It started off as what appeared to be an innocent enough game of footsie, with Dallas Cowboys analyst RJ Ochoa of Blogging the Boys doing an interview with star pass rusher Von Miller. When the subject of the Cowboys was raised, Miller–a free agent who went to high school in DeSoto and college at Texas A&M–made clear he would not mind landing at The Star. He told Ochoa that “it would be great” to sing with the Cowboys.
Miller doubled down on that notion later by posting a photo of himself in a Cowboys uniform with a, “Shh” emoji, suggesting there was something in the works that might end with him getting a contract in Dallas.
But the Cowboys, who are lacking in depth when it comes to pass rushers, apparently were not happy with the discussion and quickly moved to shut down speculation in the media. If there was hope that the team might ink the eight-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl MVP, the Cowboys snuffed it out.
Cowboys Media Knock Back Von Miller Rumors
One by one, Cowboys beat reporters took to social media to let fans and observers know that there has been no discussion of signing Miller.
From NFL Network, where Jane Slater covers the Cowboys: “Von Miller, a free agent, is not expected to sign with the Cowboys or in any talks with them currently, per @SlaterNFL. Miller posted an image of himself in a Cowboys uniform on Wednesday.”
From veteran Clarence Hill of DLLS Cowboys: “Per source, the Cowboys, who report to training camp in two weeks, have no interest in adding Miller to the roster.”
Dallas Morning News beat writer Joseph Hoyt wrote, “ICYMI: A person familiar with the team’s thinking indicated yesterday there’s nothing imminent between the Cowboys and Von Miller.”
Reason for Quelling Von Miller Speculation?
Obviously, someone at The Star wanted to halt the Von Miller-to-the Cowboys chatter before it really got going. It would be fair to wonder why–other than the fact that Dallas is not, in fact, planning to add him. But, perhaps, the reason is to keep the focus on the addition of Rashan Gary from the Packers, a move that has been slightly overlooked.
Or perhaps it is to ensure that the confidence of young players like Malachi Lawrence and Donovan Ezeiruaku does not get shaken. Dropping Miller into the mix makes sense from the perspective of adding an experienced hand who knows how to get to the quarterback, but Dallas insists it is happy with its current mix of players.
Cowboys Lean on BT Jordan
Either way, the Cowboys are not panicking about what is perceived to be a weak pass rush, even without Von Miller. The team struggled to get sacks last year, and the team’s leader in that category–Jadeveon Clowney–is also a free agent who is not likely to sign back in Dallas. They’re hoping that the addition of Gary (who had 7.5 sacks last year) and improvement from young guys will be enough.
They’re also counting on new coach BT Jordan, recognized around the NFL as a puss-rush guru, to bolster the group.
“He’s done it in the past, helping (pass rushing) rooms get over that hump,” Ezeiruaku told reporters. “He did it the last two years in Denver. With that help, I think we have the room to do it, to produce a lot of pressure and get the quarterback on the ground.
“He breaks the pass rush down to a science in a way. He’ll show you the film, he’ll show you his drills that he teaches and then show you it working in games. It’s kind of like he has the secret formula.”
Cowboys Hit Back After Von Miller Rumors Spread