By The day before the Cowboys’ preseason matchup in Las Vegas held a few wild cards. For starters, it’s been revealed that the team made an offer to CeeDee Lamb’s representatives regarding a new contract; we’ve got the number that’s currently on the table. Also, a Cowboys defender who could use a strong preseason showing may not play in the game at all; we’ll tell you why Mazi Smith did not travel with the team. And the Raiders’ star wide receiver isn’t getting the usual VIP treatment from his head coach; we’ll explain why Davante Adams may be be making a rare preseason appearance, even if it’s against his will.
Elsewhere, we’re looking at which Cowboy could be a trade target before the season starts… as well as which at-risk Cowboys should probably be put away for safekeeping until the games really matter. Brandon Aubrey is looking to build off a record-breaking season now that he’s no longer a secret weapon, Cooper Beebe is set to take a big step in his football development, and Tyler Guyton has already proved his doubters wrong. All that, plus the Cowboys’ 90-man roster as it stands today, why this season will bring more pressure than usual in Dallas, and a theory about why Deion Sanders really lashed out at a CBS reporter during a recent press conference. Here’s the News and Notes.
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The two sides reportedly met over the phone Thursday, with the Cowboys offering slightly under $33 million per season, according to a person with knowledge of the talks. That amount would give Lamb the second-highest average salary for a wide receiver in the NFL behind the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson ($35 million) and would push him past the Eagles’ A.J. Brown ($32 million per season). It’s not known what figure Lamb is seeking.
The defensive tackle may not play in the Cowboys’ second preseason outing after he suffered an allergic reaction Friday before the rest of the team left Oxnard. He has not been ruled out, but the team issued a statement saying: “He has received treatment and will be reevaluated in the morning with his game status updated accordingly following that.”
Gardner Minshew is slated to get the start at QB in the team’s second preseason game after Aidan O’Connell got the honors last week. Also be on the lookout for rookie tight end Brock Bowers and even a surprising preseason appearance from wide receiver Davante Adams. Despite Adams saying he would prefer to sit out of the exhibition, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce hinted he has other plans. “No, if you’re healthy, you’ll play,” said Pierce. It would be Adams’s first preseason action since 2017.
Carl Davis and Shaka Toney are gone; Carl Lawson, Jordan Phillips and Cohl Cabral are in. Here’s the current 90-man roster as it stands heading into Saturday night’s exhibition contest in Las Vegas.
While the team’s superstars have already been put on the shelf for the duration of the preseason, there are other players who the Cowboys can ill afford to lose. Among those who should be shielded from further exposure to possible injury: DeMarvion Overshown, Markquese Bell, Rico Dowdle, and Damone Clark. A case could also be made for Peyton Hendershot… even if only so Dallas can protect him for stashing on practice squad.
Brock Hoffman was the starting center in the opener against the Los Angeles Rams, but Beebe is expected to get the start in Las Vegas on Saturday. This, after he played guard and tackle exclusively in college. The Cowboys saw him as a center, though, and have worked with him all offseason on learning the position: not just the technique of actually snapping the ball but also the added responsibility of calling the offense.
At just 24, the former No. 3 overall draft pick possesses long-term upside that could intrigue needier teams at the position. The Chargers, Dolphins, and Vikings are seen as possible fits. And if the Chargers- under a new regime- move on from wide receiver Quentin Johnson after just a year, Dallas could be a team to watch.
Tyler Guyton has already shown major improvement over his college tape at Oklahoma, including a newfound ability to strike and lift edge defenders. Former NFL OT and current analyst Geoff Schwartz recently broke down Guyton’s performance versus the Rams in a nine-minute video cut-up on social media. He wasn’t perfect, but he brought a violence to his game that should only get better.
The kicker admits to being “a ball of stress” last year in his debut NFL season. Now no longer just a USFL refugee and former soccer star, Aubrey is a Pro Bowler-caliber specialist looking to follow up on a record-setting campaign. “I don’t know if I’m even going to worry about what I did last year at this point.” Aubrey said. “I’m zero-for-zero this year, [so] just go out there and try to make one kick at a time, keep that same mentality that I need to earn my job each and every week.” He nearly got a chance at another record last weekend in L.A., but John Fassel waved off sending him out to try a 72-yard field goal.
2024 being a contract year for so many Cowboys players and coaches will make this season a high-stakes proposition. Add a few aging stars to that mix, and a deep playoff run this year seems absolutely imperative. They have more than enough talent, but the circus atmosphere will always be a distraction and make it hard for everyone in Big D to maintain their focus week in and week out for the entire season.
The outspoken Colorado coach lashed out during a press conference recently, refusing to answer questions from anyone associated with CBS. Some theorized it was due to a low ranking of him among Big 12 coaches, but national recruiting analyst Phillip Dukes has hinted at a project between the network and former Cowboys star that CBS pulled out of unexpectedly. “You better believe there was something that was supposed to be done on both sides — the side, Deion’s side, held up their end of the bargain,” Dukes said on YouTube. “The other side did not and it wasn’t for the greater good, it was for the good of their side, and that’s why Deion said it was foul.” Sanders later promoted that video with a quote tweet saying, in part, “Thank u my brother for keeping some things unspoken. We love it when they ASSume. Lolololol”
