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Luke Schoonmaker’s days in Dallas could be numbered – Richard Paolinelli, Inside The Star
The Cowboys have suddenly created a lot of competition at tight end.
Time Is Running Out
There are actually two swords currently dangling over Schoonmaker’s head.
He’s getting pushed by 2024 undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford as well as 2023 UDFAs Princeton Fant and John Stephens.
Stephens has had his last two seasons derailed in the preseason by injury. When healthy, he showed signs of being a solid player.
Fant has been impressing this year, perhaps understanding that he needs to make it this year, or he may not be in the NFL much longer.
As for Spann-Ford, with the reported emphasis on running the ball, Spann-Ford is the kind of blocking tight end Dallas will require.
He’s also shown an ability to catch some passes too, especially when Jake Ferguson went down with an injury last year.
Outplaying these three challengers is the first sword that Schoonmaker must deal with. He can control that.
He has no control over the other sword, however.
Salary Cap Cut?
Unless he can prove himself invaluable to the Cowboys’ offense, Schoonmaker’s contract could make him very expendable.
Especially if Spann-Ford and Fant can show they are better options to back up Ferguson going forward.
3 Cowboys players facing a make or break season in 2025 – Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys defense is going through yet another change under Matt Eberflus, and some key players could be on the block.
DT Mazi Smith
Anyone else surprised to see Mazi Smith make this list? Probably not. Sadly, Dallas’ 2023 first-round pick as of yet hasn’t lived up to his draft status. Playing for different defensive coordinators in each of his first two seasons with the Cowboys probably didn’t help his development, which puts into question how he’ll perform with his third DC in three years (Matt Eberflus). If he doesn’t take a significant jump during his ever important Year 3, he could be playing elsewhere as soon as next season.
CB Trevon Diggs
Unless Trevon Diggs has a huge bounce-back season in 2025 he could be playing elsewhere next season. Injuries and regression over the past couple years could make him a salary-cap casualty after the completion of the 2025 season. The Cowboys can save more than $12.25 million by releasing him in the offseason and carry a dead cap hit of just under $6 million. They could also designate him a post-June 1 release and save $15.5 million and spread the dead cap over the 2026 and 2027 seasons at just under $3 million per year.
PFF spotlights 2 Cowboys position battles among NFL’s most intriguing this preseason – Todd Brock, The Cowboys Wire
The Cowboys were hamstringed at running back all season in 2024, and have an open competition for who will lead the group in ‘25.
Pro Football Focus has identified 10 position battles to watch across the league this preseason, and the Cowboys figure prominently on the list, with two of the competitions expected to get most heated.
Running back
Following an offseason that completely blew up the Cowboys’ already-faltering ground game, the outlet unsurprisingly spotlights Javonte Williams versus Miles Sanders as the NFL’s most noteworthy running back battle of the summer.
Signed by Dallas on the same day this March, both ballcarriers bring veteran experience to a room that will also include rookie draft picks Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, as well as Deuce Vaughn. It’s hard to imagine all five making the 53-man roster, so there will be lots of eyes watching every rep in Oxnard, with many believing either Williams or Sanders will end up being cut for cap space.
But which one? PFF notes that while both “have faced challenges in recent years, each offers upside.” (In perhaps an indication of who they think is the lesser threat to stick around, though, PFF’s article- as originally posted- mistakenly refers to Williams as [Rico] Dowdle, confusing him with last year’s 1,000-yard rusher, now toting the rock in Carolina.)
“Sanders earned an 84.8 rushing grade on gap runs last season (albeit in a limited sample),” writes Mason Cameron, while Williams “ranks in the 77th percentile in yards per route run over the past two seasons.”
The pure stats would seem to favor Sanders, but he is three full years older and is coming off career lows in carries, yards, and yards per carry for the Panthers. He had a 1,000-yard campaign in 2022, and while it earned him his only Pro Bowl nod, it currently is the anomaly on his resume.
Williams, while younger, suffered a major knee injury in 2022, costing him the final 13 games of that season. Once he returned, there were rumblings that he simply hadn’t regained his All-Rookie form, and he was let go by Denver after being the 35th overall draft pick in 2021.
It may come down to which veteran performs better in camp and the preseason, and which one’s skill set is a better fit for what Schottenheimer wants to do offensively in 2025.
Cowboys could revive a former first-round pick’s career with one bold move – Cameron Ellis, The Landry Hat
Is there room for one more former first-round pick on the Cowboys roster at running back?
Cowboys’ RB concerns could be solved with one call to the Jaguars
“Publicly, the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t trying to trade running back Travis Etienne Jr. New head coach Liam Coen called trade rumors surrounding the 26-year-old “absolutely inaccurate” earlier this month, according to Demetrius Harvey of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union. However, it isn’t hard to connect the dots between Etienne and an eventual deal that has the 2021 first-round pick playing elsewhere … With Etienne entering the final year of his rookie contract, the Jags could erase his entire $6.1 million cap hit by trading him. Coen might not be eager to part with him before even coaching a regular-season game. Jacksonville might be willing to dump him for a reasonable offer anyway. The Dallas Cowboys should already be calling about Etienne’s availability. They currently have a backfield headlined by Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders—two big question marks, given their recent production—and have shown a willingness to trade for talent post-draft.”
It would be a little bit weird to see the Jaguars trade their starting running back before Coen even coaches a single game for them, but the Jaguars do weird things all the time.
In a way, it’d be weird if Jacksonville didn’t do something bizarre for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Every NFL team has their schtick, and Bleacher Report isn’t wrong for suggesting that, in this instance, the Jaguars’ and Cowboys’ schticks sure do look like a good match.
20 Questions: Do you see a new role for KaVontae Turpin? – Staff, DallasCowboys.com
One of the Cowboys most exciting players on offense may have a fan in high places when it comes to new HC and offensive play caller Brian Schottenheimer.
20) Do you see a new role for KaVontae Turpin?
Nick: I hope so. I think he’s one of the most dangerous players in all of the NFL, when he’s in space. That’s the problem sometimes – getting him the ball with enough room to do something. But it’s been told that Brian Schottenheimer was one of the reasons Turpin got the ball more later in the season last year, even running the ball in between the tackles. I think Schotty knows the value in Turpin and will make sure he’s going to get plenty of opportunities.
As for his role, I think he’s just a hybrid player that’s not really one of the wide receivers or running backs, but just a combination of both. And because of the proposed kickoff rule changes, if teams get the ball at the 35 on a touchback, we’re going to see more opportunities for a return, giving Turpin even more chances, and space, to make a play. He’s such a weapon but the Cowboys need to figure out how to use him better.
Mickey: Not sure I see a new role but rather an expanded role. If the OTA and minicamp practices are any indication, seems Brian Schottenheimer wants to utilize Turpin in the slot more often, and that doesn’t mean little, short routes, but getting him in some one-on-one situations down the field to more utilize his speed. Now remember, Turpin did finish fifth last year with 31 receptions for 420 yards and two receiving touchdowns, the most productive season of his first three years. He also had 16 carries for 92 yards, third on the team but first with a 5.8-yard average, this on just 26.9 per cent of the snaps. And remember the Cowboys did re-sign the prospective restricted free agent to a three-year, $13.5 million contract, with $ 5 million guaranteed, an indication they expect more from the Pro Bowl kick returner in the offense.
Kurt: Last season, Turpin recorded 47 touches overall on offense, which ranked sixth on the team. With that in mind, here’s betting that CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson and whoever is the lead running back will have more touches than Turpin in 2025. And there’s a good chance Dallas’ second running back could top him as well. So I really don’t think we’ll suddenly see a huge jump in Turpin’s offensive opportunities this year. Now, perhaps what could change is how he’s used. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has talked about utilizing more motion in an effort to get guys out in space, which would play right into Turpin’s strengths. Let’s hope that happens. Regardless, even if he doesn’t see a larger role within the offense, that doesn’t make him any less valuable. Turpin is one of the top return men in the NFL, and his standout efforts on special teams will continue to be where the Cowboys need him most.
