CeeDee Lamb appeared to send a message regarding his ongoing contract dispute… only no one is entirely sure what it means. Comic-book nerds, Cowboys Nation is seeking your input as to what Lamb is saying with his latest social media post; read on to discover what possible clue the wide receiver dropped. We’re also exploring whether this offseason’s drama in Dallas may end up putting Jerry Jones, of all people, on the real hot seat with fans.
Elsewhere, we review Saturday night’s win over the Raiders by grading Tyler Guyton’s performance, examining Marist Liufau’s rapid rise up the ranks, and looking at how Deuce Vaughn boosted his stock. We’ve got details on the medical scare that sent Mazi Smith to the hospital instead of Las Vegas, we offer a solution for the Cowboys’ crowded QB room, and we spotlight the little-known record that kicker Brandon Aubrey claimed all for himself with his big boot. All that, plus Cooper Beebe’s mom takes several for the team, and Stephon Gilmore trades in his star for Viking horns… all in News and Notes.
Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb posts cryptic Spider-Man photo amid contract rumors, holdout :: Bleacher Report
Lamb shared a photo on Monday of Peter Parker suiting up in a black Spider-Man costume. What he didn’t add was any sort of explanation. One way to interpret Lamb’s post is that he’s prepared to be the bad guy for the time being and exert even more pressure on the Cowboys to meet his asking price by continuing his holdout, even as the regular season rapidly approaches.
Report: Peanut allergy caused Mazi Smith’s severe reaction, forced him to miss Cowboys’ preseason game :: Cowboys WIre
Smith had to make an emergency exit from the team bus just as it was leaving for the airport Friday. A severe allergic reaction landed him in the hospital for the weekend. Last year’s first-round draft pick was reportedly “much better” by Monday and was scheduled to be back at practice with the team to start the week.
Marist Liufau building rookie confidence in preseason :: The Mothership
The Notre Dame rookie is already showing a solid grasp of Mike Zimmer’s defense and versatility in his play. He recorded two tackles in one drive’s worth of work Saturday. “I felt great,” Liufau said. “Felt confident in the defense and felt like we did a great job. We communicated well. Really just having another game under my belt made me feel more comfortable…I have great coaches and they told me to play fast and cut it loose.”
Here’s how Cowboys should handle QB position on the 53-man roster :: Cowboys Wire
Trey Lance’s performance Saturday showed there could be something there. The smart move is likely one the Cowboys have made before: enter a gentleman’s agreement with Cooper Rush that he’ll be “cut” when rosters are due but will be hired right back for the practice squad. The Cowboys can then even elevate Rush to be the gameday backup three times, giving Lance three more weeks of no-pressure development as the “emergency quarterback.” By then, someone will likely be moved to IR, and both quarterbacks can be on the roster.
Deuce Vaughn wanted to ‘showcase what I can do’ vs Raiders; was it enough to make Cowboys roster? :: Cowboys Wire
A hamstring injury kept Vaughn out of the lineup last week; he made up for it in his preseason debut with a 6.8-yards-per-carry average. Knowing he’s locked into a battle for a roster spot with Royce Freeman and Malik Davis, Vaughn is nevertheless focused on improving his own game rather than beating out anyone else. He displayed improved power on inside runs; now he wants to “show off some pass protection” to fully demonstrate he belongs in the NFL.
Jordan Phillips eyes on-field productivity, leadership role in new beginning with Cowboys :: Dallas Morning News
The veteran maintains that “nobody cares about stats,” at least on defense. After being traded by the Giants, Phillips says he’s happy to back up Osa Odighizuwa and take on a different kind of role in the locker room, on the sideline, and on the field. “For me, as long as my linebackers are making All-Pro, Pro Bowler, I did my job for the year. They didn’t do that by themselves, I kept people off of them and on the way I’m getting some sacks and tackles.”
Studs and Duds: Which Cowboys improved or backslid against the Raiders? :: Cowboys Wire
Lance, Vaughn, and unknown cornerback Kemon Hall helped their cases tremendously Saturday night. But Jalen Cropper picked a bad time to have a rough game, and Brock Hoffman probably got overshadowed by Cooper Beebe at center. Both had had strong showings in camp. Roster cuts are due next Tuesday.
NFL Power Rankings 2024: Which players, coaches, execs are on the hot seat? :: ESPN
The Cowboys are holding at No. 11 in these rankings, but there’s a surprise candidate for the team’s hot seat. This offseason’s approach- to nearly everything- has put Jerry Jones in the crosshairs in a whole new way. If this season goes south, Jones will likely have to start all over. Smaller crowds at training camp may be just the first indication that the fanbase is finally fed up with the state of affairs in Dallas, and Jones will be taking most of the heat.
Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey breaks NFL preseason record for longest field goal that had stood for 22 years :: CBS Sports
Aubrey’s 66-yarder technically tied the NFL’s all-time long (Justin Tucker in 2021), except that preseason records don’t really count. But the Cowboys sniper does now own the distinction of the longest preseason field goal ever. Swedish-born Ola Kimrin booted a field goal from 65 yards in Denver during a 2002 exhibition game; at the time it was longer than even the NFL’s regular-season mark.
Cowboys officially bring Carl Lawson on board, send Bostick to IR :: Cowboys Wire
The paperwork was done on Monday for both moves. Lawson, a former fourth-rounder, is expected to help full the void left by Sam Williams’s injury as he makes an eleventh-hour run at a spot on the 53. Bostick was placed on injured reserve; he’ll reportedly require surgery to repair a leg injury suffered in practice.
Watch: Dallas Cowboys center practices his snaps with his mom :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
If Beebe wins the starting center job, he may have his mom to thank. A video taken by Beebe’s dad of Cooper practicing in his backyard by long snapping balls to his mom has more than 200,000 views on the NFL’s main X account. Beebe started Saturday night in Las Vegas and could earn the gig outright before Week 1.
2024 NFL Preseason Week 2 rookie grades: Jayden Daniels impresses; Malik Nabers makes his mark :: NFL.com
Chad Reuter gives Tyler Guyton a B+ for his work Saturday night in Vegas. The rookie played with an edge in a win over the Raiders, blocking through the whistle and extending his arms to finish plays, even throwing DE Janarius Robinson to the ground on a second-quarter run play. He wasn’t perfect and needs to speed up his hands some, but the first-round pick looks like he’ll be a force at left tackle for years to come.
Stephon Gilmore’s signing adds intrigue to Brian Flores’ ascending Vikings defense :: The Athletic
After just one season in Dallas, one of the savviest and most fearless corners in the league has signed with Minnesota. The Vikings secondary was already playing with swagger and synergy; now the Brian Flores-led unit has added a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro, and the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Gilmore, who showed last year that he has still has the goods