Thursday morning news about the Dallas Cowboys.
Woodson says new DC Mike Zimmer is 'not going to be my friend' – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com
Dallas' new DC brings intensity that every defenseman should have.
Nearly 30 years ago, Darren Woodson was coming off his first Pro Bowl selection and was on his way to winning two Super Bowl rings. In three seasons, he was already considered one of the best safeties in the NFL.
Then, Mike Zimmer was named the new secondary coach for the 1995 season, and he soon asked Woodson to visit his new office.
“He sat me down, pulled out the tape and went over every bad play I made from the previous year,” Woodson recalled. “It was terrible. Here I thought I was a pretty good player, but he wanted me to redo everything I didn't do well the year before. I hated it. I couldn't sleep for four or five days. But it made me better.”
Woodson continued to improve, appearing in four consecutive Pro Bowls and eventually becoming the Cowboys' all-time leading tackler.
Last week, Woodson learned he was not inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame again, despite being a finalist. But at least he found some good news in rehiring Zimmer as defensive coordinator in Dallas.
Zimmer will now join McCarthy's staff, but Woodson says there's one thing he's sure to bring.
“Toughness. It's definitely toughness and it's going to be a shock to the system,” Woodson said. “He's trying to do it in such a way that you have to be tough and come to practice with a tough mindset. He's going to challenge you. He's not going to be their friend. He's going to put you in a position where maybe you don't like him, but you respect him.”
“He's a really great coach. He shows up and puts in the time. You know he puts in the time to work,” Woodson said. “He believes in his system. He believes strongly in what he's doing. There's no backup, dude. He's not playing on a roll. There's no soft stuff here. Nothing. He's going to come in and bring toughness to the team.”
Why Mike Zimmer's fiery personality is exactly what the Dallas Cowboys need right now – Kevin Sherrington, DMN
Sherrington thinks Zimmer will give his players a boost, which is probably exactly what the Cowboys need.
When asked what hasn't changed since he left the Cowboys in 2006, he said: . . Focus on technique and be basic. Disciplined. That's what I'm drawn to. . ”
pause.
“You seem grumpy.”
At the risk of sounding like the old man the mirror suggests, the Cowboys might be a little grumpy. They need someone to love, even if it's a diva like Dion, especially since Jimmer took charge of her. Great players always want to be coached, Zimmer said. He admits many of the charges were “probably too harsh,” but there was always a reason for them. He didn't just want to be a “mean guy,” as he put it.
Winning is difficult and no matter how talented you are, sometimes you have to be pushed. Zimmer presses. He will also curse, scream, sizzle, boil, and explode. Some people may not like that. Probably most. But the results speak for themselves. The Cowboys could use some of that. Welcome back, Jim. I hope you haven't evolved too much.
Mike Zimmer returns to Dallas as DC for title shot – Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Zimmer explains why he returned to Dallas and what the contract hold up was.
Eighteen years after he left, he's here to help the Cowboys win another championship. The 2024 season has already been declared an “all-in” season for Coach Jones and the final season for McCarthy as he enters the final year of his contract.
“There's no other reason,” Zimmer said. “My grandkids are fine, but I can see them any time. I didn't come here to do all the work that would have to be done if you weren't trying to win a championship. 12 wins for the third year in a row. I think they've done a great job with the team and the great coaching staff. That's the main goal. I wasn't average this year.”
The Cowboys and Zimmer reportedly reached an agreement last Thursday, but the deal was not officially announced until Monday. He had job offers from other teams, but he said there was no place he wanted to be but to come to Dallas. He blamed this holdup on illness.
“My daughter, who lives with me, was torn apart for a few days and made me sick,” Zimmer said. “I was in bed for a few days, and then the Super Bowl was happening. We slowed it down and went from there. There were no intense negotiations or anything like that here. I wanted to be here. I knew they wanted me to be here.”
What the Cowboys' Front Office Can Learn from Two Super Bowl Teams – Dan Rodgers, BloggingTheBoys.com
Being in the conference championship game every year means Dallas can learn something from the 49ers and Chiefs.
Looking at both rosters (49ers and Chiefs), two key factors apply to each team. First and foremost, they have to have a good quarterback. You have to have the ability to make plays, whether it's high or low. Second, there must be sufficient human resources spread around. But again, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to put a lot of money into a particular position. The Super Bowl champions showed that with enough young players, you can survive without spending a lot on defense.
The Cowboys are spending a lot of money on the “Money Five” position, but it's hard to argue that's a bad thing. Premium positions come at a high cost. We already know that the Cowboys don't spend much on defensive tackles, are stingy on safeties, and recently decided to spend less on linebackers.
As long as their quarterback is good enough and they provide enough talent around him, their approach isn't bad. With that in mind, the Cowboys' plan looks like this.
Extending on Prescott – You can debate for days whether Prescott is “that guy” or not, but he just finished second in NFL MVP voting, so there's some belief in the world that he's pretty good. Some people think so.
Secure the Line – If you expect your quarterback to be successful, you need to keep him upright. It will be important to prioritize the offensive line to ensure Prescott gets time to be active.
Filling Holes – Front offices are very good at filling roster spots with high-performing young talent.Four players have been selected in the past five drafts. pro bowl Players acquired on the third day of the draft. They can spot talent, but they have to be honest about their weaknesses and be able to work on the position. The defensive tackle and linebacker positions need improvement, and adding more safeties to help in coverage would be a good idea.
New Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer 'is not looking to reinvent the wheel' – Todd Archer, ESPN
Coach Zimmer is well aware that he inherits a talented defense.
Over the past three seasons, the Dallas Cowboys' defense ranks seventh, tied for fifth in points allowed, tied for fifth in points allowed, and has an NFL-high 93 total takeaways.
New Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is inheriting quite a situation since Dan Quinn left to become head coach of the Washington Commanders.
“We're not trying to reinvent the wheel here,” Zimmer said at his inaugural press conference Wednesday. “I mean, they were so good. I've been in some situations where it didn't happen, but that happens in coaching. It happens a lot.
“We'll look at the players and figure out the best way to utilize them and put together a plan. And again, we'll take the good things they've done and maybe do some more. We've done good things in the past. ”
Zimmer did not want to go into details until the defense is decided. The Cowboys need a defensive line coach. At one point during the press conference, Zimmer's phone rang and he said he was looking for a job.
“At the end of the day, that's what the players can do,” the 67-year-old coach said. “We could be the smartest players in the world, but if our players can't do what we ask, then we're not very smart. So the idea is great, I've always felt that's a good thing, but what can you do and how well can you do it?”
Cowboys' biggest trade targets heading into the 2024 NFL offseason – Alex Valentine Reporter
The Cowboys' offseason moves will soon shift from coaching decisions to player decisions.
Last offseason, we saw the Cowboys get aggressive in trying to make this roster into a championship-caliber team. They traded Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks to target two of their biggest needs. And they made a surprising trade for Trey Lance.
This time it will be even more difficult to make offensive moves. The Cowboys are currently $14.3 million over the cap, and internal free agent candidates include Tyron Smith, Tony Pollard, and Stephon Gilmore.
If they decide they want to keep that trio together, it means they have a limited budget.
However, it may also look to the trade market to replace any of them. Here we look at three goals you can keep in mind if you are considering re-entering the trading business.
OT Cam Robinson jacksonville jaguars
The decision regarding Tyron Smith's future will be a complicated one. Even when healthy, Smith is an absolute hitter who was named second-team All-Pro this season.
The problem is that he's been plagued by so many injuries throughout his career that it's difficult to get the 33-year-old a fair contract. Smith appeared in two games in 2020 and four games in 2022. If the pattern of major injuries every other year continues, the Cowboys could end up paying top dollar for a veteran tackle who doesn't see the field.
DT Davon Godchaux, new england patriots
An unreliable run defense led the Cowboys to draft nose tackle Maji Smith in the first round last season.He failed to make the impact they expected him to have in his rookie season, playing just four snaps in a playoff game.
Finding another veteran who can fill a run stuff role could help the Cowboys take the next step. That's why calling the Patriots about Davon Godchaux is a good idea.
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