Newy Scruggs, sports anchor at NBC5 in Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS-TV) and radio host weekly from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NBC Sports Radio Sirius XM 213/202 and NBCSportsRadio.com, likes to talk Dallas Cowboys. Here is some of the best from his recent live chats on SportsDayDFW.com.
From May 26-July 1
Is Jason Witten a Hall of Famer without a Super Bowl win?
Scruggs: Jason Witten is in the top 10 all time in receptions. Only one tight in NFL history has caught more passes than Jason Witten. As the 2017 season comes around he will continue to rise up the rankings and could move from seventh place to fourth. That is a Hall of Fame resume. Witten reminds me of Ozzie Newsome of the Cleveland Browns. He was elected to Canton and never played in a Super Bowl but was recognized for his outstanding play as an elite tight end. Jason Witten is an elite tight end. I don't know if he will be a first ballot Hall of Famer but he will get a bust in Canton one day.
Which rookie has a bigger impact Year 1: Taco or Chidobe?
Scruggs: Taco Charlton will have the best opportunity to make an impact for the Cowboys as a rookie. Chidobe Awuzie is going to have to beat out fellow rookie Jourdan Lewis who was the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year. Lewis isn't getting the respect for that accomplishment when you consider Ohio State had three defensive backs drafted in the first round. Charlton would be the player I pick to have a bigger impact over Awuzie.
Will getting dominated by Tyron Smith at camp help or hurt Taco Charlton?
Scruggs: Once upon a time Tyron Smith was getting a hard lesson in rookie life from defensive end DeMarcus Ware to start his NFL career out of USC.
When Ware first got to the Cowboys he was battling offensive tackle Flozell Adams.
I believe in the saying, "iron sharpens iron".
Rookie Taco Charlton is going up against the best left tackle in the NFL. This will make game days a lot easier. Look at it this way, if Taco is going up against Smith during training camp what will game day be like against Ereck Flowers of the New York Giants? Flowers is not on Smith's level.
Does La'el Collins ever live up to Doug Free at right tackle?
Scruggs: Doug Free retiring was a good thing. He was the weak link on the Cowboys offensive line. Collins is an upgrade. He has a chance to be a top player at right tackle, something Free was not going to be.
He was 33-years-old. I felt the Cowboys should have moved on from Free two seasons earlier.
Collins was a top prospect as a tackle coming out of LSU. The Cowboys line can be better in my opinion. I was tired of watching the Giants' Jason Pierre Paul working Free over during games.
Good luck in retirement to Doug Free but thank goodness Collins is taking his spot. With free agency coming up I think we will see Collins going full out for a chance at a big payday.
Dak was just ranked by his peers as the 14th best player in the league. Too high or just right?
Scruggs: I have no issue with NFL players ranking Dak Prescott number 14 on the top 100 players list.
Dak was a third-string quarterback when he got to the Cowboys. He didn't get a lot of reps during his OTAs and rookie minicamp. When training camp started he was battling Jameill Showers for reps before Kellen Moore went down.
The NFL players all saw what Prescott was able to do as a rookie. Look at how terrible Jared Goff was for the Rams. The first pick in the draft couldn't beat out Case Keenum for the starting job out of training camp and the Rams still aren't sure of what he is.
Prescott battled Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs and turned in a great performance.
He was so good head coach Jason Garrett benched Tony Romo and that speaks volumes because the owner loved Romo.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Mean Joe Greene told me Dak has a chance to be "very good." Hall of Famer Steve Young told me at the Super Bowl in Houston Prescott was doing things he never did as a rookie and Hall of Famer Charles Haley told me Prescott has the same confidence level he saw with his former teammate Joe Montana.
If you could have one player (non quarterback) from another NFL team to add to the Cowboys' roster, who would it be?
Scruggs: The Cowboys need to look at free agent tight end Gary Barnidge. He made plays on a bad Browns team with a constant change at the quarterback position. Jason Witten is the starter but I'm not sure what backup Rico Gathers will give the club this fall. Barnidge was a Pro Bowl player two seasons ago after a 79-catch season with nine touchdowns and 1,043 yards.
Why do you think Cowboys defenders have such a bad history with the PED policy?
Scruggs: I can't explain the Cowboys' issues with players who have been suspended for PED use. It's easy to point the finger at the club but players are responsible for what goes in their bodies. Cowboys players can get any food, drink or supplements tested and approved before they use them. It's not fair to look to Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett to police the players when they live at The Star. Put this on David Irving for not being there the first four games of the season.
Have you ever seen a community embrace a rookie Cowboys player the way Dallas has embraced Dak Prescott?
Scruggs: I remember when Tony Romo finally got to play the city was in love with him. He wasn't a rookie, but a guy who had been sitting on the bench making the transition from Eastern Illinois to the NFL. Johnny Manziel was a rock star in the state of Texas and the nation his freshman Heisman winning season.
What will Cowboys do with their Romo cap space? How quickly do they spend?
Scruggs: The Cowboys need to make sure they put that money towards extending offensive lineman Zack Martin and La'el Collins.
The club has a great offensive line and they best thing they can do for Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott is keep it together. Add the defense to that as well.
The Cowboys offensive line helps the defense too. Being able to keep drives going helps keep the defense fresh.
With suspensions looming, where can Cowboys look for defensive leadership?
Scruggs: Sean Lee is one of the best leaders on defense the Cowboys have employed since DeMarcus Ware was released. I think Lee will end up being a coach or administrator in college or professional football when his playing days are over.
Tyrone Crawford has been recognized as a leader with the Cowboys defensive line.
I think fans need to understand having team leaders help but they can't Jedi mind trick others into taking personal responsibility for their lives.
Lee's job is not to babysit Nolan Carroll and keep him from getting in a car and getting popped for a DWI. Carroll has to make a better choice.