These are first-pass research packets, not reporter grades. Each story is separated into atomic claims, traced through its source chain and resolved with evidence that was available at the time.
3case packets
9atomic claims
0reporter rankings
First-pass coding remains provisional until a second reviewer independently codes each packet and disagreements are adjudicated.
Case 01 · 2023 · Transaction control case
Brandin Cooks trade
First-pass coded
A clean test of whether one sourced transaction report is split into the player movement and each compensation term, then resolved against the team announcement.
Why this case
This is the control case: the report was specific, the source chain was short, and Dallas supplied prompt Tier A confirmation.
Atomic claim register
CR-2023-COOKS-01
Trade / transaction · Expected outcomeDallas would acquire Brandin Cooks from Houston.
Confirmed by the Cowboys' transaction announcement.
VerifiedTier A
CR-2023-COOKS-02
Trade terms · DefiniteHouston would receive Dallas's 2023 fifth-round pick.
Exact compensation term confirmed by Dallas.
VerifiedTier A
CR-2023-COOKS-03
Trade terms · DefiniteHouston would receive Dallas's 2024 sixth-round pick.
Exact compensation term confirmed by Dallas.
VerifiedTier A
Time-aware story snapshots
First sourced report
79Credible
Specific terms and a strong named reporting root, before official confirmation.
Cowboys announcement
100Confirmed
All three atomic claims resolved with Tier A evidence.
Source chain
1 reporting root
One original root; downstream rewrites do not become independent confirmation.
NFL.com attributes the report to Ian Rapoport. The Cowboys announcement resolves the terms but is evidence, not another reporting root.
Timeline
Sourced report
NFL.com reports the trade and both draft-pick terms via Ian Rapoport.
Official resolution
Dallas announces the acquisition and the same compensation.
A hiring story whose public certainty changed over four days, testing timestamps, contradictory evidence and the difference between final outcome and process claims.
Why this case
This case prevents hindsight scoring. Zimmer's eventual hiring verifies the outcome, but it does not automatically settle every report about what happened during the process.
Atomic claim register
CR-2024-ZIMMER-01
Coach hiring · Expected outcomeDallas was expected to hire Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator.
Dallas later announced an agreement with Zimmer.
VerifiedTier A
CR-2024-ZIMMER-02
Negotiation status · DefiniteThe Zimmer agreement was not finalized by Sunday, Feb. 11.
Dallas said the agreement was reached Monday afternoon.
VerifiedTier A
CR-2024-ZIMMER-03
Process / contact · DefiniteDallas recontacted Rex Ryan after the initial Zimmer report.
The final Zimmer hire neither proves nor disproves this separate contact claim.
UnresolvedTier C
Time-aware story snapshots
Feb. 8 report
78Credible
Strong sourcing, but no official announcement yet.
Feb. 11 challenge
61Mixed
Ryan's public statement adds material contradictory evidence and timing uncertainty.
Feb. 12 announcement
100Confirmed outcome
The hiring outcome is confirmed; the recontact claim remains unresolved.
Source chain
2 reporting roots
Outcome reporting and the later process report remain separate roots unless copying is demonstrated.
The Feb. 8 hiring report, Ryan's public challenge, and the Feb. 12 team statement must be evaluated in the order they appeared.
Timeline
Expected hire reported
NFL.com reports Dallas is hiring Zimmer, via Tom Pelissero.
Public challenge
Rex Ryan says he is not sure Zimmer has the job; ESPN reports continuing uncertainty.
Agreement announced
Dallas says an agreement was reached Monday afternoon and acknowledges it was not finalized Sunday.
Case 03 · 2025 · Joint-report and source-chain case
Micah Parsons traded to Green Bay
First-pass coded
A blockbuster report with three named reporters, multiple trade terms and a contract extension, designed to test joint bylines without inflating corroboration.
Why this case
This case forces the model to distinguish three credited reporters from three independent confirmations and to resolve trade and contract terms separately.
Atomic claim register
CR-2025-PARSONS-01
Trade / transaction · DefiniteDallas would trade Micah Parsons to Green Bay.
Confirmed by both clubs and the Packers transaction log.
VerifiedTier A
CR-2025-PARSONS-02
Trade terms · DefiniteDallas would receive Kenny Clark and 2026 and 2027 first-round picks.
Exact compensation confirmed by Dallas and Green Bay.
VerifiedTier A
CR-2025-PARSONS-03
Contract terms · DefiniteParsons would sign a four-year, $188 million extension with $136 million guaranteed.
Total value was confirmed by Dallas; the guarantee was independently reported by AP.
VerifiedTier B
Time-aware story snapshots
Joint sourced report
78Credible
Detailed terms and strong reporting credit, counted as one root.
Official and independent evidence
100Confirmed
Trade, compensation and contract atoms are all resolved.
Source chain
1 reporting root
A joint report is one reporting root, even when three reporters share credit.
Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater receive joint credit for one root. Team and league records are resolution evidence, not extra scoops.
Timeline
Joint report
NFL.com publishes the trade, compensation and extension terms with three reporters credited.
Club confirmation
Dallas and Green Bay confirm the transaction and trade compensation.
Independent contract detail
AP reports the extension's total and guaranteed value.
The remaining pilot cases will widen the category mix across injuries, negotiations, team interest and expected outcomes. Reporter reliability will stay unpublished until double-coding and minimum sample gates are met.