Your Sunday morning Cowboys news.
Tyler Booker grateful, all set for Cowboys’ training camp: ‘I’m not gonna hold the offense back’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
The Cowboys first-round pick is getting ready.
Having now worked through rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Booker has been a sponge for information, insight and coaching.
“I couldn’t ask for a better room of vets,” said the two-time All-SEC guard out of Alabama. “Like, we’re a younger room, but there’s still a lot of experience within there, so they can relate to what it’s like to be a rookie. Even guys like [Guyton], he’s helped me out a lot — T. Steele, Brock [Hoffman], everybody, literally everybody [including Cooper Beebe].
“I just really appreciate all their guidance along the way, and they’ve definitely made this process easier for me.
[…]
“We’re building great chemistry,” Booker said of the offensive line. “And like I said earlier, I like having guys with experience right next to me. If I ever have a question right before the snap, they’re able to help me out and lead me in the right direction.”
But as is often the case with those who seek to be great, Booker doesn’t want to always rely so much on those around him, which isn’t to say he never wants to, but instead that there comes a time and place when he should have a clear understanding of how to dominate on the field with only minor tweaks being needed here and there; and less and less coaching of the basics at the NFL level.
“I’m trying to make sure that doesn’t become a habit, you know what I mean?” he said. “I’m very prideful about knowing the offense, and I want to make sure that I’m not holding this run back, by any means. So I’m definitely [working] a lot to make sure I’m not gonna hold the offense back.”
What has Dak Prescott ‘super excited’ about the Cowboys’ offense? – Jon Machota, The Athletic
It’s not just George Pickens.
Pickens was Dallas’ biggest offseason move. Even though players weren’t in pads for minicamp, it’s easy to see how dynamic the former Steelers wide receiver is, especially when lined up with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb.
“The guy, he’s been great, he’s been phenomenal. He’s a guy that loves football, loves his teammates. He’s been excited every day that he’s been here. He’s been early. So, no concerns on the personal matters of GP and anything about it. Just super excited that he’s on our team. He’s one of us. He’s a brother, and it’s just about continuing to grow and make sure we’re putting the best out there. That’s his approach.”
While there are questions about the running back position, which can’t be answered in a minicamp setting, there should be no questions about the potential of the passing game. The combination of Lamb, Pickens, Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo gives Prescott an impressive arsenal of weapons that should cause plenty of problems for opposing defensive backs.
This is the time of year when almost every NFL player and coach is going to be optimistic about the upcoming season. They’ve all made changes that they think will improve their team. Dallas is no different. Prescott has always been an optimist, so it will be no surprise if he feels good about the Cowboys when they begin training camp in late July.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “We’ve made some changes, personnel and the scheme, that will just come with it. I think (Brian Schottenheimer) has done a good job this minicamp of putting guys in the right places, putting guys in space and allowing guys to see how he’s going to use them.”
Highest-graded receivers by route type from the 2024 NFL season – Lauren Gray, PFF
PFF has George Pickens as the highest-graded wideout on go routes last season, but CeeDee Lamb is no slouch either.
Go (min. 10 Targets)
George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers (95.6)
Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (94.6)
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (94.1)If quarterbacks are looking for George Pickens, they are likely going deep on a go route. He led the league with 19 go-route targets last season and was targeted at a 26.0% clip, the highest on his route tree. He was the only receiver to record double-digit catches from go routes, securing 10 passes for 352 yards and a touchdown. Pickens logged 36% of his receiving yardage (987 yards) on go routes last season, with each catch gaining 20-plus yards.
Pickens is one of the most dangerous receivers on go routes. The newly acquired Cowboy leads the league with 48 go-route targets across the past three seasons and has 23 catches for 822 yards and three touchdowns on such plays, leading to a 97.1 PFF receiving grade on those plays (second best).
6 reasons Cowboys 1st-round pick should pay immediate dividends – Ali Jawad, Cowboys Wire
Why first-round pick will offer instant return on investment.
While college accolades don’t translate to success at the next level, they speak to a player’s impact and dominance at his prior level of competition. Booker emerged over his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, playing in 38 games, and was twice named First-Team All-SEC (2023, 2024), a First-Team All-American in 2024, and one recognition that any player would be most proud of, which was being named a team captain in his final season.
Booker didn’t carry the hype of a top-10 pick, but his tape shows a player built for Sundays. At Alabama, he routinely matched up against NFL-caliber talent and held his ground, both literally and figuratively. He has the thick, sturdy frame needed to anchor against bull rushers, but also the balance and footwork to mirror in space. Booker’s hand usage should be advanced for a rookie, and his awareness in pass protection, especially against stunts and blitz pickups, stood out in college. He plays with a noticeable edge, finishing blocks and setting a tone up front. Simply put: this isn’t a project. Booker arrives in Dallas ready to compete from Day 1.
Numbers don’t lie: Dallas Cowboys Cowboys offense poised to explode in 2025 – Mark Heaney, Inside the Star
Everything adding up to the Cowboys having a big season.
Dallas’s front office, for all its flaws, has created an offensive depth chart that is filled with proven production and potential for more. If healthy, the statistics show a group that will far outpace their 2024 numbers. There is no doubt about it.
CeeDee Lamb has quietly delivered one of the best statistical three-year stretches in NFL history. George Pickens arrives after dominating the AFC as one of the conference’s youngest receivers. When Dak Prescott is under center, Jake Ferguson has played at an All-Pro level. For teams, summer is a time to shake off the rust and build momentum; for fans, it’s all about the hype. That’s been true for the Dallas Cowboys offense, but in this case, the numbers back up the excitement.
