Notable headlines surrounding America’s team.
Cowboys set to lose $16.4 million in future cap space Tuesday thanks to accounting quirk – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire
Some interesting accounting rules around Zack Martin’s retirement.
Dak Prescott ($60 million per year), CeeDee Lamb ($34 million per year) and Micah Parsons ($24 million salary in 2025) are three of the best compensated players in the game. However Dallas still has over $31 million in money they could either spend on extensions or new players this year, or roll over into 2026. On Tuesday, however, that 2026 cap hit is going to take a serious blow thanks to a decision made way back in July 2023.
That’s when future Hall of Famer Zack Martin decided he was going to hold out from training camp. Looking to secure his future, the then eight-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler didn’t report to Oxnard, CA on time. He and the team eventually agreed to a two-year rework that gave him a $5.35 million raise that season and a fully guaranteed $18 million salary for 2024.
The new deal added language that specified how things would be handled if Martin were to retire following the end of deal, which he in fact did this past March. The deal also managed the increased cap hit by adding void years to the end of the deal, three of them to be exact, that allowed them to push the hit into the future.
Matt Eberflus making defensive switch Cowboys fans begged for under Quinn, Zimmer- Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat
Dallas adds CB depth by looking internally.
Highlight plays from OTAs don’t really mean much in the grand scheme given that no contact is permitted. However, these practices reveal a lot about what coaches think about players. It says a lot that Eberflus has Mukuamu, who Dallas re-signed this offseason, playing the nickel early on.
Though he has largely played safety over his first four seasons, Mukuamu was drafted as a cornerback out of South Carolina in 2021.
While Mukuamu saw some reps in the slot under Zimmer and Dan Quinn, the Cowboys’ former defensive coordinators never fully took the training wheels off even though Mukuamu played lights-out during the 2022 playoffs.
You might remember Mukuamu shutting down Buccaneers star slot receiver Chris Godwin in the first round. He allowed four catches for 49 yards on eight targets with one pass breakup, per PFF (subscription required). He followed that up by drawing just one target on 17 coverage snaps against the 49ers. He allowed a 61.8 passer rating in the two games.
George Pickens helped Cowboys win the trade with savage diss – Zachary Rotman, Sports Illustrated
Pickens is ready to prove the Steelers wrong.
Pickens was active on social media, and made several noteworthy comments.
“I forced buddy. They were gladly keeping me … have a nice day and a blessed one my guy,” Pickens said.
George Pickens makes Cowboys look like winners of the trade by dissing Steelers
The first noteworthy comment from Pickens couldn’t have been clearer. When a fan made a statement saying Pickens was the problem in Pittsburgh, the wideout said that the Steelers were set on keeping him and that he forced a trade. Whether that’s true or not is something only he and the Steelers know, but it certainly makes him look good if he got his wish granted.
While that quote was an eye-opener, another Pickens comment is one that has the potential to stick with fans for a while.
“Lmao, I play for the Cowboys. Now stop reminiscing, bro,” Pickens said. “And trying to justify the trade, y’all just lost another good player to fake reports like this one.”
2025 Cowboys Defense: 3 players flying under the radar – Mark Heaney, Inside The Star
Don’t forget about these three names heading into 2025.
Dante Fowler Jr: An Exciting Reunion in 2025
The Cowboys’ front office made some free agent signings this year, and while many of them felt underwhelming, the reunion with Dante Fowler Jr. is far from that.
Formerly a reclamation project of Dallas’s, Fowler had 10 sacks in two seasons with the star on his helmet. That may not sound impressive, but if you were paying attention during his tenure, you’d know he was a productive pass-rusher for the Cowboys.
Dan Quinn thought so as well, and brought him along to Washington last season to light up the defensive line, and he did just that.
Fowler recorded 1o.5 sacks with the Commanders in 17 games, and he is now headed back to Dallas to essentially replace DeMarcus Lawrence’s production.
I get it; that may sound like a big task for a guy that Dallas fans remember as a rotational piece. What you have to consider, however, is that he would have been second to Micah Parsons in sacks last year, with 6 fewer starts.
Cowboys post-draft roster review: Defensive ends – LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys
There is potential in the DE room.
Sam Williams
The key for Sam Williams is staying on the field and maintaining focus while there, and away from it. In 2023, he had some off-the-field troubles that had to be addressed, and has a penchant to commit undisciplined penalties. In two healthy seasons, Williams has committed 12 penalties (10 accepted), four of which were unnecessary roughness. Further complicating matters for Williams is that he is returning from an ACL injury in 2024, and is in the last year of his contract. Williams has to have the most consistent year of his career if he hopes to make a lasting impression. Williams could become a face in the crowd with the other pass rushers around him and the return of Dante Fowler.
