Cowboys at Giants ALERT: Sick Starter Says He's 'Absolutely' Playing

So add him to a Dallas injury report that also includes another starting safety in Donovan Wilson (calf) and also features questions about the availability of starting office of lineman, tyron, and Tyler Smith.

Except ... now that the Cowboys are here in the Big Apple? Hooker is apparently feeling better. A Twitter note suggesting he is going to play drew a response from the standout safety.

"Abolutely!'' Hooker replied to the idea of him being available at New York.

SEPT 6 LAMB TALKS TO FISH ON CONTRACT EXTENSION Notes from ESPN have speculated on CeeDee Lamb's future with the Dallas Cowboys as it relates to contract talks.

That’s one way to cover it. A better way? On Thursday, our Mike Fisher of CowboysSI.com simply asked the star wide receiver about his mindset …

Is he juggling thoughts on both the contract and the season? Nope, Lamb told Fish.

"I’m out,” Lamb said to Fish on the subject of in-season contract concerns. “I’ve got a Super Bowl to win and touchdowns to catch!”

Lamb is due to play the 2024 campaign on a $17 million fifth-year option, earned after more than satisfying the Cowboys' requirements for the top aerial target's spot (1,359 yards and nine scores). He's expected to reprise that role this season, albeit with some extra assistance in the form of Brandin Cooks and rising young talents like Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks.

And speaking of “expectations,” Lamb is expecting to ascend to the very top of the NFL wideouts rankings.

I’m there,” Lamb told us, looking forward to Week 1 on Sunday in New York. “I’m there. I’ll show you.”

SEPT 5 DEPTH CHART RELEASED The Dallas Cowboys call it an “unofficial depth chart” for reasons that have always escaped us.

It might not come directly from the pen of coach Mike McCarthy, but we know the roster and we’ve seen the practices and well … it was just sent to us by the Cowboys themselves …

And that seems official enough to us! So, Cowboys Nation, there you have it!

SEPT 4 WARE'S NUMBER RETIRED AT TROY Newly-minted Pro Football Hall of Famer and Dallas Cowboys DeMarcus Ware earned another accolade over the weekend, as his No. 94 was retired by his alma mater Troy University. The honor came during Troy's 2023 kickoff game, a 48-30 triumph over Stephen F. Austin.

“It was my stepping stone to get me to where I needed to be,” Ware said, per WDHN. “I think it was a place where I got nourished."

Ware played four seasons with the Trojans, amassing 27.5 sacks and a program-record 55 tackles for a loss. The Cowboys then drafted the 2004 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year with the 11th pick of the ensuing draft, commencing an NFL career that proved historic.

The modern Trojans could perhaps use Ware's services come Saturday, as they head to Manhattan to battle No. 16 Kansas City on Saturday afternoon (11 a.m. CT, FS1).

AUG 31 NEW NUMBERS Cowboys QB Trey Lance has grabbed No. 15, taking the old uniform of the departed Will Grier. And who else gets new numbers now that the 53-man roster has been formed?

Jayron Kearse, who once announced that he wanted No. 0 (as did Micah Parsons, before realizing that new jersey numbers require the player to buy the NFL's old stock of his previous number) changed his jersey number from 27 to 1.

But wait ... Kicker Brandon Aubrey was No. 1 (as was just-traded Kelvin Joseph.) But Aubrey is now No. 17.

Markquese Bell is out of 41 and has taken Jabril Cox's (now in Washington) No. 14. Hunter Luepke is switching from 43 to 40. And Noah Igbinoghene, who comes over in the Joseph trade, gets No. 19.

AUG 30 INDY CLAIMS LAND Now former Cowboys undrafted rookie standout Isaiah Land was claimed off the waiver by the Indianapolis Colts, according to a report from The Athletic's Jon Machota. 

Land, an edge rusher out of Florida A&M, finished the preseason with five tackles, one for a loss, one sack, and one quarterback hit as he played in all three games for the Cowboys. 

AUG 30 GRIER LEAVES Former Cowboys’ QB Will Grier — of whom Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said, “I’d love to have him back as a fourth quarterback” - is heading in another direction. Grier, who threw for 305 yards and ran for 45 more in his final game with Dallas, a preseason outing against the Bengals during which he knew he’d be replaced on the roster via the Trey Lance trade  — is signing with the Bengals’ practice squad, per NFL Network.

AUG 27 NO. 15 Dak Prescott, a "coach for a night,'' arrived for the Cowboys' preseason finale against the Raiders dressed in tribute to No. 15 ... wearing Ezekiel Elliott's old college jersey from Ohio State.

Prescott and Elliott are best friends, having entered the league together in 2016. Zeke is now playing for the Patriots, and after wearing No. 21 in Dallas, he's No. 15 again.

Prescott said earlier this summer, "Love that guy. Proud of him. No. 1 supporter of him no matter what."

Meanwhile, the Cowboys' win was keyed by backup QB Will Grier, who played brilliantly while knowing he's about to be cut in favor of new third-stringer Trey Lance, just acquired in trade from the 49ers.

And guess what number Will Grier wears?

"I love that guy to death!'' Dak said as part of an emotional postgame that had Grier in tears.

Oh, and one more thing about No. 15: That's the number Dak wore in college at Mississippi State.

AUG 25 49ERS GM JOHN LYNCH REACTS TO TREY TRADE While most of the NFL roasts the 49ers for trading a quarterback that only two years ago they gave up three first-round picks to acquire, San Francisco general manger John Lynch addressed the deal with the Cowboys during Friday night's preseason game against the Chargers.

"We took a shot and it didn't work out," Lynch said. "We own that."

The Niners salvaged something out of Lance, getting a 4th-round pick from Dallas. Lynch said his club fielded multiple offers for the quarterback.

"Dallas stepped up and really wanted him! They came after him," he said. "I think it's going to be a great landing spot for him. Trey's story is still very much unwritten."

AUG 25 TREY LANCE TRADED TO COWBOYS The Dallas Cowboys are acquiring Trey Lance in a trade for a fourth-round pick, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This adds another layer to the Cowboys vs. 49ers rivalry, which resumes in Week 5 on Sunday Night Football.

While Dak Prescott is likely to play for the Cowboys, Lance could have a chance to get revenge on his former team.

AUG 24 GIANTS TRADE FOR ISAIAH SIMMONS The Arizona Cardinals are trading their linebacker/safety hybrid Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.

In exchange for the former first-round NFL Draft pick, the Cardinals will get the Giants' 2024 seventh-round pick, as Simmons will play the final year of his rookie deal in New York.

Simmons played in all 17 games for the Cardinals last season, totaling 99 tackles, five for a loss, four sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defended, and one forced fumble.

The addition of Simmons is the second blockbuster deal that the Giants have made this offseason, as they also acquired former Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller in a trade. 

There are Cowboys fans who wonder if Dallas should’ve been in on this chase. The likely feeling inside The Star is that even with Sam Williams’ legal troubles, the depth where Simmons could best help is solid. That goes for edge, a group led by Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. And as Simmons is a sort “linebacker/safety,” Dallas feels good about the hybrid guys even with the season-ending injury to DeMarvion Overshown.

AUG 21 DREAM AND NIGHTMARE BREAKING: Michael Irvin has been pushed into TV limbo while he tries to clear his name regarding a harassment lawsuit, with NFL Network and ESPN moving (too) slowly to allow him back on the air.

So in that sense, the legendary Dallas Cowboys star and Hall of Famer taking a job with FS1 makes sense; that network can use all the credibility it can guy.

But in a dream/nightmare combo, the re-entry of Irvin, who will be joining Sherman and Keyshawn Johnson on the rotating cast of the "new Undisputed'' Ishow means that he will be partnering with ...

The disreputable Skip Bayless.

Politics, and TV, and money, make for strange bedfellows. To a degree, Irvin cannot be blamed for wanting to work. Hey, it's just a TV job! On the other hand - speaking as someone who has known and admired the electrically talented Irvin for more than 30 years, and speaking as someone who has known and not admired the ethically empty Bayless - yes. Maybe Irvin's choice can be questioned here. - Fish

AUG 21 OVERSHOWN IN GOOD SPIRITS The Dallas Cowboys lost rookie linebacker DeMarvion Overshown for the season with a torn this past weekend in just his second preseason game. …

And while it was certainly a disappointing turn of events for Overshown, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian shared that the rookie remains in good spirits. 

AUG 20 STEPHENS OUT The first bad news of the preseason has been confirmed for the Dallas Cowboys as undrafted rookie tight end John Stephens Jr. suffered a torn ACL in the 22-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.

The Cowboys got the same bad news on another rookie as DeMarvion Overshown (knee) is also out for the year.

Stephens was a standout for the Cowboys despite going undrafted out of Louisana, and after flashing in training camp, he managed to record a team-high team-high five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown in the first preseason game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Prior to Saturday's game versus the Seahawks, Stephens looked to be in a position battle with Peyton Hendershot for the third spot on the depth chart at tight end. Yet now the Cowboys will forced to go without their standout rookie tight end.

AUG 19 OVERSHOWN HURT? Cowboys rookie DeMarvion Overshown made a good play on defense in the early going against a Seahawks team that sticks with Geno Smith and company for another series ... but Overshown went down down with an apparent left knee injury.

There is now concern from the Cowboys that Overshown may have torn his left ACL ... with an MRI planned.

AUG 18 EAGLES ISSUES The story of the Thursday night game is that the Eagles had three players carted off during the night, as cornerback Zech McPhearson, receiver Tyrie Cleveland and defensive tackle Moro Ojomo all left with injuries that required extra attention. Additionally, rookie Nolan Smith and receiver Olamide Zaccheaus went back to the locker room with injuries but returned to the sidelines. 

AUG 16 ANOTHER TE? UDFA rookie John Stephens Jr. is a small-college wide receiver-turned-tight end who caught the eye in Dallas' preseason-opener against the Jags with his five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Stephens Jr. was the Cowboys leading receiver on the night, and coach Mike McCarthy feels that the rookie is off to a good start in his NFL career.

“You look at his skillset, he definitely brings a lot to the table,” McCarthy said. “He’s just young and needs the work. He’s doing good, getting better.”

Stephens Jr. is 6-5 and 225, a different body type than Dallas usually collects at the position. Can he put 53-man roster pressure on blocking tight end Sean McKeon and/or athletic tight end Peyton Hendershot for a fourth position in the "Four Horsemen'' group?

Jake Ferguson is the starter and rookie second-rounder Luke Schoonmaker, barring injury, isn't going anywhere. And for now? With roster cuts not due until August 29, John Stephens isn't going anywhere, either.

AUG 13 AIKMAN ON SKIS Troy Aikman is, as you might know, a bit of a fitness freak. He's also a Pro Football Hall of Fame QB, the power behind EIGHT Beer, a Dallas Cowboys legend ... Oh, and he can water-ski, too ... as he recently established on a recent business-and-pleasure visit to Austin.

A shirtless Aikman looks jacked, of course, causing one observer to wonder, "What's in that beer?!?!''

AUG 12 DQ'S D The Cowboys are sitting 25 starters today in the preseason opener here in Arlington against the Jaguars ... But the guys on coordinator Dan Quinn's defense - guys fighting for jobs - are off to a good start.

On the first series of the game ...

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence tried to pick on safety Juanyeh Thomas, and the backup youngster wasn't having it, recording an interception for the "Legion of Doomsday'' Dallas defense.

Follow along all day on our Live Cowboys Blog here!

AUG 10 WASHINGTON WHINERS? The Washington Commanders, from head coach Ron Rivera down to some whiny players, embarrassed themselves this week as news of their complaints about new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy became public knowledge.

He is intense and loud and enthusiastic and demanding and animated.

Bieniemy defended his approach by saying simply, “If I'm not doing my job, my (butt) gets fired."

As the Cowboys look on from afar at their often-dysfunctional NFC East enemy, coach Ron Rivera is admitting an error in airing the dirty laundry, saying, “I put my foot in my mouth.” But But to Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, the explanations for the mess just add to the mess. ... as he ponders whether the Commanders failed to do their homework here.

"Did the Commanders do ANY research on Bieniemy before they hired him?” Dungy tweeted, putting Rivera and company on blast. “Did they talk to ANY Chiefs or Vikings players or coaches? He didn’t just suddenly become an intense and demanding coach. That’s been his M.O. forever and it’s been successful. It shouldn’t be a surprise.”

Read more on Commanders SI here.

AUG 9 GILLY’S BEST Cowboys newcomer cornerback Stephon Gilmore has his top-five ranking of NFL receivers … and we’re sure CeeDee Lamb will trash-talk his way through workouts when he finds out he’s not on it.

We’re kidding, of course. Gilmore’s list is a good one, as he digs Stefon Diggs. … and tells Fox Sports that his other toppers include guys like Jefferson, Chase, Adams and Tyreek Hill. … 

And so let’s give Lamb an honorable mention, shall we? … especially because we know there is great mutual respect there.

"He’s the smartest defensive back that I’ve ever lined up against,” said Lamb of Gilmore, comparing their camp battles to a chess match. “He knows certain routes off of my alignment. It’s tough going against him, but I like it."

AUG 7 A youth-league argument in a DFW suburb led to the shooting death of Michael Hickmon, 43, and now the brother of former NFL star Aqib Talib, Yaqub Talib, is heading to prison.

Talib was sentenced on Monday and will spent 37 years behind bars for murder after agreeing to a plea deal in July.

Talib was accused of shooting Hickmon, who was one of the opposing coaches, during a kids' event in Lancaster. Aqib Talib - who is being accused of having instigated the conflict - is along with his brother being sued by Hickman's family.

The Talibs issued a statement to "convey ... condolences to the family of the victim and to everyone who witnessed this unfortunate tragedy.''

AUG 5 D-WARE TOUCHING MOMENT DeMarcus Ware touched all the right bases in his induction speech as he went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with the classy Cowboys All-Pro pass-rusher Ware literally reserving three seats in the Canton audience for former teammates Marion Barber, Ronnie Hillman and Demaryius Thomas.

"I held some seats in my heart for you guys here today,'' Ware said in his 16-minute presentation.

Barber came to the Cowboys in the same year as Ware and they were teammates together in Dallas for six seasons. Barber passed away in 2022.

Hillman was teammates with Ware for two years on the Denver Broncos. He was the team's leading rusher in 2015 when the Broncos won the Super Bowl. Hillman passed away in 2022 after battling cancer. Thomas was with Ware for three seasons in Denver and was the team's leading receiver during their 2015 Super Bowl campaign. He passed away in 2021 and was later found to have CTE.

DeMarcus Ware - on his day - thinking so graciously of others is typical of what made him a special player and what makes him a special person.

AUG 4 MALIK STAYING LONG-TERM Cowboys safety Malik Hooker is signing a three-year contract extension worth up to $24 million, a deal that includes an $8 million signing bonus.

Hooker - a playmaker as part of Dallas’ “Three-Headed Monster” at safety - will get $16.5 million guaranteed as part of the deal, which locks the former Colts first-rounder in through the 2026 season.

JULY 27 TWO OUT Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy revealed on Thursday morning here at camp that safeties Donovan Wilson (calf) and Israel Mukuamu (hamstring) both suffered “multiple-week injuries” in Wednesday’s first practice of training camp.

Wilson, we’ve been told, could miss a month as he gets rest and rehab.

As it happens, Wilson and Israel Mukuamu earned offseason awards for their work in the strength and conditioning program this spring.

Said McCarthy: “You know they’ve done the work.”

JULY 24 POLLARD ZOOMS Some star NFL running backs, including the Cowboys' Tony Pollard, got together for a Zoom call over the weekend to discuss how players at their position are now "underpaid.''

Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs. Barkley and Jacobs are central to the debate as they've refused to sign their $10 million tag tenders. ProFootballTalk.com reports that Austin Ekeler organized the meeting.

As CowboysSI.com has suggested, there is action the players can take. But it'll require work by their union, the notoriously weak NFLPA. In the meantime, PFT suggests that among the ideas discussed was that players could fake injuries in games in order to bring attention to the cause. That seems ... not smart.

"Right now, there's really nothing we can do," Chubb said Sunday. "We're kind of handcuffed with the situation.''

True. Except for demanding that the union step in. Or fake some injuries. Or conduct some more meaningless Zoom calls.

JULY 21 DEION'S PROMISE Deion Sanders on Friday underwent another surgery to remove blood clots in his right leg, the Cowboys legend being represented by girlfriend Tracey Edmonds on social media as she spread the "Coach Prime'' via her Instagram.

“Thank you Lord for another successful surgery!!,” Edmonds wrote. “We thank you for giving #CoachPrime @deionsanders the strength to fight these challenges and we have Faith that you will give him the VICTORY! We are so GRATEFUL for all the doctors, nurses, and staff who have blessed him on his road to recovery!”

The Hall of Famer Sanders has been in the news all offseason due to his condition, which doctors at the University of Colorado - where he is now the head coach - have told him could result in the amputation of his foot.

Sanders, however, has used his Instagram page to make a promise to all Colorado fans. ... and really, all of his fans in DFW and beyond, too.

“I promise you that when we go out to TCU,'' looking forward to his Buffaloes debut in Dallas-Fort Worth when CU plays here on Sept. 2, "I’m running out in front of our team. I promise you that.”

JULY 20 SNYDER OUT A big day in Washington ... but a big penalty for the outgoing owner.

Cowboys boss Jerry Jones told us not long about that everything between him and pal Snyder was not "lovey-dovey.'' And while one big number today is about $6.05 billion - that's the approved sale price of the Washington Commanders from Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris that includes Magic Johnson - there is another big number in play.

Snyder is also being fined $60 million as he departs, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stating, “The conduct substantiated in (an investigation's)  findings has no place in the NFL ... We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What (a Snyder victim) experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL's values."

In Snyder’s 24 seasons as owner, Washington made the playoffs just six times, with two wins. In the end, he "wins''; He purchased the franchise in 1999 (with Jones as an ally) for $800 million ... and now sees a 700-percent return on his investment ...

Minus $60 million worth of embarrassment. Should he care.

JULY 13 HOF MOVES The NFL has announced 60 Hall of Fame semifinalists for the Senior and Coach/Contributor categories, and four men with Cowboys ties are among the nominees.

On the list: Bucko Kilroy, Dan Reeves, John Wooten and maybe the headliner, Everson Walls. Walls signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1981 and played cornerback for the franchise for nine seasons. "Cubby'' led the NFL in interceptions in three of those seasons while also earning three First-Team All-Pro honors. He eventually won a Super Bowl with the Giants.

Reeves, who recently passed away, was a running back for the Cowboys from 1965-1972 and then a player/coach in 1972. He made his name as an NFL head coach, as he led the Broncos and then the Falcons to Super Bowls.

Kilroy was as a scout for the Cowboys from 1965-1970 and is credited as a key decision-maker in drafting of Roger Staubach. Wooten worked in scouting for the Cowboys from 1975 to 1991, and before that was a standout offensive lineman blocking for Jim Brown in Cleveland.

JUNE 30 COWHERD ON COWBOYS Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd has offered up his prediction for the Dallas Cowboys' 2023 NFL season. ... and it's not insulting. The TV guy has "America's Team'' finishing the regular season with a 10-7 record.

"That's exactly where I feel like the Cowboys are at. I don't think it's unrealistic," Cowherd said on Friday's episode of The Herd.

Cowherd has the Cowboys notching losses against the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and two against the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

Problems? Yes. Two of them, specifically.

One, Dallas' record against the Eagles since 2016 - we'll term it "in the Dak Prescott Era'' - cannot be ignored. The Cowboys record vs. the Eagles in the last five meetings is 4-1. In Dak's last three Philly games, he's 3-0. In his last eight Philly games, he's 7-1 vs. the Eagles. Since 2016 (Dak's rookie season), Dallas - with or without Prescott - is 9-5 against the Eagles.

We think they call that a "trend.'' And of course it's a thread that runs through the NFC East, as Dak's lifetime record against Philly of 8-3 is is right there with his lifetime record of 9-2 vs. Washington and 10-2 vs. the Giants.

In other words, to Dallas? The Eagles, good as they are, are "just another'' NFC East foe that gets kicked around in head-to-head meetings.

And two, just a few days ago, Colin said that if the over/under on Dallas wins is 9.5, he'd take the under.

JUNE 21 PSYCHEDELIC, DUDE! We will attempt to present without comment: Aaron Rodgers, having escaped from his "dark hole'' or whatever, will be a guest speaker at a "Psychedelic Science" conference in Denver. 

Who will join the new Jets quarterback as a speaker? Per FOX16News, rapper Jaden Smith, the son of movie stars Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith will be there. Oh, and former Texas Governor Rick Perry is also slated to speak at the conference, which is being organized by a "psychedelic advocacy group.''

Rodgers recently went on an "ayahuasca journey" in Peru to ingest the plant-based psychedelic, which he said "unlocked a lot of my heart.''

JUNE 8 COOK CUT The Cowboys already employ Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard (on his $10 million tag contract) but now that the Vikings have as of Thursday morning informed Dalvin Cook that he’s getting cut?

Would Dalvin opt to take a cheap deal to play for Dallas? We don’t think it’s his plan … and it hasn’t been Dallas’, either.

We told you there would never be a trade here; CowboysSI.com has already noted the "kicked-around'' status in one sense with our exclusive story on May 17 via a source stating that Dallas has "no interest'' in trading for Cook.

Are the Cowboys going to bust up their mapped-out salary-cap plan for a running back to share snaps with Tony Pollard? It’s a fun idea. But we will stick with our belief that Cook would still to be paid like the $10 million APY player he's been. And that he will be hooking up with the Bills or the Dolphins, the two teams he reportedly prefers. We will of course monitor.

JUNE 6 CHASE OUT? The Washington Commanders face a challenge in the NFC East. They appear to be the worst team in the best division, and they need lots of things to go right for them in 2023.

And the Chase Young situation isn't going exactly right.

Yes, he was back on the field for practice Tuesday after not attending the first two weeks of OTA's. And yet there is a chance the former No. 2 overall pick won't be long for Washington, as Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer is reporting that the Commanders could look to trade Young this offseason.

"Teams coming out of the spring thinking they need more help may make trade calls on Young,'' Breer writes, adding, "I know (Washington would) be open to listening.''

For more on Young and the Commanders, read here.

MAY 31: UNDISPUTED BREAKUP? Shannon Sharpe's time with Fox Sports 1 (FS1) is coming to an end, as a report from the New York Post revealed that the NFL Hall of Famer has reached an agreement to a buyout of his contract with the network. 

Sharpe was part of the "Undisputed" sports debate show alongside muckraking former Dallas journalist Skip Bayless since September of 2016. 

This news of a "breakup" between Sharpe and Bayless comes in the months following a viral tweet from the ex-NFL reporter about Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest during the Week 17 game versus the Cincinnati Bengals caused public disagreement between the pair. 

No statement has been given by either side at this, but according to the report, Sharpe will stay with FS1 until the NBA Finals concludes.

MAY 27: MADDEN MOVIE Will Ferrell - one of the best comic actors, mimics and sports-related stars in Hollywood, is reportedly in talks to play John Madden in a feature film chronicling the NFL legend’s life, per Deadline Hollywood.

The film will be directed by five-time Oscar nominee David O. Russell for Amazon/MGM. … and it seems the origin of the “Madden” video games will be a focus of the project.

It’s not yet known if the tone of the biopic on the late coaching and broadcasting legend will take a comedic turn. But that seems a logical idea … making Ferrell all the more qualified for the likely blockbuster role.

Madden’s TV work, combined with the drawing power of the Dallas Cowboys, in a sense made the quirky analyst the “voice of America’s Team” on television, especially during the club’s trio of 1990’s Super Bowl wins.

MAY 25 HOWIE RIPS FLORIO Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk has once again thrust himself into the news via a visit Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman that turned contentious this week.

Roseman, appearing on Florio's radio show, found himself being prodded repeatedly by the interviewer's questions about Arizona Cardinals being penalized for tampering after they hired Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as their new head coach earlier this offseason. The teams worked it out, the league approved the solution, and that's the end of that. ... but not to Florio.

And by the time the stuff hit the fan, Roseman called Florio a "conspiracy theorist."

Roseman's statement: "Really appreciative of (Gannon's) contributions, helping us win the NFC, and that was handled at the ownership level, and I think we need to move on. The less we focus on the past, the better we'll be in the future."

Florio's retort: "Do you not realize that answers like that make people like me think there's a hell of a lot more to this than anyone is ever gonna tell us and it was a much bigger deal than anyone ever let it on to be?"

(Sidebar: From our vantage point, no, we do not see that. What "more'' is there than the settling of a tampering charge? Why isn't that story "story enough''?)

"If I was making a list of the top five biggest conspiracy theorists around the National Football League," Roseman replied, "you would definitely be top five."

Florio has a style all his own, and a reputation for stirring up "news'' with his own personal speculative snark. He deserves credit. At the same time, yes, thinking that hundreds of moves that NFL teams make all deserve a treatment that is half-tin-foil-hat and half-Woodward-and-Bernstein seems ... excessive.

MAY 23 PHILBIN MOVE The Dallas Cowboys moved on from Joe Philbin after last year, surely a tough decision for coach Mike McCarthy, who is close to the offensive line coach.

But now the news: Ohio State has reportedly hired Philbin as an offensive analyst. Philbin is the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins and he won a Super Bowl as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator under McCarthy.

MAY 23 JUST A B-? The Dallas Cowboys can't please everyone. So they got to please themselves. Which they certainly did with an offseason that has featured the two big trades to fill needs (in Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks) and an NFL Draft harvest that has them giddy (just like all the other teams).

But in the end? PFF insists it all adds up to just a "B-minus.'' No biggie, we suppose. But when we read through the evaluation, we don't find PFF actually saying anything negative about what the Cowboys actually did.

Which is pretty much the way we feel ... which also makes us feel they merit a better grade.

MAY 21 WHAT HE DID Brett Favre has portrayed himself as an unknowing and tangential participant in a Mississippi welfare-embezzlement scheme. But as SI reports it, "it appears nobody benefited more. Interviews and an analysis of legal filings and records, which include dozens of text conversations—some of which have not previously been public—paint Favre as a ringleader from start to finish.''

SI continues: "Favre had promised his alma mater, Southern Miss, that he would build a volleyball facility for his daughter Breleigh’s team there. But he was obsessed with not paying for it himself. So he got Mississippi’s welfare agency to build indoor and beach volleyball facilities for him—using money intended for the poorest people in the nation’s poorest state—and then he kept pushing to get more for a business venture, with the governor often helping him, according to texts from those involved.

Read the full "daily cover story'' here.

MAY 20 RODRIGO RIP Rodrigo Barnes, a former Dallas Cowboys linebacker and Super Bowl winner with the Raiders, has died at 73, according to reports. Barnes, a Waco native, was chosen by the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 1973 Draft - with some saying his civil rights activism is what caused him to be selected so late.

Via to the Dallas Morning News: Barnes was one of first four Black athletes to integrate the Rice athletic program in the fall of 1968. In addition to his accomplishments on the football field – the linebacker became the first Black player to be named to the All-Southwest Conference defensive team – he helped form the Black Student Union and led a movement for the school to hire more minority teachers and coaches.

“Yes, I was an activist,” Barnes told The Dallas Morning News nearly six years ago. “But I wasn’t trying to change the Cowboys, just how you treat people.”

Barnes retired from the NFL in 1977 and earned his Masters degree in education from Prairie View A&M.

MAY 15 QB SURPRISE There is no insult meant here to Andy Dalton; he was highly successful during his time in Cincy and he was a pro's pro during his brief stint in Dallas.

But ... the Carolina Panthers have made a surprising decision on Bryce Young that involves Dalton: Though Young is the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick, the Panthers will be giving another quarterback the first-team reps. And accordind to Carolina head coach Frank Reich, that "another QB'' is none other than Andy Dalton.

Is this just for OTAs? Is Dalton a placeholder for the inevitable? Are the Panthers being overly careful not to expose the kid to too much too soon? In any event, for now ... Well, congrats, Andy!

MAY 12 MAZI MONEY Mazi Smith's contract numbers are in: … as is he, as the Cowboys rookie minicamp is up and running here at The Star.

The numbers, essentially slotted but with some ESPN details:

Four years, $13.274 million, fully guaranteed. … Bonus: $6.654 million

Annual Base salaries: 2023 - $750,000, 2024 - $1.353 million, 2025 - $1.956 million, 2026 - $2.560 million. And of course Dallas can exercise it’s fifth-year option after the third year of deal.