J.M. SMITHWASHINGTON D.C.
How important is it for this team to have five preseason games? Is there one of those five games that you look forward to more than the rest?
Bryan: To be honest, I hate the five preseason games for a couple of different reasons. I am always worried about the freak injury to my players whether it is my starters or backups. I can't control who my guys are playing against in these games from a talent aspect. All it takes is one or two bad players to get knocked around and then fall in the back of one of my guy's legs and my depth is damaged. Another reason is simple wear and tear. These camps are long enough and especially with the way and the length that Jason Garrett has them practice, playing an extra game causes more issues going into the season. These players only have so many practices and games in their bodies to begin with. Two games would be plenty to evaluate my team.
David:I'm honestly pretty excited about the Hall of Fame Game. Of course the game itself will be boring, but the entire league will be watching. It'll be fun to be a part of the first true football game of 2017. Last time the Cowboys went, we got to see Larry Allen go into the Hall of Fame alongside guys like Bill Parcells and Warren Sapp. This year, Jerry Jones' Hall of Fame induction will be must-see TV. Other than that, though, I pretty much hate the preseason. It's just a month-long wait to see if anyone is going to get injured.
JEREMY CRENSHAWANNA, TX
Is there a point when the Cowboys will cut ties with some players for conduct detrimental to the team?
Bryan: You mean Damien Wilson? Before we start playing judge and jury here – make sure you have all the facts. If the court of law says he committed a crime then it will take care of itself. The decision is out of their hands. If for some reason it's been ruled a bad misunderstanding and he is clear – then the league will step in and take games away from him. Until you sit in that chair and trust me – I have. You wait to see the entire situation through and then you make you best judgement going forward.
David:I'm not here to defend Damien Wilson, because the charges he's facing are pretty heinous. But there's no harm in letting the process play out and determining what actually happened. It's entirely possible that Wilson could be facing jail time, which is a way steeper punishment than anything that'll happen to him professionally. And if you're referring to David Irving, or any of this team's other drug-related suspensions, I'm sorry but I just don't think the crime merits that type of punishment. I know it's frustrating to see players' decisions hurt your favorite team, but NFL front offices can't afford to be as reactionary as fans seem to want them to be.
