The latest Cowboys news
What is it like inside the Cowboys’ combine interview room? – Todd Archer, ESPN
The combine has arrived.
At some point in the next few days, a video memory will pop up on Jake Ferguson’s cell phone, as it has every February since 2022.
It’s a video he took at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, zooming in and out on a Cowboys hat, a couple of months before the Dallas Cowboys took the Wisconsin tight end in the fourth round.
“I was like, ‘I want to go to the Cowboys. I want to go to the Cowboys,’” Ferguson said. “I was manifesting it, and I walked in the [combine interview] and I was like, ‘OK.’ I remember smiling at Coach [Mike] McCarthy, too. But I walked in and I was like, ‘All right, this feels like home.’”
That year, Ferguson was one of 45 players formally interviewed by the Cowboys at the combine inside a suite at Lucas Oil Stadium. It lasted 18 minutes, hardly enough time to get to know everything about somebody, but enough to want to know somebody more — or maybe less.
Ideally, these interviews serve as a checklist as to whether the Cowboys want to bring the player in for one of their critical top-30 visits. In Ferguson’s case, the Cowboys got all the answers they needed in the interview process and were not compelled to bring him to The Star for a visit.
Open Market: Using free agency to solidify Cowboys at offensive tackle – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
Is it possible Tyron Smith could make a return?
What’s Out There:
Note: These players will be unrestricted on March 13, barring a newly-signed deal with their incumbent team prior to that date, and legal tampering can not begin until March 11.
Tyron Smith: I mean, who’d say no? I’m sure someone would, but hear me out. Smith, a Cowboys’ legend and future first-ballot Hall of Famer was able to stay on the field for the New York Jets for a total of 10 starts in 2024. That’s more than enough to justify bringing him back to Dallas to finish his illustrious career and to begin the best possible mentoring program for Guyton as well.
Having probably one more year left in his tank, Smith will consider all of his options and returning to a Jets team that is back to square one at quarterback and head coach, or picking up and moving to a third city in as many years with the mileage he has on his frame — versus returning home to an ovation by the fanbase — feels like an easy call … at least to me, anyway.
Of the veterans set to his free agency this year, Smith makes the most sense, including financially, with a market value of roughly $7 million (per Spotrac), so bring the cyborg home.
Is DeMarcus Lawrence’s time with the Dallas Cowboys coming to an end? – Calvin Watkins, DMN
DeMarcus Lawrence could have played his last game as a Dallas Cowboy.
The Cowboys could be on the verge of losing another long-tenured player.
DeMarcus Lawrence, a 2014 second-round pick, will become an unrestricted free agent this spring. On the surface, it appears the 32-year-old will play for someone else in 2025.
Cowboys officials plan on meeting with Lawrence’s agent, David Canter, this week during the NFL scouting combine to figure out his plans.
However, the Cowboys have younger defensive ends Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland ready to start opposite Micah Parsons. Williams is coming off a torn ACL suffered in training camp and Kneeland missed five games with a knee injury. Cowboys officials like the upside with both players. Kneeland, in 11 games, had 14 tackles and three quarterback hits.
Also, Carl Lawson, a seven-year veteran, is a free agent and the Cowboys could retain him with a one-year deal. Last season, Lawson had 15 tackles, five sacks and 15 quarterback hits.
“We’ll have more discussions this week,” Cowboys co-owner and COO Stephen Jones said. “I don’t want to get out in front or assume anything one way or the other with D-Law. He can speak to that. That’s where we like to leave it just as Zack spoke for himself when he was going to retire. We’ll have the same respect for DeMarcus Lawrence. I’m not aware of anything right now, other than he’s playing.”
Raiders’ Pete Carroll ‘glad’ to aid Cowboys’ Jerry Jones process in hiring Brian Schottenheimer as head coach – Garrett Podell, CBS Sports
A little insight on hiring Brian Schottenheimer.
Carroll, who returned to the NFL Scouting Combine as the new head coach of the Raiders, explained what he told Jones and how he was excited that he was able to help his former pupil secure his first NFL head-coaching job.
“He is ready. He’s been waiting for this opportunity for a number of years,” Carroll said, via transcript, on Tuesday. “He’s been ready for some time. I just told him all of the positive stuff about Brian. The stuff we’ve been through together and the confidence I had in him. Trying to reassure him. It sounded like he was really in a good position to get that job. I was trying to help Jerry feel good about it, too. He was starting to get ready for it. I was glad I had a chance to help him.”
Schottenheimer himself expanded on how Carroll challenged and pushed him to expand his offensive playbook to keep up with NFC West rivals like Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan back when he worked for the Super Bowl champion head coach.
“Going to Seattle was, I would say was critical to my development as a coach. Pete Carroll challenged me in a number of ways,” Schottenheimer said at his introductory press conference. “He challenged me to be authentic, to continue to dive into the relationships that matter, which is your coaches, your players, ownership. He challenged me offensively to be honest with you. … The [Sean] McVay-[Kyle] Shanahan style was taking off, and in Seattle we were competing against Sean and Kyle. So he was pressing me. I just really feel like things changed for me when I went with Pete. I learned a ton from my dad and all the coaches [I’ve worked with]: Mike [McCarthy], Steve Spurrier, all those guys, but Pete Carroll sharpened my edge and sharpened my view on what I want.”
What he wants is to get Dallas back to a place where the run game is prioritized. Schottenheimer’s offenses led the NFL in rushing yards twice, once with the New York Jets in 2009 and another time in 2018 with the Seahawks. That success allowed to get creative with play-action and bootlegs with Wilson the last time time Schottenheimer had offensive play-calling responsibilities.
