NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
One Cowboys star is earning praise for reaching out to help a family coping with a devastating loss, while another is raising eyebrows with what’s being called “shockingly high” salary demands.
The Cowboys are getting trade offers from other teams and getting dissed in the rankings from The Worldwide Leader. And one former player signs with a rival, while another is suddenly the most popular bet in Vegas. That’s all in this edition of News & Notes.
Ezekiel Elliott offers to pay funeral costs for middle school football phenom :: DFW CBS
Elliott, who has been in the spotlight for the right reasons this offseason, can chalk up one more good deed. The Cowboys running back has offered to pay for the funeral of Jaylon McKenzie, an eighth-grade football phenom with offers from the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois, after he was shot and killed over the weekend in St. Louis. McKenzie was hit by a stray bullet as he was leaving a party where a fight had started.
Elliott, who also grew up in the St. Louis area, reached out to the 14-year-old’s family with an offer to pay for the funeral expenses.
Asked about how she felt about Ezekiel Elliott paying for her son Jaylon McKenzie's funeral, Sukeena Gunner said “For him to reach out to me was unbelievable. Jaylen loved Ezekiel Elliott. Just for him to reach out to me and help me in this difficult time leaves me speechless." https://t.co/XEId7ps5My
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) May 8, 2019
While Elliott hasn’t spoken publicly about it, several members of the front office said Elliott’s gesture was completely in character for the team’s star.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “I just think it goes to show you what kind of person Zeke is off the field.”
“Zeke is a really special guy,” coach Jason Garrett agreed. “He’s got a great spirit about him, and we see that every day as players and coaches.”
Former Cowboys RB Rod Smith signs with NFC East rival :: The Mothership
The two Cowboys-Giants games scheduled for 2019 just got a little more interesting. Running back Rod Smith, who had been in Dallas since midway through the 2015 season, has signed with the New York Giants. He is the older brother of current Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.
Rod was used sparingly in 2018, totaling just 127 rushing yards and a lone touchdown on 44 carries as Ezekiel Elliott’s primary backup. The team opted not to re-sign Smith during March’s free agency period and then in April drafted running backs Tony Pollard from Memphis and Mike Weber from Ohio State.
Playing time for Smith may come slightly easier in New York than it did for him in Dallas, but not by much. While Elliott led the NFL in rushing attempts in 2018 with 304, the Giants’ lead back Saquon Barkley placed second on that same list with 261. When Smith does take the field for New York, though, look for little brother Jaylon to find him and deliver a hard-hitting family reunion of sorts.
Other teams shopping safeties to Cowboys :: SportsDay
Many Cowboys fans thought the team has been hurting for a safety. Apparently, some teams around the league think so, too. And now with the draft over and the Cowboys without a marquee player at the position, they’re sniffing around The Star looking to play Let’s Make a Deal.
“We’ve already started getting a few calls,” said executive vice president Stephen Jones, “people needing things and knowing that we might need, thinking we might need, a safety. ‘Would we be willing to trade this player for that player?'”
No word on actual names being bandied about, but one can assume that other teams might be interested in some of the newfound depth in Dallas at positions like defensive end or offensive line and are dangling a high-profile safety in return. The Cowboys signed veteran George Iloka in free agency and selected Donovan Wilson in the sixth round of the draft; as of now, they’ll compete with Jeff Heath for the starting strong safety job.
“We’re not in any hurry,” Jones maintained. “We feel good about our safety position. Now we’ve just got to keep working.”
Amari Cooper’s demands called ‘shockingly high’ :: Star-Telegram
While the Cowboys front office has indicated that new deals for both Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper this offseason are on their wish list, the quarterback’s contract may come first. Despite expectations that Prescott will bring in something close to $30 million per season, it’s actually Cooper’s asking price that reportedly has the brass balking.
According to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram, Cooper’s demands “were deemed shockingly high for a team that openly recognizes the floor of his contract is $16 million annually.”
The wording of the quote makes it clear the source is associated with the team. Are they being truthful or negotiating in public?
CBS Sports runs the numbers further. “If $16 million per year isn’t good enough for Cooper,” writes John Breech, “it’s possible that he wants Odell Beckham-level money. Beckham’s contract pays him an average of $18 million per season… no other receiver is even making $17 million per year.”
Meanwhile, at least one other outlet is reporting Cooper hasn’t even furnished the club with an official offer yet.
Cowboys’ outlook bleak in ESPN’s latest power rankings :: ESPN
The 2019 Cowboys may have their first bit of bulletin board material, should they want it. ESPN has unveiled its latest power rankings for all 32 NFL teams, using something called the Football Power Index. The FPI factors in “a predicted offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiency, as measured by expected points added per play.” The result is a projected number of wins and the chance (in percentage) that a given team reaches the postseason.
Spoiler alert: the Cowboys come in 19th on this list. That ranking is below the likes of Tennessee, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Jacksonville. The team is projected to rack up 8.4 wins and is given a 44.2 percent chance of making the playoffs.
The accompanying writeup from Todd Archer has nice things to say about the Cowboys’ improvements at defensive line; he calls Dallas “as deep and talented along the front as they’ve been since Rod Marinelli joined the coaching staff in 2013.” But fans can’t be happy about the math involved in compiling the rankings.
Tony Romo is bettors’ favorite headed into Byron Nelson :: ESPN
Tony Romo was always something of an underdog. But never quite like this. After accepting an offer to tee it up as an amateur in this weekend’s AT&T Byron Nelson Invitational, Romo has actually become the top bet for those wagering on the action… because he’s such a longshot.
According to ESPN’s David Purdum, “more bets have been placed on Tony Romo to win the tournament than on any other golfer in the field.” That’s at least at the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, where Romo has been given 10,000-to-1 odds. Other sportsbooks peg him at 2,000-to-1 or 1,000-to-1. But still, more bettors are taking the lottery ticket on Romo than on actual golfers like Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth.
“Three different bettors wagered $100 on Romo to win the event at the SuperBook,” notes SportsDay’s Scott Bell. “In the event that the former Cowboys QB wins the tournament, that will yield those three a cool $1 million apiece.”
Following a weekend where the fastest horse didn’t win the Kentucky Derby for the first time ever and a 65-to-1 longshot ended up wearing the roses, maybe a C-note on Romo isn’t the craziest bet.
Gallery
9 Free Agents Cowboys should consider after the draft
Continue reading...
The Cowboys are getting trade offers from other teams and getting dissed in the rankings from The Worldwide Leader. And one former player signs with a rival, while another is suddenly the most popular bet in Vegas. That’s all in this edition of News & Notes.
Ezekiel Elliott offers to pay funeral costs for middle school football phenom :: DFW CBS
Elliott, who has been in the spotlight for the right reasons this offseason, can chalk up one more good deed. The Cowboys running back has offered to pay for the funeral of Jaylon McKenzie, an eighth-grade football phenom with offers from the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois, after he was shot and killed over the weekend in St. Louis. McKenzie was hit by a stray bullet as he was leaving a party where a fight had started.
Elliott, who also grew up in the St. Louis area, reached out to the 14-year-old’s family with an offer to pay for the funeral expenses.
Asked about how she felt about Ezekiel Elliott paying for her son Jaylon McKenzie's funeral, Sukeena Gunner said “For him to reach out to me was unbelievable. Jaylen loved Ezekiel Elliott. Just for him to reach out to me and help me in this difficult time leaves me speechless." https://t.co/XEId7ps5My
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) May 8, 2019
While Elliott hasn’t spoken publicly about it, several members of the front office said Elliott’s gesture was completely in character for the team’s star.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “I just think it goes to show you what kind of person Zeke is off the field.”
“Zeke is a really special guy,” coach Jason Garrett agreed. “He’s got a great spirit about him, and we see that every day as players and coaches.”
Former Cowboys RB Rod Smith signs with NFC East rival :: The Mothership
The two Cowboys-Giants games scheduled for 2019 just got a little more interesting. Running back Rod Smith, who had been in Dallas since midway through the 2015 season, has signed with the New York Giants. He is the older brother of current Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.
Rod was used sparingly in 2018, totaling just 127 rushing yards and a lone touchdown on 44 carries as Ezekiel Elliott’s primary backup. The team opted not to re-sign Smith during March’s free agency period and then in April drafted running backs Tony Pollard from Memphis and Mike Weber from Ohio State.
Playing time for Smith may come slightly easier in New York than it did for him in Dallas, but not by much. While Elliott led the NFL in rushing attempts in 2018 with 304, the Giants’ lead back Saquon Barkley placed second on that same list with 261. When Smith does take the field for New York, though, look for little brother Jaylon to find him and deliver a hard-hitting family reunion of sorts.
Other teams shopping safeties to Cowboys :: SportsDay
Many Cowboys fans thought the team has been hurting for a safety. Apparently, some teams around the league think so, too. And now with the draft over and the Cowboys without a marquee player at the position, they’re sniffing around The Star looking to play Let’s Make a Deal.
“We’ve already started getting a few calls,” said executive vice president Stephen Jones, “people needing things and knowing that we might need, thinking we might need, a safety. ‘Would we be willing to trade this player for that player?'”
No word on actual names being bandied about, but one can assume that other teams might be interested in some of the newfound depth in Dallas at positions like defensive end or offensive line and are dangling a high-profile safety in return. The Cowboys signed veteran George Iloka in free agency and selected Donovan Wilson in the sixth round of the draft; as of now, they’ll compete with Jeff Heath for the starting strong safety job.
“We’re not in any hurry,” Jones maintained. “We feel good about our safety position. Now we’ve just got to keep working.”
Amari Cooper’s demands called ‘shockingly high’ :: Star-Telegram
While the Cowboys front office has indicated that new deals for both Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper this offseason are on their wish list, the quarterback’s contract may come first. Despite expectations that Prescott will bring in something close to $30 million per season, it’s actually Cooper’s asking price that reportedly has the brass balking.
According to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram, Cooper’s demands “were deemed shockingly high for a team that openly recognizes the floor of his contract is $16 million annually.”
The wording of the quote makes it clear the source is associated with the team. Are they being truthful or negotiating in public?
CBS Sports runs the numbers further. “If $16 million per year isn’t good enough for Cooper,” writes John Breech, “it’s possible that he wants Odell Beckham-level money. Beckham’s contract pays him an average of $18 million per season… no other receiver is even making $17 million per year.”
Meanwhile, at least one other outlet is reporting Cooper hasn’t even furnished the club with an official offer yet.
Cowboys’ outlook bleak in ESPN’s latest power rankings :: ESPN
The 2019 Cowboys may have their first bit of bulletin board material, should they want it. ESPN has unveiled its latest power rankings for all 32 NFL teams, using something called the Football Power Index. The FPI factors in “a predicted offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiency, as measured by expected points added per play.” The result is a projected number of wins and the chance (in percentage) that a given team reaches the postseason.
Spoiler alert: the Cowboys come in 19th on this list. That ranking is below the likes of Tennessee, Cleveland, Baltimore, and Jacksonville. The team is projected to rack up 8.4 wins and is given a 44.2 percent chance of making the playoffs.
The accompanying writeup from Todd Archer has nice things to say about the Cowboys’ improvements at defensive line; he calls Dallas “as deep and talented along the front as they’ve been since Rod Marinelli joined the coaching staff in 2013.” But fans can’t be happy about the math involved in compiling the rankings.
Tony Romo is bettors’ favorite headed into Byron Nelson :: ESPN
Tony Romo was always something of an underdog. But never quite like this. After accepting an offer to tee it up as an amateur in this weekend’s AT&T Byron Nelson Invitational, Romo has actually become the top bet for those wagering on the action… because he’s such a longshot.
According to ESPN’s David Purdum, “more bets have been placed on Tony Romo to win the tournament than on any other golfer in the field.” That’s at least at the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, where Romo has been given 10,000-to-1 odds. Other sportsbooks peg him at 2,000-to-1 or 1,000-to-1. But still, more bettors are taking the lottery ticket on Romo than on actual golfers like Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth.
“Three different bettors wagered $100 on Romo to win the event at the SuperBook,” notes SportsDay’s Scott Bell. “In the event that the former Cowboys QB wins the tournament, that will yield those three a cool $1 million apiece.”
Following a weekend where the fastest horse didn’t win the Kentucky Derby for the first time ever and a 65-to-1 longshot ended up wearing the roses, maybe a C-note on Romo isn’t the craziest bet.
Gallery
9 Free Agents Cowboys should consider after the draft
Continue reading...