Getty Free safety Earl Thomas #29 of the Seattle Seahawks.
Yet again, Dallas Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones was asked about the prospect of signing Earl Thomas (or any other veteran free-agent defensive back).
And yet again, Jones was definitive.
“Not at this point, no,” he said Monday on 105.3 The Fan, via the team’s official website.
For what seems like the 800th consecutive week, the spotlight is on the Dallas defense, which ceded five touchdowns to the Seattle Seahawks in Sunday’s 38-31 loss. It wasn’t just that Seattle scored almost at will; it’s that the scores were entirely too easy, the result of depth issues, blown coverages, and general disarray.
Sans Anthony Brown and Chidobe Awuzie, both of whom are parked on injured reserve, the Cowboys were forced to trot out an also-injured Trevon Diggs and previously-injured Jourdan Lewis against DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, both of whom had 100-yard receiving days on the arm of early MVP frontrunner Russell Wilson.
Darian Thompson was overwhelmed at safety. Brandon Carr puzzlingly played only three snaps at corner. The likes of Daryl Worley (73 snaps; 96%) couldn’t keep up.
Seattle totaled 412 total yards, converted three-of-three red zone opportunities, and held the ball for over 32 minutes. The Cowboys were either blown off the field or unable to get off it.
But rather than comb the market for reinforcements, Jones will stand pat until the secondary is restored to full health. He also cited practice-squad DBs Rashard Robinson and Steven Parker as in-house talent the team is high on — and possibly, if worse came to worst, rely on.
“Hopefully, we’ve got some guys who are coming our way in terms of guys coming off the three-week IR,” he said. “We really feel like, with what we have in our camp right now – had a couple guys we’ve got on the practice squad that made some headway last week that aren’t quite ready. But overall, feel like we’ve got the guys here on campus, ultimately, that can get the job done.”
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McCarthy Calls Out Historically Bad Defense
The Cowboys, now 1-2, have given up 97 points through three games, the third-worst total in the NFL. Further, per ESPN’s Ed Werder, it’s the highest allowed point total during that span in franchise history.
“People aren’t supposed to run wide open,” head coach Mike McCarthy said, via The Athletic. “That’s what Mondays are for. We’ll take a hard look at it.”
Before the game, McCarthy hinted at changes to defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s complex scheme, an intimation that Nolan bristled at. It’s time to have that talk, the former intimated. It’s time to fix what’s broken, to nip these issues in the bud before they sink the club’s championship aspirations.
“We’ve got to do a much better job,” he said, via ESPN.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL