The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys.
Open Market: Free agency options for interior of Cowboys’ O-line in wake of Zack Martin news – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
Zack Martin’s retirement will certainly be felt on the offensive front.
FRISCO, TX — Though it was highly probable it would occur, the decision from Zack Martin to walk into retirement, one that is expected to happen any day now, still serves as a punch to the roster of the Dallas Cowboys as they begin the work of swimming through the offseason waters to try to improve the offensive line play.
In 2024, in a trade-down package that also included using a first-round pick on Tyler Guyton to transition him to left tackle, the Cowboys picked up a third-round pick that turned into Cooper Beebe — an All-American guard who transitioned in Dallas to a very capable starting center in only his first season.
Assuming Beebe remains at center, which isn’t cemented just yet but is still extremely possible, it’s fair to presume backup lineman Brock Hoffman could get the nod as a starting interior lineman going forward, with T.J. Bass prepared to be the understudy.
But, should the Cowboys want a more proven and polished option, well, that’s what free agency is for, now isn’t it?
What’s Out There:
Kevin Zeitler: One of the only well-aged veterans that make sense to me is Zeitler, a soon-to-be 35-year-old and former first-round pick of yesteryear who spent the 2024 season helping to lift the Detroit Lions to a No. 1 seed in the NFC, and starting in every game, no less. I’d view Zeitler as a perfect replacement for Martin, should this be the end of the road for the Gob
Teven Jenkins: Jenkins will be a bit more costly than Zeitler, presumably, though not by much. A former second-round pick in 2021, Jenkins has spent the entirety of his four-year career attached to the Chicago Bears. He’ll turn 27 years of age in 2024 and is looking to take offers on what will be a second NFL contract, and was below the Mendoza line in both QB hurries allowed and sacks allowed per game last season; and the fact he started in 14 games but drew only one penalty all season is downright seductive for a Cowboys’ unit that can’t seem to get out of its own way in that category. Maybe Matt Eberflus, former head coach of the Bears, can put in a word for Jenkins.
Cowboys predicted to acquire four-time Pro Bowler, former 1,500-yard rusher – Jackson Roberts, SportingNews.com
Going from “all-in” to “selectively aggressive,” let’s hope Dallas is active in free agency.
After failing to do so in 2024, the Dallas Cowboys have another chance to put together a quality running back room this offseason.
Though big names like Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley were available, the Cowboys settled on a backfield led by Rico Dowdle and supplemented by aging Pro Bowler Ezekiel Elliott. Though Dowdle put together a solid stretch late, the ground game was below average on the season.
It won’t be particularly easy for the Cowboys to retool at the position. Dowdle is a free agent and with only $2.4 million in cap space (before accounting for a potential Micah Parsons extension), Dallas may have to go bargain shopping.
Bargain shopping doesn’t always mean going after little-known players, though. How about a former four-time Pro Bowler whose career was slowed up by injury?
On Wednesday, Scott Engel of Advance Local predicted that the Cowboys would sign long-time Cleveland Browns star Nick Chubb, who had a streak of four straight 1,000-yard seasons before an MCL and meniscus injury cut his 2023 season short two games in.
“Signing Chubb would be hoping he can recapture a good chunk of his pre-injury form,” Engel wrote. “Playing in Dallas is always alluring even though they have a challenging cap situation.
“Some NFL analysts have suggested Pittsburgh, or that Chubb could end up in a timeshare situation with a team like Chicago. Dallas can partner Chubb with Rico Dowdle for a good complementary fit.”
Cowboys 2025 offseason roster preview: Linebackers – Jess Haynie, BloggingTheBoys.com
The middle of Dallas’ defense needs some work.
DeMarvion Overshown’s emergence as an impact player was one of the Dallas Cowboys’ few bright spots in 2024, but a Week 14 injury ended his year and put part of next season in jeopardy. Accounting for his absence, and potentially the loss of another top linebacker in free agency, are major topics for Dallas this offseason.
Free Agency
Again, there are several ways this can go depending on Dallas’ confidence in Overshown’s return. Another short-term deal with a veteran, be it retaining Kendricks or looking to someone like Lavonte David or Bobby Wagner could make sense both for roster need and the leadership, mentoring role for the Cowboys’ young prospects.
Taking a chance on Dre Greenlaw could be interesting, but would they want to double down on injury risk given the Overshown situation? And would you want to add a younger guy like him or Nick Bolton if you think Overshown and Liufau can cover the position for the next few years?
At the very least, Dallas will need someone to compete with Liufau and Clark for a starting job in camp. Maybe Overshown comes back on the early side and makes that free agent less useful, but extra depth isn’t really a problem.
Final Thoughts
It’d be easier to project how Dallas will behave if not for its well-established reputation for offseason apathy. But with Overshown’s unknown status and only Liufau and Clark behind him, it’s hardly a year that the Cowboys can afford to take the position for granted. They went through it in 2023 when Overshown’s first injury and Leighton Vander Esch’s issues forced Clark to start and Markquese Bell to get pulled over from safety. They barely got by that year, and that may be generous given the consistent weakness against the run.
The Dallas Cowboys want to draft a quarterback and Mike McCarthy might inadvertently help them get the right one – Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZSports.com
Dallas’ former coach may have helped with the development of a young QB.
Earlier in the week, Stephen Jones claimed one of many offseason goals for the Dallas Cowboys is to come away from the 2025 NFL Draft with a young quarterback.
Trey Lance is expected to depart from Dallas in free agency and Cooper Rush might as well depending on what the market thinks of him. If the price tag is high, he might wind up out of the Cowboys after posting a 9-5 record as Dak Prescott’s backup in recent years.
Since they traded a fourth-round pick for Lance in 2023, the Cowboys have seemingly been in the market for a young backup quarterback. Though Prescott is clearly the guy they’ve chosen to lead the team (and paid $240 million to), it’s never a bad idea for NFL teams to have someone to develop in the background. That’s why you see teams with established quarterbacks throw darts at the board in the Draft every year.
While naturally the Cowboys won’t pick a quarterback early on due to Prescott’s presence on the team, a Day 3 pick would make plenty of sense.
And while there are many names worth keeping in mind, there’s one of them that’s being coached by none other than former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy: Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers.
According to Matt Miller from ESPN, Ewers will throw at the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend and “is doing board work with Mike McCarthy.”
Though McCarthy is a controversial head coach in the eyes of fans, his quarterback development is considered one of his biggest strengths so the offseason gig comes off as a positive for Ewers, who is still learning the position as he aims to become an NFL-caliber QB.
If McCarthy’s work shows off in a positive way when Ewers speaks to teams at the Combine, maybe even the Cowboys, he could be helping him land in Dallas, who will be admittedly targeting a QB in April.
