FIRST TAKE | COWBOYS SET FOR NFL’S BIGGEST 2025 SURGE — SCHOTTENHEIMER EARNS STEPHEN A.’S TRUST!

FIRST TAKE | COWBOYS SET FOR NFL’S BIGGEST 2025 SURGE — SCHOTTENHEIMER EARNS STEPHEN A.’S TRUST!

nfl week go max Crosby of the Raiders attending the annual sack summit told the Athletic quote “Anytime you go out there you want to be in a position to win individual success and things like that are awesome we just saw it in the NBA okc just a couple of years ago was one of the worst teams in the league but they had a lot of young guys they trusted the process they developed and now they’re world champions.” a lot of optimism around the Vegas Raiders right now and from the Vegas Star so guys Mike T we’ll start with you which NFL team will have the biggest turnaround this year cincinnati Bengals and you go back last year it started an opening day when Mikei kind of fumbled the ball through the end zone and they lost to a New England Patriot team that they had no business losing to look this team is going to be prolific on offense i don’t think anybody would disagree with that i think the key is going to be Trey Hendrickson obviously getting his contract situated and then guys Shamar Stewart who again they got to work out his contract i believe they will those are two great pass rushers or one with a lot of potential I should say bill Walsh the all-time great quarter uh coach of the 49ers used to talk about pass to score and then have fourth quarter pass rushers that’s sort of the way Cincinnati is built i think Al Golden will do a really good job as the first year defensive coordinator so if they’re even middle of the pack on defense this will be a hard team to beat
how many times they get off to a slow start and we just make excuses for them like they’re going to they’re going to get off to a quick start this year
yeah I look I offensively this will be a team that should score in the 30s every week Evan and again if Hendrickson and Stewart are there I think they could close out games
i don’t know why we would assume they would be at this point but I you’re probably right about that graz
where else are they going to go well no I I agree but it’s probably not a good thing that that’s happening right now with two holdouts the turnaround team for you
uh the 49ers i I actually think this is an easy answer they won six games last year because of injuries uh and were in the Super Bowl the year before so I I see a bounce back a lot of the attention this offseason has been about the guys that they no longer have right i mean Debo Samuel and the the guys on defense that are with in Denver now right green law and Huanga but there’s still so many good players on this team and and great one i mean you know Nick Bosa Fred Warner George KD Christian McCaffrey coming back healthy they have Brock Pery locked up and they believe in him at quarterback losing Debo trading away Debo and Brandon Aayuk coming back off injury but they’ve drafted at receiver uh to an extent that they’ve been anticipating this i the schedule looks again very difficult to tell but but based on you know last year’s records and all that schedule looks pretty soft for the 49ers i see them bouncing back in a big way it’s a it’s a coaching staff and a core group that has proven it can win at an extremely high level
i’m so glad you said that everybody talks about the mass exodus oh Brock Pie’s lost all these guys who Who are we talking about that’s the mass exodus for them you mentioned Debo but they drafted Ricky Pierce Hall to replace him drawan Jennings is excellent and they signed him to a very team friendly deal at that wide receiver position david Dennis Junior is there one for you
i’m going I’m going to do some I’m going to break a tie here i’m going to dock Dan some points i feel like the 49ers are just too obvious i feel like they’re going to I don’t know if it’s a turnaround if everybody’s going to be healthy and they’re going to be good i think they’re going to be I think it’s a little obvious wait why is that obvious when when so many people are saying “Well Brock Party can’t carry a team.”
I don’t think he’s going to need to carry a team they just they’re they’re just getting healthy they’re just getting health being a healthy team like this happens to NFL teams all the time they have these delusive injuries and they come back and everything’s fine i think the 49ers are just seem like a you know seem like a no-brainer that they’re going to be competitive again this year right for me I we might hear about the Bengals i think that they’re going to be a turnaround because their defense if you just have a marginally better defense just a little bit that offense can care and you know we talked about the Bengals last time I was here i compared them to the Drew Brees Saints and all you need is a marginal defense to go someplace with that team and there have the pieces to do that that offense is going to be unstoppable
and just to add to David’s point you know taking away Patrick Mahomes like arguably you would say if you were starting a team today Joe Burrow is certainly in that conversation that’s how good he is
i the assignment was turnaround i didn’t look at any teams that had winning records last year like the Bengals did the Niners were six and 11 i mean that that’s something to turn around from so that was why I I went with that i think the Bengals would be better
yeah maybe you should have taken a deeper dive
i guess I just think a turnaround because it has to be somebody who’s bad last year bengals weren’t
bengals could win one more game make the playoffs is that a turnaround how is that a turnaround
i’ll bet you I’ll bet you that the Niners win total this year is is greater than last year’s by a more significant number than the Bengals is
right but I think going non-playoff to playoff is the definition of a turnaround
the 49ers weren’t in the playoffs
i didn’t say they were
all right i’m just saying but that’s one that’s it’s a one game improvement why why are we copying them at 10 wins seven
do you think they’ll win 11 games if if ESPN bet has the over under picking this up at 10 and a half you would take the over
two game improvement you would take the over in that division in the AFC North
but what I’m saying is once they get into the playoffs who’s going to want to play that offense
yeah we’ve got to stop with this the Bengals had one run one time they beat Mahomes i get that and that’s impossible to do and yet we somehow ranked Joe Burrow and that team over the team that actually beat Mahomes in the Super Bowl and competed in with him in the first it’s mindboggling to me
burrow last year was unbelievable i mean like he’s a terrible GM
well that he’s a terrible GM he wants his wide receivers paid the defenders are not paid you said as long as they get a competent defense
have you seen his wide receivers two of
them i would want pathway to winning is having that type of un
But that’s what they had last year
wait Evan hold on a second when did he say not to pay Trey Hendrickson he actually said to Pedro Henry that was on his list
it was very focused on the two wide outs i They’re unbelievable but when you pay a quarterback that kind of money you pay for one receiver you don’t pay for two
well we’ll find out i mean there’s the the Eagles pay two right at at 25 million plus a year
paid them early though
the Dolphins are paying two at 25 million plus a year right not working out great so it’s unusual there’s no doubt about it but um you know look you lean into your strengths right if the Bengals are going to have success long term around Burrow they’re going to have to draft well on defense and get you know maximum value out of players on that side of the ball in their rookie contracts because
Welcome back to Dallas Insider your home for daily honest and clear updates on your Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks today we are diving into a topic that has stirred curiosity and quiet debate inside Cowboys Nation the so-called mystery trade for Jonathan Mingo and why it could become a surprising but necessary lock in the Cowboys 53man roster heading into the 2025 season over the years the Cowboys have developed a reputation for making dart throw trades hoping to find hidden value in players who were once high draft picks elsewhere but failed to live up to expectations this approach can bring upside to the roster but it also comes with risk especially when those darts are never actually thrown in meaningful game situations we all remember when the Cowboys traded a fourth round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Trey Lance a former firstround quarterback who at one point was viewed as a potential franchise cornerstone for another team but despite the hopes surrounding Lance he barely saw the field in Dallas whether it was due to his development curve the depth chart or simply a reluctance to risk game reps the Cowboys found themselves in a position where they invested a valuable draft pick without getting a real chance to see if Lance could contribute fast forward to the trade for Jonathan Mingo and it’s understandable why many Cowboys fans are raising their eyebrows just like Lance Mingo was acquired for a fourthround pick a move that raised hopes of adding size athleticism and potential to the wide receiver room yet in the 2024 season under Mike McCarthy’s offense Mingo saw limited opportunities recording just five catches for 42 yards a statline that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence but here’s the turning point with Brian Shottenheimimer now taking over as head coach and reshaping the Cowboys offensive system there is a sense that Mingo will get a true opportunity to prove his worth the Athletics John Macho captured this sentiment perfectly stating it would be very surprising if Mingo didn’t make the 53man roster given the investment the Cowboys made and the urgency to see if this trade was the hidden gem the front office envisioned this is not just about saving face or avoiding the admission that a trade might not have worked out it’s about maximizing every resource to give the Cowboys the best possible roster as they push to capture the NFC East and position themselves for a Super Bowl run jonathan Mingo is not coming in to take over the WR1 role that spot belongs to CD Lamb who continues to prove why he is among the league’s elite alongside him George Pickkins acquired last year and quickly establishing himself as a reliable target will command a significant share of targets add Jaylen Tolbert and Cavante Turpin into the mix along with tight end Jake Ferguson and you have a crowded receiving group where Mingo will need to fight for snaps and targets but here’s the reality this mystery trade for Mingo can only be solved by actually putting him on the field and giving him opportunities to showcase what he can contribute to this offense mingo’s size and athleticism are his calling cards at 6’2 and over 220 lbs he has the physical tools to be a matchup problem for defensive backs especially in red zone situations and contested catch scenarios during his time in college he showed flashes of big play potential with the ability to track the ball downfield and secure difficult catches in tight coverage these are traits the Cowboys can leverage if they design packages to utilize Mingo’s strengths especially in third down and goal line scenarios where physicality and body control can make the difference between a field goal and a touchdown shottenheimer’s offense is expected to emphasize efficiency and maximizing every snap this approach could play in Mingo’s favor allowing him to find a defined role rather than being buried in the depth chart with no clear path to playing time whether it as a rotational outside receiver to give Lamb and Pickins breathers or as a big slot in certain formations Mingo’s skill set deserves a look if only to confirm whether he can contribute when the games matter most cowboys Nation we need to have an honest conversation here we all want the team to be aggressive and pursuing talent whether through free agency the draft or trades but those moves only matter if the team follows through and gives players like Mingo a fair chance to prove themselves otherwise we risk wasting valuable draft capital on players who never get the opportunity to contribute do you believe the Cowboys should give Jonathan Mingo a real shot this season can you see him becoming a contributor in this offense under Shottenheimimer’s leadership or do you think the depth at receiver will keep him from seeing meaningful snaps would you design specific packages for Mingo or do you believe the team should prioritize other areas in the offense drop your thoughts in the comments below let’s open up this discussion and as always the best comments and insights from you the real heartbeat of Cowboys Nation will be featured in our next video this is your team and your voice matters as we navigate the roster decisions that could shape the Cowboys 2025 campaign if you found this breakdown informative and want more honest clear analysis on your Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks hit that like button subscribe to Dallas Insider and turn on notifications so you never miss an update we cover every angle every training camp battle and every move the Cowboys make as they aim to bring another Lombardi trophy back to Dallas with Anthony Davis now leading the Dallas Mavericks and the Cowboys position to compete for a Super Bowl this is one of the most exciting times to be a sports fan in Dallas we are here to cover it all bringing you balanced real discussions that help you stay informed and part of the conversation every step of the way thank you for watching Dallas Insider stay locked in stay hopeful and let’s continue to support the Cowboys and Mavericks as they fight to bring championships back home to

The Cowboys have gained a powerful ally: Stephen A. believes the turnaround will come with Schottenheimer.

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