Cowboys’ Scott Linehan Received Head Coaching Interest
Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan says that he received head coaching interest in the offseason. Instead of pursuing those opportunities, however, he signed a contract extension with Dallas to make him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL. 
“There was interest,” Linehan said (via Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News). “But I’ve been through that before. My wife and I talked about it. If it’s not something that’s getting more serious then that’s not … I’m 53 years old, I’ve got a great job. If there was a great opportunity after this season … I would certainly look into that. But it’s not really what drives me, it’s being the best I can be here.”
Linehan, 53, helped mold rookie Dak Prescott into a top quarterback last season and led Dallas’ offense to the third highest DVOA in the league, so it’s not a huge surprise to hear that he got some bites for head coaching jobs. He also has previous head coaching experience thanks to his time with the Rams from 2005-08.
Linehan is now signed through the 2019 season, but it sounds like he would consider leaving for the right opportunity to be a head coach again. If the Cowboys offense dominates again in 2017, the veteran coach could be a top candidate league-wide.
Jaylon Smith Expects To Be Ready For Opener
Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith is still recovering from the knee injury that forced him down 2016 draft boards and caused him to miss the entirety of his rookie season, but he’s confident he’ll be ready for the 2017 season opener, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
Smith is still using a brace for his drop foot condition, and it’s unclear if he’ll be forced to wear it during the regular season, tweets Charean Williams of the Star Telegram. Ultimately, the brace use will depend on the condition of Smith’s nerve, which is reportedly regenerating. If Smith is required to wear the brace for drop foot, he’d be the first NFL player to do so.
“At the end of the day, we’re very optimistic about where [Smith] is at this point,” said Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “I think if anything, we think he’s starting to make a lot bigger jumps than we even might have thought he could have when he first got here last year and heading into the season.”
In his final season at Notre Dame, Smith compiled 115 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Prior to his unfortunate injury, Smith was widely projected as a top 10 pick in the 2016 draft. Instead, he fell to the Cowboys in the second round. If he’s able to make a recovery, Dallas’ risk could pay major dividends in 2017.
Cowboys To Move La’el Collins To RT?
Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said multiple times this offseason La’el Collins was an option at right tackle for the Cowboys, and the third-year player may be ready to make a move outside. Collins said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter) he has worked mostly at right tackle for the Cowboys this offseason.
Jones said last month that Collins, who has been the primary starter at left guard when healthy during his career, could be used out there in an emergency. But thus far, Collins has worked “solely” at right tackle, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter). Cowboys coaches told Collins to get ready for work at right tackle, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
“I’ll be real clear here, our first preference … is to have him play guard,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News, last month. “But we also know that if there’s a guy on our team who might have that flexibility to move out to tackle, then he certainly has that skill set.”
Collins was a full-time starter at left tackle at LSU during the 2013 and ’14 seasons, moving out there after playing at left guard for the Tigers in 2012. With the Cowboys, Collins usurped the since-departed Ronald Leary at left guard as a rookie in 2015 and began last season there. However, a foot injury ended Collins’ season after just three games. Leary also performed better after reclaiming the job. Collins did not come off Dallas’ IR after rumors pointed to that being in play.
The Cowboys obviously will have a change at right tackle after longtime starter Doug Free opted to retire. They signed Byron Bell in the offseason and still have 2015 third-round pick Chaz Green on the roster. Inside, Dallas houses Joe Looney and Jonathan Cooper. The Cowboys re-signed the former top-10 pick to a one-year deal in March.
It’s possible the team is simply preparing the 23-year-old Collins for work at tackle should a situation arise, but there’s a lot to suggest a relocation may be coming for the 6-foot-5 lineman. A position switch would be notable on arguably the game’s premier offensive line, particularly after the Cowboys lost two starters this offseason. Due to his UDFA background, Collins is also entering a contract year, making positional versatility a potential boon to his value.
Orlando Scandrick "Miffed" Over Trade Rumors
- Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick is “miffed” that he was the subject of trade rumors during the draft, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). Nevertheless, Scandrick, who was on hand Monday for the second phase of Cowboys workouts, is “being professional,” Hill adds.
Jets Offered McCown Far More Than Cowboys
The disparity between the Cowboys’ and Jets’ offers for Josh McCown was believed to be notable, not just in job description but in salary. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com shed some light on how big that chasm was, tweeting that the Jets’ offer eclipsed the Cowboys’ by $4MM.
McCown will play his age-38 season for a fully guaranteed $6MM, with a package that includes mostly team success-based incentives potentially adding to that total. Although, McCown can make $2MM through playing-time bonuses.
It looks like the Cowboys weren’t willing to pay McCown more than $2MM to be Dak Prescott‘s backup. Considering the team’s cap status at free agency’s outset and the fact that Prescott will be making just $540K in base salary this season, it’s understandable they backed off.
But the Jets outbidding the other top McCown suitor by this much certainly shows the team’s interest. As does Gang Green not drafting a quarterback. As it stands, McCown, Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty will go into the post-draft portion of the Jets’ offseason work as the passers vying for the No. 1 spot.
The Cowboys have been interested in McCown, either as a UFA or trade candidate, the past two years. The sides’ paths won’t be crossing in 2017, though. Behind Prescott, Dallas houses only former Tony Romo backup Kellen Moore. And the recently re-signed understudy will carry a cap number of just $615K.
Cowboys Trade No. 211 To Patriots
The Cowboys and Patriots agreed on a sixth-round deal, one that will send Dallas’ No. 211 pick to New England, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.
UCLA offensive tackle Conor McDermott will join the Patriots as a result of the exchange, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com (on Twitter). McDermott is the second tackle the defending Super Bowl champions have taken this weekend, with the UCLA talent being set to accompany Troy tackle/guard Antonio Garcia to Massachusetts. All four of the Pats’ picks have been linemen thus far.
The Cowboys collected Nos. 216 and 239 from the Patriots.
Jets Trade No. 191 To Cowboys
After a brief period without trade activity, the wheeling and dealing on Day 3 resumed once the Jets and Cowboys completed a trade. Gang Green traded the No. 191 pick to the Cowboys, who used it to select Louisiana Tech safety Xavier Woods.
Dallas surrendered a 2018 fifth-rounder to make the move up 20 spots into the early portion of the sixth round, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. This will not cost the Cowboys their sixth-round pick, at No. 211, with the 2018 fifth-rounder being enough to entice the Jets to accept the deal.
Woods joins Byron Jones, Jeff Heath, 2016 sixth-rounder Kavon Frazier and recently signed Robert Blanton as Cowboys safeties.
Randy Gregory Fails Another Drug Test?
Randy Gregory is believed to have failed yet another drug test, with TMZ reporting the Cowboys defensive end tested positive for marijuana for the seventh time since entering the league. He’s already surpassed the one-year suspension stage of the NFL’s drug program and now runs the risk of an indefinite suspension.
Some close Gregory associates spoke with TMZ and said they are worried about his well-being. TMZ reports the 24-year-old defender tested positive on Feb. 21 and was notified of such a result on March 2.
The website also reports Gregory’s listed agent, Deryk Gilmore, no longer represents him. More people close to Gregory told TMZ his career could well be over. Gregory also reportedly brushed off league officials who tried to discuss his situation with him.
The Cowboys drafted Taco Charlton in the first round to help a thin edge-rushing contingent, one Gregory was slated to be part of when the team selected him in the second round in 2015. He’s notched just 15 career tackles and one sack, which came in Dallas’ Week 17 game last season.
Cowboys Shopping Orlando Scandrick?
The Cowboys are shopping cornerback Orlando Scandrick, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The asking price is a third-round pick.
Franchise owner Jerry Jones, however, pushed back against reports of a possible Scandrick trade. “Absolutely not,” said Jones when asked if Scandrick would be dealt (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “I don’t know who started that. He’s a valued member of our team.”
Another Cowboys source, meanwhile, tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that while Dallas isn’t actively shopping Scandrick, other teams have called on him, and the Cowboys are willing to listen. Scandrick himself also “believes” talks are occurring, per Anderson.
Scandrick perhaps became superfluous to Dallas after it selected Colorado corner Chidobe Awuzie, a four-year starter with the Buffaloes, toward the end of the second round. However, with Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr having departed in free agency, the 30-year-old Scandrick stands alongside offseason pickup Nolan Carroll as one of the Cowboys’ most established corners. The club also has Anthony Brown, who started in 10 of 16 appearances as a sixth-round rookie last season.
Scandrick has spent his entire career with the Cowboys since they selected him in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. During his nine-year tenure, he has started 58 times – including in 10 of 12 games last season. Scandrick totaled 46 tackles, two sacks and an interception, ranking an impressive 27th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 111 qualified corners. He’s signed through the 2019 season at cap hits ranging from $5.28MM to 5.6MM.
Cowboys Could Have Traded Up To No. 26
- Speaking of the Seahawks, the Cowboys had an opportunity to swap picks with them in the first round, per Dallas executive Stephen Jones (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). The Cowboys instead chose to stay at No. 28 because they liked the players remaining on the board, and ended up choosing Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton.