The Hardline- DMN Reporter Joe Hoyt

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2:25You know what's funny? So you wrote an awesome thing that I was reading in yesterday's morning news, I do believe. And it's the 10 step blueprint for the Cowboys to win the off season. I thought it was really fun. It was comprehensive in all these types of things. So I thought we'd have you on to sort of preview the off season, not realizing that by the time we got on the air, the off season was already half over. Because today we did a lot of stuff today, didn't we, as a league, it seems. Yeah, now a lot of stuff happened. And it's one of those things where, you know, everyone was kind of saying, hey, you know, two hours into free agency, Jerry, you know, you said you were going to bust the budget, what happened? And I kind of, to some people on social media, as the guys calm down, I understand that things are flying off the board. But, you know, I think the Cowboys, you know, to their kind of credit, to be honest, they wanted to restructure things. They wanted to kind of go about this methodically. I don't think that they, you know, when the bust, the budget kind of phrased, and I came into existence, I'm not sure it was,

3:25hey, we're going to go sign Trey Hendrix in, and the Kobe Dean. And we're also going to go get Alonze Taylor. And we're going to do all these things. They had to be a little bit smart because they have so many holes. So, you know, I think the interesting one today was the Kobe Dean going elsewhere to be honest, because I know that's a guy that had some interest in. And, you know, but I also don't think 12 million a year is what they were going to go to. So it's one of those things where right now, where the Cowboys are. I think that they've elevated their, they're playing for a little bit, but I still don't think that they want to dance in some of the kind of the rooms that some of these other teams are dancing in. Yeah, and so there's a number of ways to discuss on that front, which I suppose Edge is the most enticing because that's a real premium position in this post-Mica world we live in. And obviously figuring something out there is going to mean a ton. And the options, of course, are internal, but not much.

4:25Jadavian Clowny would certainly be an option, but they go to Rashon Gary. I don't know if that means they're completely out of the market, but I must say I double, did the double take Joe when I saw that come down this morning because I did not see that as a candidate, but clearly they did once they got out of the Max Crosby business. Yeah, and then I do think they were in the Max Crosby business, but again, kind of the same thing we were just kind of alluding to, there was a threshold for sure that they didn't want to eclipse, and Baltimore was willing to do it. And I think once that happened, they kind of opened their options a little bit, and one of the things now in hindsight, because I'm with you, I wasn't really tensing in Rashon Gary as potentially the answer for them there. But one thing that in hindsight, they wanted an outside lineback that they had a little bit of versatility and some of them they could move around, and I mean, Rashon Gary obviously started his career more of a stand-up outside linebacker and a 3-4, and that's when Christian Parker got to know him too. You know, down in Green Bay after he got drafted,

5:27so I think there's some familiarity there. I don't think they're done at Ed's Russia. They might be done in terms of a potential big name free agent signing. You know, I think clowning someone, you know, that it would have to be a pretty good price for them to do it, to bring him back and kind of a rotational role, because I don't know if they view him as a perfect fit, and Christian Parker system. The thing I'm kind of penciling in right now is one of those first round picks, and honestly, probably, you know, if there's no corners, stand out corners there at 12, I think I'm probably penciling in 20 for one of these guys that might have, you know, a lot of talent, but might have a little bit of age, like I'm already thinking of a key mezzadour as someone, or maybe you trade back, you know, like a remelo height from Texas Tech, that's kind of where my mind goes now in terms of them for what they do at Ed's Russia next. Yeah, and you know, we were talking about this a little bit earlier, how it would seem impossible, as a great man once said, to fix everything in one year. It's just, there are too many things that were wrong on that side of the ball to just say, all right, we've got these picks, we've got free agency,

6:29let's just go get like 10 guys, and we're good, and let's compete for a Super Bowl next year. And that's okay that you can't do it. If it doesn't go with whatever your game plan is, or it goes against your game plan, then it's okay to kind of sit back and not go completely overboard. And I think the Cowboys Jerry is probably caught a little bit with his foot in his mouth, you know, as far as I'm going to go all in, I'm going to bust the budget, I'm going to do all these things, and then when you don't see the names, all of them, then it's like, what are we even doing? Yeah, no, and I think that's totally fair, and I think that's something that he'll, you know, definitely be asked about again next time I'll see him, because to your point, these are expectations setting comments, and you know, in reality, it's probably more headline grabbing, and we obviously know that's what Jerry really does kind of thrive in. But I do think that in terms of their thinking, you know, a guy like Janela Thompson, that's someone that they don't sign usually to that kind of money. I mean, the last time they signed an external free agent for even that kind of ballpark of money was Greg Hardy, right? You got to go back a long ways to do it.

7:30Yep. And so I think that that to them is busting the budget, right? And, you know, I think that they're going to buy some trades. That's one thing I do think the possibility, they need to find an inside linebacker as a potential option before the draft. I know they love CJ Allen as, you know, as someone that could potentially do it, but also, you know, I don't know where he would go. So I think that that's something they have to consider. And, you know, I think the other thing in the back of their mind is they look at their offense, and they say, hey, we don't need the number one defense in the NFL. I think we just need the 25th or the 20th to win more games and make a run in the playoffs. Well, they have, as you alluded to, they have addressed the defensive line and the secondary so far in free agency, but they haven't done anything with the linebacking core. Who are the names now that Nikobe Dean is off the board? Who are some of the names that are kind of in the mid to lower tier free agents that you think might still be a possibility? One guy that, like, I haven't, like, sourced anything on this part guy. And, you know, I haven't, so this is not,

8:31I haven't talked to any many people about him. But Leo Chinnall from Kansas City is someone I personally like. Someone that kind of has a little bit of versatility could play into that little disguise, you know, in multiplicity that Christian Parker wants. He's someone that's kind of a lot of potential looking for a bigger spot. I think you can maybe get him on the cheap alley. Singleton was someone I had circled, but I don't think the Cowboys were ever that really interested. He just obviously returned to Denver. And then the one name I'm kind of thinking about, too, is Quincy Williams over there in New York is maybe a trade candidate. This is someone that, you know, obviously, Quin and Williams are up, brother. Yeah, Quin and Nozum. Yeah, Nozum pretty well. I wonder if potentially, you know, they go trade routes to find a veteran inside linebacker. I didn't part of me. I saw Drake Greenlaw was released. Part of me doesn't see that as a fit, you know, with Christian Parker, but, you know, who knows? He obviously knows people in Denver, even though he's in Coachman Denver. So I wonder if maybe he can get some intel there. Yeah, it's okay. So just, I was going to ask you if the pie in the sky,

9:31Devon Lloyd play is probably one to not even worry about. And I catch your drift that we probably shouldn't worry too much about one of the top free agents on the entire market. See, that's the thing, Joe, if I may, which is these guys participating in free agency at all is something they really haven't done in a decade. And what that means, of course, is what today is where you've got agents taking calls from five teams at the same time. It's a hand of poker and the bids get going crazy. And you pretty much don't have time to deliberate. You can't buy an hour. It's, do you want this player or not? Here's the price or you're out of the hand. And I just think that is counter to how the Jones boys want to do business. They want to be the only person at the table in a comfortable,

10:32somewhat relaxed setting. And the first day of free agency is the opposite of that, isn't it? Yeah, no doubt. And that's why I mean, look at who they've targeted, the first day of free agency the last two years. It's been Javante Williams, who they knew would have a low market. And then Thompson, who I think that they looked at as someone who, yeah, they were going to pay more money than they usually do. But this is someone I think they needed. It was an essential piece of Christian parker's defense. You know, I mean, I think that this is someone that gives them the ability to have a disguise and their secondary can play the star position, can play safety. You know, I think that they looked at as a necessity. So they had to kind of go there. But to your point, I think that they go in with beliefs of where they, where players are valued, where they want to go. And maybe that's a little bit undervalued of what, you know, some other teams are doing because I don't think that they were going to give, you know, $25 million a year to Adolfo away, right? I don't know if Boy Moffe was going to get that kind of contract. Right. That he got in Cincinnati here in Dallas. So I think that that's just not the game they play right now.

11:34You know, and I think that they're stepping up their game a little bit. You know, I say kind of cautiously, you know, when you have signings like you do with Thompson today. And, you know, I think that that's maybe where they like to play. Speaking of playing poker, we were having the discussion earlier about the Rashon Gary trade and giving up a fourth for a guy who was going to be released. Was there a competitive offer that you know of? Were they trying to outbid someone when they gave up a fourth? You know, I think you would insinuate that. I haven't, and they explicitly told that they had, there was other offers, you know, that were fifth round picks or six round picks. I think that the going, them going at high would insinuate it or it insinuates. They don't like fourth round picks and they just want to get rid of them. You know, I think that that's, you know, that's maybe the only two options. But I think that the thing with Rashon Gary, they, they, they liked the fact that they could, they could get them with a trade versus, you know, having to kind of let them hit the market where it's your point. They would have to maybe play poker and, you know, they might not have the hand to do it. So I, I think that that was something that was appealing to them.

12:36And I do think that they like the player, you know, and so they have the ability to restructure some things once he kind of gets, you know, in the, you know, in the building, your years coming up, they can kind of play around that. So they do want to make more moves. They can, you know, but we'll see where that kind of goes from there. Joe Hoyt from the Dallas Morning News with us here on the hard line. And yeah, back to what Bob was saying, too, you look at how long it takes this team historically to sign their own free agents, you know, whether it's starting off in March and it lasts all the way through the summer, through training camp into the season, we've seen it time and time again. And I think that's a great point that this is an organization, maybe currently, maybe this is the first time they've really tried to step their toes in there. That they weren't ready for the, the, the carpet bombing that goes on there and the, the quick nature of it all, even though I'm sure that, I mean, they've sensed it. They've, they've dealt, I've talked with other people in the lead that have gone through this, but when you actually dip your toes in the water, it's more about,

13:40you got to take a head first dive into it. And maybe this is a little too much for first timers. Yeah, no doubt. I mean, I, I think that they set standards for what they want and then they don't want to go over that, right? They don't want to compromise to someone else's kind of demands, I guess. Maybe you could put it in and then you know, I just keep kind of going back to some of the price tags that went out today. Like a lot of the Taylor, you know, would have been a great fit. That's like, that's a guy that makes a lot of sense. Yep. Is that a guy you're paying $20 million a year for? You know, I mean, obviously, you know, Tennessee was willing to do that. But I don't think that's the thing that the jealous cowboys would be willing to do right now. So, you know, until they wanted, you know, kind of, until they want to be a little bit aggressive like that in terms of really diving head first. And I think the argument is, hey, if you like a guy, go get him. You know, maybe you don't do, you don't, maybe you don't do what the Raiders did or Titans did today and sign eight guys for that kind of number. But you could go out and say, hey, you know, a lot of Taylor is a key target. Let's, let's do what we have to do to go get him and go get him. You know, so I think that that's something in terms of where they could improve.

14:42I think that's a fair point. Yeah, I think Jalen Phillips is a great example. I think a lot of people thought, yeah, he'll break 20 a year. Didn't have him at 30 a year. I mean, you know, no disrespect to Jalen Phillips. But in my mind, he's more of a of a concept than a reality in terms of just a legitimate superstar in this league. Like he, he flashes, but 30 billion a year for Jalen Phillips feels insane. But on the other hand, Caroline is like, we want him. We know we have to overpay. So let's go get him. And they did, you know, and then that's kind of how it works on this day, which is why some teams are just sitting out all together like this one. Yeah. And then I mean, you got to have no fear of buyers or Morse, too. If you're going to do that. And I, I think that, you know, we even heard from Jerry Jones last year. I mean, that's for anything. You know, we talked about the contracts for Terrence seal and Trevon digs publicly. Like, yeah, I think we might have a little buyers or more some of that. And that's his own guys that they got on an affordable rate compared

15:43to other starting places across the market. So I think that that's something you got to have. And, you know, the other thing, too, I heard someone talk one of the national reporters talking about that move for Carolina. And they were scorned a little bit by not getting Milton Williams last year after they initially agreed. And they said, hey, we're not going to let that happen again. So it makes you wonder what other people were even offering for that. I mean, did they have to go $5, $7 million per year over, you know, to really secure it? So I just, you know, in terms of Cowboys land. You know, I think that today kind of shows that they're willing to move a little bit up the needle. And I still think they're going to have some more moves to come, you know, potentially trades, especially. But, you know, I think this was still not there in terms of bus in the budget. Like other teams might bust the budget. All right, Joe, we appreciate the time. Congrats on the new dog, by the way, as a guy who just got a puppy. You're in for hell on wheels for the next six months. Oh, I know I'm staring at it right now. And she's sleeping right now through this whole interview. So, you know, hey, we're off to a good start. Yeah, no doubt. Good work, man. Appreciate your time. Take care, fellas, but see, Joe, there you go.

16:43Joe Hoyt. Bye, Joy, MN. Yeah, Joy, Joy Hoyt.