Exclusive Interview with Former Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers Coach Wes Chandler

I had the pleasure of interviewing former All-Pro wide receiver Wes Chandler on my radio program “Monday Night Quarterback” last week. Chandler previously coached the wide receivers for the Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns before deciding to take some time off.

We talked with Chandler about the Cowboys' struggles at offensive line, the Roy Williams and Michael Irvin controversy, Miles Austin, former Cowboys receiver Antonio Bryant, and just football in general.

Audio of this conversation can be found by visiting www.blogtalkradio.com/cowboyjay.

Below is a partial transcript of our conversation.

Jason: Please welcome tonight’s special guest Wes Chandler to the program. Wes, what’s going on, man?

Wes: Hey, how are you doing tonight, Jason?

Jason: I’m good, man. We’re just sitting here talking a little Cowboys football. I’m sure you caught last night’s game against the Redskins or at least some of the highlights. Alex Barron, back-up right tackle, had a key holding call against Brian Orakpo that negated the touchdown to Roy Williams that would have won the game. Do you see them (the Cowboys) making it to the Super Bowl with that offensive line?

Wes: Well not with the way it is currently. But I think that—the fact that I’ve had the pleasure to coach with offensive line coach Hudson Hawk—they will get that fixed.

In Week 1, when you have to go four quarters, you have to understand that these guys have to learn how to gel together and the preseason doesn’t give you the opportunity to gel...I would expect for them to make a quick change and for them to still do well in that division.

Jason: Going against some of those tough teams in the NFC East, seeing last night’s game and the way that Garrett called the game, from what you say from some of those bubble screens to Dez Bryant, do you believe that he was trying to ease Dez into the offense or just trying to catch the 'Skins off guard?

Wes: He was trying to ease him in and get him into a flow. Even though he’s a wideout and he’s barely played, sometimes you have to get him going and get him into a flow. With all of that said, if the Cowboys don’t turn the ball over at the end of the half, then they still have a chance to win.

If you look back at that situation, instead of taking a knee and going into the half down 3-0, they go in down 10-0 and that seven-point swing turned out to be the difference in the ball game. I still believe that the Dallas Cowboys are the cream of that tough division.

I think that Philly is going to struggle and I can’t say that they will win more than eight games. The jury is still out, in my eyes, on the Giants. I’m just not comfortable with the fact that when you start to put a lot of pressure on Eli that he’s going to respond. It comes down to the Cowboys and the Redskins in my eyes because of their tough defense. But at the end of the day the Cowboys will still shine.

Jason: Moving on to the Cowboys receiving corps as a whole. If you’re the Cowboys, do you trade Crayton away, or do you keep him because he’s such a talent?

Wes: With the fact that you have the two young kids out there, you have to. You have Bryant, who you drafted No. 1, Roy Williams has to be there because of what they invested, Sam Hurd has been pretty good for a nickel type of guy, and then you have another guy behind him...When you go back to the trade for Roy, that was the biggest mistake they made. One Pro Bowl for him in 2006 and prior to that there were no signs saying that this guy was nothing more than a big receiver...

[About Patrick Crayton] This guy plays with a lot of heart and a lot of passion and I don’t see that from Roy Williams and I like the kid. I just don’t see that and I think that was just one that they are just having to swallow and maybe take another year to decide to make a move.

Jason: You told me that you coached Antonio Bryant and that he’s one of the hardest working guys you’ve been around. He signed with the Bengals in the offseason and they signed T.O. (Terrell Owens) after having concerns about Bryant’s knee and Antonio was released. Do you think this is it for Antonio?

Wes: I think so. I think that the highlight of his career was the one season that he had in Tampa. Nobody worked harder, as far as the players I’ve been around, in the NFL than Antonio Bryant.

Very, very gifted and smart player and he has tremendous passion. Got caught up in some of the off the field issues. Tried to come back after a fantastic season in Tampa and he had the season that most receivers only dream of having.

Having said that I was really shocked and surprised that he’s no longer there. As bad luck would have it he comes up with the knee injury and I just think that the clock is ticking on him faster than slow.

You can listen to the rest of the interview by visiting www.blogtalkradio.com/cowboyjay. The show, Monday Night Quarterback, airs every Monday night at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT.

You can follow Jason on twitter @ THenProject