlet pass, you know, reception or pass catcher, but in terms of like creativity and burst and athleticism, I think that all goes to my Sanders. And the question I had for you, Landon, is I think of all the running backs on the roster, the one that we feel the best about being on the roster is Jaden Blue. and he’s the one that we probably feel the best about what his role is going to be. So, of the two veteran running backs, Javvante Williams and Miles Sanders, which one fits with Blue? I mean, I kind of feel like if you’re looking for someone who’s closer, like if you’re trying to pair some him with somebody that’s uh the opposite of of what he is, I think Javvante Williams works better as a pairing in a thunder and lightning scenario. But if you’re trying to, you know, instead assemble your running back room where you have like three running backs that are all of very similar type, right? Or or or or you know, like you’re trying to find dynamic guys uh uh at every single one of the running back spots. Maybe you you do like pairing him with Sanders a little bit more because it it it’s kind of you get similar kind of I think burst and explosive. I mean I mean I think blue is more bursty and more explosive especially at this point but I think as far as their game goes like Sanders has some more missum to it than than than Javvante Williams does. Um and so that’s why I also kind of think that uh uh you know he’s being if you look at his numbers that that he’s being very beholdened to the blocking that’s in front of him because I think what makes my Sanders good is that if you can get him to the second level he can he can beat guys He can beat linebackers with his feet and with safeties with his feet like you know make the miss. I I think he struggles to get through the line if the if it isn’t blocked up right for him. And I think that’s the difference between him and Javvante Williams is that Williams has got a little bit more size and strength to kind of run through defensive linemen’s arm tackles whereas Sanders doesn’t have that ability. Yeah. And I don’t know if my Sanders has great vision either. I think once he’s downhill and running, you’re right, like that’s where he can make guys miss. That’s where he can turn a eight yard run into a 15 yard run. But I do wonder if the Cowboys are going to look at Javvante Williams and be like, you know what, we can live with two, three yard runs. But what we can’t have are these runs where we lose a yard, we get zero yards. will give up the big plays in Javvante Williams for more safety and consistency with the idea that Jaden Blue hopefully is the guy that gives us the home run ability. I I’m I’m fascinated to see how this backfield shakes out. I think there’s also a chance, Landon, that neither of these running backs are on the roster in week one and they go out and trade for somebody or they just lean on some of the guys they have. It it’s one of the more unique backfields we’ve seen during the entire time that we’ve covered the Cowboys. I mean, there’s there’s also no reason that they would couldn’t both be on the roster, right? Sure. And and and I think one of the suggestions we’ve s said is Javvante Williams and Blue as the kind of one-two punch and then Sanders as the kind of rotational third running back. Yeah. Maybe Mafa is like on the practice squad as a guy that you call up certain games if someone gets injured or something until he earns one of those roles, right? And there’s no reason that we couldn’t flip that and make it Miles Sanders and Blue that are the kind of two lead roles and then Williams is the guy that kind of comes in and gives you a series or two, right? I think there’s I think that they’ve left themselves a lot of options and I think that that’s where they want to be right now is I don’t think they want to put, you know, labels on anything because they want to see how it develops naturally and then just put the best guys out there for the best situation. By the way, I think your the your first trio is the is the right one. Javvante as the quote unquote starter, Blue as the change of PLA pace, and then Miles Sanders as the come in, do everything back. If one of those guys gets hurt, if I had to kind of put my chips down on how this running back room shakes out, I think that would be that’s the way that I anticipate at least starting the year. Yeah, me too. I mean, I I think I I think you and I both kind of saw my Sanders as a uh you know, you know, he’s getting older and maybe he’s that, you know, maybe it’s kind of starting to decline for him, but but there’s certainly the chance that his lack of production in Carolina was very much based on the fact that he was in Carolina. So, I wouldn’t be shocked if there was a much a little bit of a bounce back from from him this year and and maybe he’s used a little bit more than we expected. Yeah. I just thought it was notable that multiple beat reporters at Cowboys practice were impressed by him. He did he had a big run up the middle uh he had a swing pass where he got up the field. It would have been a big play. So just something to keep an eye on as we look forward to the Cowboys uh third week of OTAAS and eventually mini camp coming up. All right, let’s talk about Kenneth Murray. a a player that the Cowboys traded for this off season that we honestly just have not discussed a bunch since the move happened, but it sure seems like he’s going to have a big role into the defense. We will get to that next. This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn. As a small business owner, your work doesn’t end when the clock hits 5. Your business is always on your mind, which means when it’s time to hire, you need a partner that works just as hard as you do. That’s where LinkedIn Jobs comes in. When you clock out, LinkedIn clocks in. LinkedIn makes it easy to post your job for free, share it with your network, and get qualified candidates all in one place. Here’s how it works. Works. You post your job and LinkedIn’s new feature can help you write job descriptions and then quickly get your job in front of the right people with deep candidate insights. And here’s a pro tip. Use the hashtag hiring frame to your profile picture to double your reach to qualified candidates. It’s no wonder 72% of small businesses say LinkedIn has helped them find highquality hires. Post your job for free at linkedin.com/lot.n. That is linkedin.comlotnfl to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Welcome back to the Lotone Cowboys podcast. We’d like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. We are continuing to break down the Cowboys OTAAS. And one of the more notable notes from uh John Mashota is that Kenneth Murray was the green dot linebacker. If you’re watching with us on YouTube, you can see quote. Uh, first of all, do you believe that? And second of all, what kind of role are you expecting Kenneth Murray to have in this defense? Yeah, I mean, I think it’s certainly conceivable. I mean, look, I I I think he is definitely as of right now the starting Mike linebacker, right? Like I think there’s uh you know it’s early days. We haven’t had training camp. There’s OTA. We’re in the middle of OTAAS. They even had haven’t had mini camps yet. But I think it’s pretty clear that until they get a little bit healthier at the position, these veterans are going to play and play a lot. In fact, I I I mean, you know, I I like to read We all like to read the tea leaves on these things, right? And and honestly, like you don’t see a lot of of uh positive or how do I phrase this? A lot of certain comments, certainty comments from beatw writers uh in otaas, right? And and when you do, you should pay attention because that means somebody’s told them something, right? I feel like I saw three or four different beat writers say that no, it is definitely going to be Kenneth Murray and Jack Sandborn as the two starting linebackers uh uh on in week one, you know, not even just like to start training camp or to start, you know, competition like it’s it’s almost like somebody’s been telling them, hey, these are our two guys until oversh. So, I guess what I’m getting at is I don’t know that Maris Leafoul is getting any kind of special devance from this coaching staff. I think they got their guys in free agents free agency and they’re going to roll with their guys. But, but I also think that, you know, we talked about San a lot and we talked about why he’s a fit for this defense and why he plays well and is underrated. I think Kenneth Murray is an interesting player as well too. I mean, look, he has very clear, well-defined weaknesses that we all are very well aware of, right? And and I think that something that we I mean, at least you and I were very well aware of coming in out of o Oklahoma, right? Like it was very clear where this guy had strengths and weaknesses. I don’t think we talk enough about his strengths, right? Because I think his weaknesses are very clear and defined. I think people still view Kenneth Murray as this uh only this run and hit linebacker who you know is just flowing to the football and is you know and that incredible kind of athlete and I he is an incredible athlete but he is also more of a downhill type player right he’s more of a physical player that I think he gets credit is he the most instinctual linebacker no I think we’ve seen that that that’s that’s been an issue with them he can get fooled if his eyes get fooled but I think if you pair him with a kind of coach that we’ve been saying this whole time is just a, you know, a a linebacker, you know, teacher is is just a, you know, a guru that can get can can get the most out of these guys. You know, Kenneth Murray is the kind of linebacker that you feel like could be most affected by being put into a system where he’s not being asked to overthink things and just being asked to go out and play football. So, just to be clear on the strength and weakness because I think his greatest strength ends up becoming a weakness for him sometimes. He is so good at coming downhill and being a great athlete and he’s powerful. There was a linebacker coming out of North Carolina now. I I think it was his name was Zack Brown. This is a while ago. Uh who was a really good downhill linebacker that just had like pillows for hands like just was not physical at all. That’s not Kenneth Murray. like he he will wrap up. He will tackle you hard. You will feel it when he tackles you. The problem with Murray is that he that’s all he wants to do is come downhill and hit running backs. The eyes can be really bad. He’s not great at necessarily diagnosing where where to anticipate where the running back’s going or where the hole is going to open up. And he can come downhill so fast that it opens up a hole somewhere else and all of a sudden you got a big run. So misdirection misdirection is terrible, right? Like it’s just like he gets him going one way and then he he’s so late to react to go back the other way. Uh it’s tough. So can Matt Illeuse fix that? I have I I actually I’m pretty optimistic that he can because I remember watching Tmaine Edmonds who was with the Bills up here who very similar type of linebacker like downhill athletic bad bad eyes and he turned him into a pretty good linebacker in Chicago. So, we’ll see. But if if it’s ever going to happen, it’s going to happen here in Dallas with Matt Iberluse. Yeah. I mean, I think it’s just kind of like simplifying reads for him, you know, just not making things overly complicated. Just so allow him to kind of make a read and then and then pull the trigger because I I do think it the issue is that he’s just so quick to pull the trigger downhill that it’s like, you know, he gets full of traps and misdirection. And that’s why it’s so interesting that he’s been the green dot, which is if you’re not familiar, that means that you’re calling the defensive plays. Do you think that’s just because he’s the most experienced linebacker currently on the roster? I think I think that there’s Look, I think to be the green dot, you have to have a certain amount of leadership. You have to have a certain amount of intelligence. You have to be able to understand the defense conceptually. And I think that that’s different than instincts, right? than then like post snap like re read and react and like and and understanding what’s happening to him. I don’t think he’s being fooled because it’s like a you know he’s he’s he’s dumb or he’s like it’s a it’s a it’s an instinctual like you know it’s this things are happening so fast that it’s like it’s you know sub sub one second. So well that’s why I mean Shawn Lee was so good at having the game slow down and he could just see things happen before they happen. Kenneth Murray’s just not there and he pro and honestly he probably never will be uh because Shaun Lee was special that way but you know what I mean like the game just hasn’t slowed down for Murray like that yet. Yeah. I mean I I think he just he he’s he’s always just learned to trust his instincts and his instincts are wrong sometimes, you know, and and I think I don’t know if it’s not like I don’t think it’s an issue with like, you know, understanding conceptually what he’s supposed to be doing in the defense, what everyone else is supposed to be doing in the defense. He’s an experienced veteran linebacker, started a lot of games in this league. So, I think as far as getting everybody in the right defense and lined up and their assignment, he knows that part. It’s the should I fall for this guard pulling or not, you know? Uh that’s that’s where his brain kind of fails him post. I think there are so many players on this team that are on like the last year of their contract or on a one-year deal. and Kenneth Murray and Jack Samour, your two starting linebackers, both going into contract years. They both really need it. Again, this is everything is setting up for Kenneth Murray to have a really good season. Will the defensive tackles ahead of him be good enough to to to maximize his ability? I don’t know. We should mention that Jay toier, the Cowboys seventh and round pick from UCLA, was rotating in with the starters on Thursday. Uh there’s been kind of some buzz growing about him over the last week or so. Uh but yeah, I think the defensive tackles, how they play will likely tell us how Kenneth Murray plays this year. Yeah, I think it’s, you know, not a very unfamiliar tune for Cowboys fans. I mean, I think this is something that that’s been an issue for a while, right? Like and uh I think we you can blame the lack of talent linebacker spot and I don’t think that that’s been the issue for most of these years. I think it’s been the their kind of inability to stay clean, their inability to see where the ball is because they’re getting a face full of guard, you know, and it’s hard to it’s hard to get to the ball when you’re you’re you’re, you know, three or four yards off the ball off the line of scrimmage and being pushed backwards because you’re you’re facing a double team every single play and you can’t get a defensive tackle to stay on his feet to keep you clean. So, uh it’s it’s a tough life to be a Cowboys linebacker, to be honest. All right, let’s uh let’s talk about Michael Irvin who was present during the Cowboys OTAAS this week. He was on the field. I saw a picture of him standing next to George Pickkins. He had some really interesting things to say about the Cowboys and Brian Shottenheimer. We will get to that next. Welcome back to the Loton Cowboys podcast. We’d like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. For your second listen, check out the lot done NFL scouting show as training camps get closer and moves are being made. Host Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino will make you the most informed NFL fan this offseason. Find lot scouting on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. All right, Len. Uh Mike Irvin, the Cowboys uh legend. Uh the not the original 88, the second 88, right? Drew Pearson is the original 88. Just want to make I I also watched some Antonio Bryant highlights this morning. Uh, another 88. Yeah, that’s probably the best way to describe him. Another 88. Yeah. Michael Irvin at practice. Uh, he went on a couple podcast after Cowboys OTAAS and he said some really interesting things the things and you’ve got some notes for us. Yeah. So, this is a little bit of a ride, but but the the reason I I think that that Irvin has kind of cracked the code a little bit on the culture conversation and so I just wanted to kind of go over a little bit. So Irving, you know, was was on his podcast. If you have, if you have a chance, go check out his it’s, you know, Michael Irvin on on YouTube. Shouldn’t be difficult to find, but he, you know, he gave like a 30 minute speech about what he saw on Legends Day and and it was very cool and and, you know, I don’t I won’t kind of get into all the details of all the other stuff that he talked about, but it’s definitely worth worth going to take a listen to. But one thing that he kept on talking about was he kept on witnessing Shottenheimimer injecting competition under pressure for these guys, right? He he he uh everything he saw them do was was about, you know, competition, about being competitive. Uh and he, you know, I think folks that have watched the uh interviews with the Cowboys postpractice from this last open session uh have heard a couple of them. And I think it was Gayton who mentioned that he won the free throw competition that they had in one of the team meetings and and we kind of all thought that was cool. But Irvin kind of gave the other side of the story there and about how everybody was in the meeting room watching these guys shoot free throws and even the legends that were there, Irvin and like all the rest of the guys that were there were all on the ground like screaming, yelling and and like trying to get these guys to like, you know, uh uh win the competition. And he was just looking around and looking at it. He’s like and he was taking note. He’s like, “Okay, I see what I see what coach is doing. I see what coach is doing.” And then he talked about they broke off after that and they did the offense defensive meetings. Uh and there was two different instances and and you know, one that I think Marcus saw Michael talk about a little bit with uh him and actually why don’t you tell that that he sat in the wide receiver room and uh they were Junior Adams was talking and he has them he said that the receivers were all engaged. they were all leaning forward. And one of the things he’ll do periodically is call out a play and he’ll call out two players and the players have to race to the whiteboard and draw out the entire play. Not just the route that the player the receiver is supposed to run, but the assignments for everybody, all three receivers on the field, what the offensive line’s doing, what the running backs are doing. Uh, and then they at the end of the week they get a tally who’s won that many races. And I think Michael Irvin was he was saying how cool that is that these guys have to know the offense inside and out. But he was also saying that it’s just a competition trying to find little ways in in meetings even to create competition. And so and so there there was that which was really cool. Well, and then apparently there was another version as well in team where they were basically calling out random people in the in in the team meeting and having them stand up and then recite everybody’s uh roles inside of each one of these plays in front of everybody, right? In front of the whole other team. So, uh and and you know they were being harassed that they were messing up and that sort of thing. So, uh he he also mentioned that guys Oh, yeah. Yeah, I sorry. Uh, everyone was being very loud and vocal during all of this. Like it was all it was all very much like come on man let’s you know and like getting after each other about like making mistakes everything and one of the things that Michael Irvin mentioned was that at no point in during the team or the breakout meetings that he witnessed did anybody have a phone out. Now I want you to I want you to think about that for a second. Like think about who we’re talking about. We’re talking about a bunch of 22 21 to tw you know 30 year olds who uh you know in some case a little bit older Dak you know but you know it’s like that is the oldest player on the offense by far I think so right at this point right I mean I yeah I mean he has to be right yeah he’s got to be if he’s the old man for sure um so I mean think about that like none of these guys are on phones and they’re in meetings for for like three plus hours in these days and no one had their phone out uh later when they were on the field uh you know and Irving by the way credited all that to the level of interactivity in every single one of these meetings even in the breakout meetings there was constant interaction it wasn’t just sitting in their seat and then you know trying to yell at these guys to absorb information it was constant interaction later when they were on the field Irvin said they came out and everybody looked really crisp right away everything looked because they had done all this competition and gotten their juices flowing in the meeting, right? So, they came out and everything was ready to go and they were they were looking good. And at a certain point, uh, uh, Shotti stopped practice and he said, “Hey, you guys have done a great job. I I I think let’s take a break. You guys have earned it. It’s fantastic work you guys are doing. Real great job.” So, everyone takes a break, right? And I think what happens next is the key to what Irving was saying, right? I know I’ I’ve thrown a lot of stuff in this segment, but this is this is the part that I think that was key. So Irvin said that after that they ca they they came back into practice. They started practicing again. And Irvin said that everything looked continued to look really crisp and looked good. But Shotty shut down practice, gathered everybody back up and said, “How dare you guys act performed like this after I g praised you and let you guys go get a break early. This is absolutely ridicul ridiculous. this is not help holding us to the standard that we want because it basically implying that somebody wasn’t doing their job and you know who you are blah blah blah blah blah and Irvin said that at that point there was like a whisper that like a a whisper campaign that like happened all around him and he could hear all the players go who was it who was it who wasn’t who wasn’t who wasn’t doing it who wasn’t doing it and that is what the culture is that Irvin was talking about it’s the culture of an entire team trying to figure out who wasn’t doing their job who wasn’t do working their hardest who wasn’t giving their all and then making sure that they go and correct that situation. That to me like I was listening to this and and and I was like because we talk about what’s culture what does that even mean? That is what it means is that when somebody screws up or when somebody even hints that there may be a screw up the team will tear themselves apart to find the person who has done this. Make sure they make the correction as a team and then go forward from there. And I think that’s the kind of culture you need to win championships. And that was Michael Irv’s point uh dur during that whole thing. And I thought it was really really important and it really kind of crystallized something that we’ve been trying to get our hands around uh for the last few weeks. It feels like I I just Googled how many days until week one 94 by the way because that got me so freaking pumped up for football. Like that’s why I I think the Cowboys talent might not be as as good as it was in 2021, 22, 23, but I think they’re hoping that the culture, the locker room, the competitiveness will make up for it. It’ll make a difference in these games, these big time games in the playoffs. This is what we would, this is what Cowboy fans have been wanting to hear basically since the Bill Parcel’s era. Like a culture in a locker room like this. Yeah. It’s supporting everyone, giving their all all the time. Maybe not the best, but they’re going to give the best effort and they’re going to execute crisply and they’re going to let the let the cards play as they may. Let’s go. All right, that is it for today’s show. We’d like to thank you for making Loton Cowboys your first listen every single day. Check out the podcast wherever you get the podcast. Uh we are free and available on all platforms. Follow Lane on Twitter, mcool bc BCB. I’m at Marcus Moer. We’ll see you right back here tomorrow.

Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool break down the Dallas Cowboys’ running back competition, analyzing Miles Sanders’ potential as a Week 1 starter. The duo explores Kenneth Murray’s role in the defense, dissecting his strengths and weaknesses under new coordinator Matt Eberflus. NFL legend Michael Irvin’s observations from recent OTAs take center stage, revealing a competitive culture shift led by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Get the inside scoop on Javante Williams, Jaydon Blue, and how the Cowboys’ offensive strategy is evolving.

Tune in for expert analysis on the Cowboys’ path to success and how these roster moves could reshape their season outlook.

0:00 Intro: Miles Sanders as potential Cowboys RB1

3:44 Comparing Sanders and Williams as RB options

7:51 Kenneth Murray’s role in Cowboys defense

15:47 Michael Irvin observes competitive Cowboys practice

21:54 Schottenheimer instills culture of accountability

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