AL INGULLIREDDING, CT
Shaneil Jenkins seemed like a nice pickup and played well the first couple preseason games. I was surprised to see he was released, especially given our issues at defensive end. What happened?
Bryan: Shaneil Jenkins got injured and was hurt to the point where he wasn't going to be able to make the team. By putting him on injured reserve they can rehab him and potentially bring him back in 2017. He did play well in the opportunities he received.
David: Firstly, Jenkins injured his knee against the Dolphins, and his recovery time was probably longer than the Cowboys could afford to wait. That's why you see the phrase "waived/injured." On top of that, Jenkins had most of his success at three-technique, not DE. As thin as this team is at DE, they look awfully crowded on the interior.
TOM GUTIERREZRIO RANCHO, NM
Specifically, what ways does the offense change with Dak Prescott as the starter?
Bryan: I don't think they change what he was able to do in the preseason. They are likely to keep him in the shotgun and let him operate that way. Run the ball and slow the game down as much as they can. As long as Scott Linehan is able to keep the game in front of him, he will have a chance to make plays. The most important for Prescott is that all those guys that made plays for him in the preseason continue to do so.
David: Well, I think you're going to see a lot more play calls that suit the skills of a 23-year-old, rather than a 36-year-old. More bootlegs, more moving pockets and hopefully some zone-read -- which is something both Dak and Ezekiel Elliott excelled at in college. I also think you'll see far more schemed throws, like running back and wide receiver screens. Dak has proven he can make reads against a defense, but my guess is the coaches will want to draw up easy throws to build his confidence.
