Dan Quinn’s philosophy as a defensive coordinator will differ from Mike Nolan’s, but it won’t matter without an upgrade in talent. Amari Cooper had his second consecutive 1,000-yard season for the Cowboys, and team owner Jerry Jones gave him high marks for it by calling him one of the best talents during his tenure in Dallas.

Donovan Wilson logged 10 starts in 14 games in 2020 and solidified himself as the playmaking safety the Cowboys have been looking for. Trevon Diggs was a second-round steal at cornerback, and he became the first rookie Cowboys defender to led the team in pass breakups and interceptions. A two-round mock draft, a Cowboys record staying intact, and more are covered in this edition of the news and notes.

Film room: Why Cowboys’ defense under Dan Quinn will look different than ones coached by Kris Richard :: Dallas Morning News

Link John Owning breaks down how Dan Quinn’s general philosophy, defensive fronts, and coverages will be different from former Cowboys defensive backs coach Kris Richard.

7 Pros and Cons of Cowboys hiring Dan Quinn to be new DC :: Cowboys Wire

Link There’s a mixture of positives and negatives to Quinn’s career prior to this new stop. We dive into a few of the major ones.

Cowboys S Donovan Wilson Excelled in Year 2 :: Inside The Star

Link Second-year safety Donovan Wilson turned heads in the 2019 preseason and was set to challenge for a starting role, but an ankle injury limited his rookie campaign. 2021 was a different story as Wilson proved he was the playmaking safety the Cowboys have been looking for.

Quinn alone can’t save Cowboys defense, as Falcons plan proved :: Cowboys Wire

Link The Cowboys hired former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn as its new defensive coordinator on Monday. His pedigree includes taking the infamous “Legion of Boom” defense to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013 and 2014. However, if he’s going to repeat the same success in Dallas, there needs to be a talent overhaul before the 2021 season.

Story continues

Dan Quinn to the Cowboys: What change at defensive coordinator means for Dallas’ scheme, staff, draft and more :: CBS Sports

Link Patrik Walker breaks down a return to a traditional four-man front, competition at defensive tackle, a possible Kirs Richard reunion, and more with new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn now on board.

Patriots Stumble Keeps Cowboys Record Intact :: Dallas Cowboys

Link The New England Patriots finished 7-9 in 2020, ending a streak of 19 consecutive winning seasons, and keeping the Cowboys record of 20 well intact.

Jerry says Cooper ‘one of the most talented players’ of his Cowboys tenure :: Cowboys Wire

Link Amari Cooper just wrapped up his fifth 1,000-yard season since entering the NFL in 2015, and he did so playing with four different quarterbacks. Team owner Jerry Jones called him ‘one of the most talented players’ during his time in Dallas in a recent interview.

Dane Brugler gives Cowboys Tyron Smith protection in 2-round mock draft :: Cowboys Wire

Link Veteran left tackle Tyron Smith missed 14 games in 2020, bringing his total to 26 games on the shelf since 2016. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has the Cowboys getting some insurance a the tackle position in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by taking RaShawn Slater out of Northwestern.

Updates: Impressive Milestone For Trevon Diggs :: Dallas Cowboys

Link Trevon Diggs became the first Cowboys rookie defender to lead the team in pass breakups and interceptions outright.

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