George Pickens on his future in Dallas, getting offense back on track – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
The Cowboys biggest offseason addition is just focused on playing football.
FRISCO, Texas – Heading into the ninth game of the season, George Pickens’ impact on the Cowboys offense has continued to be a positive one that went above and beyond Dallas’ expectations.
Pickens, a pending free agent this offseason, has said in the past and again on Thursday that he “wouldn’t mind” playing for the Cowboys long-term. When asked if he would rather get an extension done now or wait until after the season, Pickens put the ball in the front office’s court.
“That’s kind of up to what [Jerry Jones] wants to do,” Pickens said. “All I can do is just perform at my best.”
Have the two sides had any conversations yet?
“No, not so far,” Pickens said “Like I said, me personally, I’m just trying to get a dub, trying to stack victories, trying to get us to the playoffs, win, win, win.”
Another prospect that Pickens was asked about is if he had put any thought into the chance of him being traded before the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline. He stays away from that chatter.
“I kind of don’t get into that stuff, I can only be where my feet is,” Pickens said. “I kind of just stay with the guys, practice with the guys, try to put my best foot forward.”
Cowboys injuries: Overshown still limited, Beebe a full participant – LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys
Here’s what the injury report looks like for the Cowboys heading into the weekend.
After one day of practice this week, the Dallas Cowboys are still trying to get some players back on the mend. Here’s the status of the team’s health with one more practice to go.
Safety Donovan Wilson (elbow/shoulder) did not return to practice Friday and was cited as DNP. Also limited today were DeMarvion Overshown (knee), Tyler Smith (knee), Juanyeh Thomas (migraine), and Perrion Winfrey (back). Among those practicing in full were Cooper Beebe (ankle), Kenny Clark (elbow), and Marshawn Kneeland (ankle). Dallas is hoping to get Cooper Beebe, Overshown, and Perrion Winfrey back from injured reserve.
This is starting to look like the Dallas Cowboys’ 4-step plan to save defense midseason – Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports
Can the Cowboys defense be salvaged before season’s end?
It’s no secret the Dallas Cowboys need to fix their defense if they want to keep any glimmer of hope alive moving forward. This season, they’ve allowed a minimum 30 points in six out of eight games, and not necessarily against top-tier offenses.
Quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, and Bryce Young have played some of their best football against the Cowboys defense. Just about every running back has had monster performances, too. It’s a unit that needs saving. However, it’s one so flawed that one trade or two won’t cut it.
So what is the Cowboys’ plan to save the defense? Based on their history, reports, recent comments, and reality at 3-4-1, below is my best guess at what their approach will be.
Step 1: Make a trade for a player, probably a DE
Here’s what we know: The Cowboys made calls about star pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson before Week 8. We also know Dallas’ pass rush has been close to non-existent when not blitzing. Adding a DE makes sense because it helps both the run and pass defense while boosting the team in a critical area: Third down.
The Cowboys defense needs to get off the field. They boast the worst third down defense, being the only one giving a conversion rate over 50%. Adding people capable of rushing the passer consistently is the easiest way to lower that mark.
However, I would expect the Cowboys’ addition to be someone that meets Jerry Jones’ criteria of having a contract beyond 2025. Miami Dolphins DE Bradley Chubb, for example, is under contract through 2027 but has no guaranteed money beyond this year. On Friday morning, Jones cited Jonathan Mingo’s trade like an example of a player who can help in the present and the future despite him being a healthy scratch in Week 8. In other words, don’t expect a major impact move here.
Step 2: Get LB DeMarvion Overshown back in the lineup
The closest the Cowboys are getting to Pro Bowl-caliber reinforcements is Overshown, who is expected to return from injury (knee) in Week 11 versus the Las Vegas Raiders. He will not solve all of the team’s issues at the position but he will be a major upgrade on defense. The Cowboys’ play at linebacker has been awful eight weeks into the season.
Jack Sanborn started at middle linebacker before being switched for Kenneth Murray and later benched by rookie Shemar James. Meanwhile, James’ high-end athleticism has been dragged down by his inexperience at times. There’s upside to him but he’s not a gameday-ready linebacker. And Murray? He’s played 99% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps this season but his play might be the worst. His athleticism allows him to make plays here and there but for the most part, he looks lost versus the run.
The question is where the Cowboys will play Overshown when he’s back and who will stay with him. To me, it seems like Overshown will play at WILL while Murray remains the MIKE.
Cowboys may have in-house replacement for $97 million mistake ready to take over now – Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire
Time will tell if Shavon Revel will take the place of Trevon Diggs whose days appear to be numbered in Dallas.
When King Belshazzar’s dinner party was interrupted by a spooky disembodied hand, authoring the words, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin,” on the wall behind him, it was said “the writing was on the wall” for the Babylonian ruler in BC times. The words informed the king his days were numbered, he would soon be slain, and his kingdom divided. The expression has lived on hardily in western culture, applicable to life, relationship and matters of employment most prominently. It’s an expression that’s been tied the Dallas Cowboys former All-Pro Trevon Diggs for quite some time and grows in inevitability by the day.
If that metaphoric disembodied hand proves accurate for the Cowboys, and Diggs’s days are indeed soon done in Dallas, the long-term replacement might be already on the roster. Shevon Revel, the Cowboys’ third round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has been working within the 21-day practice window as he nears his NFL debut. Recovering from a 2024 knee injury, Revel has had a long road back that appears well synched to Diggs’ inevitable departure, whenever that may be.
Diggs’ employment with the Cowboys started to fall into question after he reinjured his knee late in the 2024 season. It marked two knee injuries in as many seasons and led to Jerry Jones publicly calling out Diggs’ commitment to rehab in the form of a backhanded compliment. The critique continued in the lead up to the 2025 season when the Cowboys enforced a $500,000 salary de-escalator for Diggs’ lack of attendance in the offseason program. It was the clearest indication that the club’s $97 million investment following the 2022 season hasn’t worked out.
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