Dallas, TX
Dallas Cowboys 7th-round pick could be surprise impact player in 2024
It’s hard to find a position with more questions on the Dallas Cowboys’ current roster than at defensive tackle. While the unit has some concerns outside Osa Odighizuwa, the nose tackle spot is a significant problem.
Dallas will be leaning on Mazi Smith, a 2023 first-round selection who struggled as a rookie and has a lot to prove in year two. Behind him is a veteran who has hardly seen the field in Carl Davis, a seventh-round pick in Justin Rogers, and an undrafted free agent in Denzel Daxon.
Of the three reserves, Rogers is best suited to force his way onto the field, and as Patrik Walker of the team’s official website pointed out, he has a lot of potential. He also said D-tackle remains the greatest need, a sentiment shared by every writer on staff as they looked ahead to the 2024 campaign.
“The success at DT will be predicated upon the stellar play of Osa Odighizuwa and …? Thus, my point. Mazi Smith is pressured to have a breakout season and so is Chauncey Golston. Justin Rogers is a rookie late-rounder with lots of potential but a large learning curve, and the same applies to undrafted rookie Denzel Daxon, while Carl Davis hopes to fight his way onto the roster.” — Walker, DallasCowboys.com
Rogers looks the part, standing just over 6-foot-2 and weighing 330 pounds. He also knows how to keep his pad level low and win with leverage — while not being afraid of using his hands against opposing offensive linemen.
He spent three years with the Kentucky Wildcats, where he had 60 tackles and three sacks. Rogers transferred to Auburn for his final season in the NCAA and added another 17 tackles and one sack.
MORE: Dak has multiple Cowboys all-time passing record in his sights
Rogers didn’t fill up the stat sheet and isn’t going to put up highlight-reel plays. What he can do, however, is clog up the running lanes, something he did often in the SEC which is no easy task. For the Cowboys, that’s exactly what they need after losing Johnathan Hankins in free agency.
It’s never a guarantee that seventh-round picks make the roster but Rogers feels like a lock since he’s exactly what this defensive line needs. He could also be in for an impactful role as a rookie, especially early as Mazi Smith is still working his way back to full health following shoulder surgery in the offseason.
— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI —
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Dallas, TX
Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft debate heats up
Jeff Kolb and Sam Gannon welcome Cowboys insiders Clarence Hill (All City Dallas) and Calvin Watkins (Dallas Morning News) for a hilarious breakdown of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Giving insight, arguments, and plenty of laughs as two of the best Dallas Cowboys writers in the business go head-to-head on what Dallas should do next.
Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX
Dallas Mavericks Owners Might Be Making Big Mistake in Search for New GM
The search for the next general manager or president of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks has begun. They terminated Nico Harrison in November, which was about nine months too late, and gave any available candidates clear notice that they were open for business.
The plan was always to wait until after the season to start the search. While names popped up as the season reached an end, they didn’t begin turning over the staff until the Monday after the season ended. However, Dallas Mavericks fans are not going to like how the team is going about the search.
Patrick Dumont Leading Search for General Manager
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks are not hiring a search firm in their hunt for a new lead executive. Instead, team governor Patrick Dumont is “acting as his own point person.”
This is an… interesting decision, to say the least. Dumont is not a basketball person whatsoever, and most organizations usually hire a search firm. The Chicago Bulls hired one as they look for their replacement for Arturas Karnisovas. Just because a firm is hired doesn’t mean a team will listen, though.
The Mavericks hired a firm in their last search for a GM. They let Donnie Nelson go in 2021 after a long tenure with the Mavs. Instead of listening to the firm, though, Mark Cuban ignored it to hire Nico Harrison, who had no previous NBA front office experience. Harrison had been an executive with Nike, which gave him connections with players like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and plenty of others.
For a while, that seemed to be working out okay. While he still had some questionable transactions, such as trading for Christian Wood and letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, they were still able to make a run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Then, he blew it all up, trading away Luka Doncic for an older and injured Anthony Davis, and the team hasn’t been the same since.
It’s imperative that the Mavericks get this hire correct. The interim Co-GM setup with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley has performed admirably, but the 2026 NBA Draft is important for the Mavs to get right. It’s their best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with another young star, as they don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031 after this.
Hiring the right GM could help bring in more draft capital by bringing in bad contracts or flipping veterans into picks.
Dumont was able to convince Rick Welts, a Hall of Famer, to come out of retirement to be the CEO and lead the charge for a new arena. Maybe Dumont pulls another rabbit out of his hat for the GM.
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