Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images Brandin Cooks believes the Cowboys did not utilize him to his full strengths. There are a number of former Dallas Cowboys wide receivers who will be looking for new contracts when free agency begins next week. Amari Cooper is set to hit the open market. On Friday afternoon it was reported that Michael Gallup is going to join him in an attempted return to the NFL. Brandin Cooks is the only one of the group coming off just playing for the Cowboys, but he too will also be seeking a new opportunity for work. For all we know any one of them could return to the Cowboys. As noted, Cooks returning would be the least dramatic as he has played for the team for the last two seasons and while there were some solid moments in that time it was also a little disappointing. Consider that before joining the Cowboys that Brandin Cooks had at least one season where he recorded 1,000 receiving yards for every team he played for: New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans. That streak died with the Cowboys, at least for now. According to Cooks, by way of Josina Anderson, it appears that he believes the Cowboys did not utilize him to his full strengths. “I’m expecting a good free agency since this is the first time that I would be a free agent in my career, but I’m also open to returning to Dallas. At the end of the day I’m just trying to win. I am fully healthy and have nothing to hide (Cooks missed seven games midseason last year with a knee injury before returning).” On the probability of returning to Dallas: “I have a good relationship with Dak (Prescott) the Jones family and Cee Dee (Lamb), it’s just one of those things where they have to focus on what they have to get done first too. I would love to play with the Cowboys, at the same time they would have to use me right. I don’t think they fully used me to my strengths.” Between his two seasons with the Cowboys the better one for Cooks was obviously in 2023. He “only” had 81 targets across that season which at the time was the third-fewest in his career (only his rookie season with the Saints and his final season with the Rams saw less). Last season was tough for Cooks and established a new career low. Can it be argued that Cooks was not utilized to his full strengths? These things are subjective so you could make the case. But it is worth mentioning that the first season in which he arrived, CeeDee Lamb basically set every receiving record in franchise history. The second season was full of toxicity before it ever began, and the franchise quarterback was lost for the season before the halfway point. Context matters. For what it’s worth, Cooks’ line does not read like someone taking a shot at the team that just employed him, but rather someone looking to say he still has something to offer another NFL team who may be thinking about bringing him in shortly. Do you agree with his estimation that he was not utilized properly?

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Predicting all 32 NFL teams first-round draft picks. With the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up, mock drafts cannot be predicted with little bit more accuracy knowing which prospects teams could be targeting. Between now and the draft in April player rankings may fluctuate a little, but overall teams big board’s are pretty close to being set. With that information and the current roster “needs” for all 32 NFL teams, we decided we would try to attempt to predict how each pick plays out in the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Since trades are unpredictable, we excluded them from this mock draft. 1. Tennessee Titans – EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State Tennessee is rumored to be willing to trade away the first overall pick likely to a QB “needy” team. If they make a selection here Abdul Carter makes sense. He has the talent to become one of the best pass rusher’s in the league. 2. Cleveland Browns – QB Cam Ward, Miami Cam Ward fills a glaring hole at QB in Cleveland after the whole Deshaun Watson trade failure, which continues to negatively impact the organization. 3. New York Giants – CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado The Giants are a candidate to trade up for the first overall pick to select their QB of the future, but if they stay put Travis Hunter could be the pick. He immediately upgrades both offense and defense as a rookie. 4. New England Patriots – OT/G Armand Membou, Missouri New England decides to bypass adding another weapon for their second-year QB in favor of protecting him by selecting Armand Membou. The 20-year-old is a plug-and-play starter with Pro Bowl potential as a rookie. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars – OT/G Will Campbell, LSU Although Will Campbell has proven he can remain at tackle in the NFL, his best fit may be inside at guard. He could step in and replace Brandon Scherff in Jacksonville, who is currently pending free agent. 6. Las Vegas Raiders – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona The Raiders give their newly acquired QB Geno Smith another receiving weapon and a player with WR1 potential as a rookie in Tetairoa McMillan to pair with Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers. 7. New York Jets – DT Mason Graham, Michigan Mason Graham’s play style and attitude fit what Aaron Glenn looks for in his defensive players and can be the building block in which this defense is built around for years to come. 8. Carolina Panthers – EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M After blowing up the combine, the Panthers decide to gamble a bit by betting on Shemar Stewart’s elite athleticism by making him a Top 10 selection, despite his 1.5 sacks in each of his last three seasons. 9. New Orleans Saints – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State Regardless of who ends up playing quarterback in New Orleans, the Saints need to add more firepower to their offense under first-year head coach Kellen Moore. Tyler Warren is a do-it-all weapon that does just that. 10. Chicago Bears – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State After making recent trades to upgrade their offensive line, the Bears have set themselves up to further help their second-year QB by adding some serious juice to the backfield in the Aston Jeanty. 11. San Francisco 49ers – OT/G Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas Trent Williams isn’t getting any younger and Aaron Banks is a pending free agent, making Kelvin Banks’ OT/G versatility an intriguing option to replace either depending where the 49ers like him best. 12. Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Cowboys stick to their big board here and choose EDGE Mykel Williams instead of reaching for WR Matthew Golden to upgrade and add depth at defensive end. Adding Williams with Micah Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, and Sam Williams would give the Cowboys really good depth at DE, creating the potential to have one of the better pass rushing units in league. With QB Sheduer Sanders still on the board trading down with QB needy teams like the Seahawks or Steelers could be in play here as well. Staying pat here with Mykel Williams though the Cowboys get a player who can challenge Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams from Day 1 to start opposite Micah Parsons as DeMarcus Lawrence’s replacement. He could be a plug-and-play starter with Pro Bowl potential down the road. 13. Miami Dolphins – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina With both Javon Holland and Jordan Poyer as pending free agents, the Dolphins are in need of more safety help and decide to draft Nick Emmanwori to upgrade the back end of their secondary. 14. Indianapolis Colts – G Tyler Booker, Alabama Tyler Booker would be a plug-and-play replacement for RG Will Fries, a pending free agent, and give Indianapolis a nasty guard duo (Quenton Nelson) for RB Jonathan Taylor to run behind. 15. Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Mike Green, Marshall The Falcons need pass rush help and while Mike Green raised some concerns after not participating at the combine, he is still worthy of the Top 15 pick after dominating the Senior Bowl. 16. Arizona Cardinals – CB Will Johnson, Michigan The Cardinals have a lot of roster needs and could go several different directions here, but being able to snag the top-ranked CB this year to upgrade their secondary would be too good to pass up. 17. Cincinnati Bengals – EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College After Sam Hubbard decided to retire and with Trey Hendrickson requesting a trade, the Bengals find themselves in need of more pass rushing help. Donovan Ezeiruaku helps fill the void immediately. 18. Seattle Seahawks – QB Sheduer Sanders, Colorado Although they still need to upgrade their OL and receiving core, Seattle finds a replacement for Geno Smith here in Sheduer Sanders. The rest of the draft should be devoted to building around him. 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images Here is our scouting report on Alfred Collins from Texas We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at defensive tackle Alfred Collins from Texas. Alfred Collins DTTexas Longhorns Senior5-star recruit 6’5”322 lbs Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images History Alfred Collins was born on October 8, 2001, in Bastrop, Texas, and grew up in the nearby town of Cedar Creek, where he attended Cedar Creek High School. He comes from an athletic family—his mother, Benita Pollard, was a standout basketball player at the University of Texas from 1990 to 1994, which likely influenced his decision to follow in her footsteps and attend the same university. During his high school career, Collins excelled as a three-sport athlete, participating in football, basketball, and track and field (shot put and discus). On the football field, he was a dominant force, amassing 253 total tackles (180 solo and 73 assisted), 74 tackles for loss, and 18 sacks over his career. His senior year alone saw him record 86 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, and eight sacks, earning him District Defensive Lineman of the Year honors and a spot in the 2020 All-American Bowl. Rated as a five-star recruit, Collins was highly sought after, ultimately choosing the University of Texas over offers from powerhouse programs like Alabama, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. At Texas, Collins joined the Longhorns in 2020 as a true freshman during the COVID-19-shortened season, playing in all 10 games and starting one. He recorded 22 tackles and showed early promise as a rotational player on a veteran-laden defensive line, contributing to a 7-3 Longhorns team that finished with an Alamo Bowl win. In his second season, Collins appeared in all 12 games, starting three, as he began carving out a bigger role. He tallied 25 tackles (15 solo), five tackles for loss, and two sacks. The Longhorns struggled to a 5-7 record, but Collins emerged as a reliable depth piece. Collins played in all games in 2022, starting one, and continued to develop his physical presence. He posted 17 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack, contributing to an 8-5 season. In his senior year, Collins appeared in all 14 games with seven starts. He recorded 22 tackles (14 solo), two tackles for loss, two sacks and two pass breakups, refining his skills as a run-stopper. The Longhorns went 12-2, winning the Big 12 title and reaching the CFP quarterfinals, with Collins playing a steady supporting role alongside stars like T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II. Granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID, Collins seized a starring role, starting 16 games. He notched 55 tackles (27 solo), six tackles for loss, one sack, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble, earning First-Team All-SEC and Second-Team All-American honors. His efforts helped Texas go 11-2, and reach the CFP again. 2024 Statistics 593 Defensive Snaps55 Total Tackles6 Tackles For Loss18 Total Pressures 1 Sack7 Pass Breakups1 Forced Fumble1 Penalty NFL Combine/Pro Day Vert- 26” (14%)Broad- 96” (6%) Awards All-America (2024)First-team All-SEC (2024) Scorecard Overall- 80.0Speed- 78Acceleration- 88Agility- 79Strength- 93Tackling- 89Pass Rush- 80Run Defense- 86Discipline- 98 THE GOOD Collins is one of the premier run-stoppers in the 2025 draft class. He anchors with a wide base and powerful lower half, rarely getting displaced by single blockers. His ability to stack, shed, and control gaps makes him a two-gap terror, often resetting the line of scrimmage with violent hand strikes. Displays elite grip strength and upper-body power to dissect blocks. His lock-peek-shed technique stands out, he reads blocking schemes quickly, engages with a two-hand strike, and discards linemen. Patient and disciplined, rarely caught out of position. Excels at absorbing double teams and maintaining gap integrity, freeing up teammates. Played multiple alignments (0-tech, 1-tech, 3-tech, 4i, 5-tech) in Texas’ hybrid fronts, showing adaptability for both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes. Appeared in 64 games over five years, with no major injury history beyond a few minor injuries. TAPE TIME DT Alfred CollinsTexas ✅ THE GOOD✅#scouting #NFLDraft #Longhorns pic.twitter.com/gRP5I0SWrF — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) March 5, 2025 THE BAD Lacks dynamic burst or twitch to consistently threaten as a pass rusher. Relies heavily on a bull rush or long-arm move, but lacks a refined plan or counter moves when stalled. While agile for his size, Collins doesn’t have the horizontal explosiveness to chase plays outside his frame or recover if his initial move fails. His top-end speed is average, limiting his range. Occasionally plays too high, allowing technically sound linemen to get into his chest and neutralize his power. Needs to refine leverage to maximize his length. As a fifth-year senior he’ll be 23 entering the NFL, older than some peers in the class. TAPE TIME DT Alfred CollinsTexas ❌THE BAD❌#scouting #NFLDraft #Longhorns pic.twitter.com/khYhynLj3A — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) March 5, 2025 THE FIT Alfred Collins is a throwback defensive tackle—big, physical, and nasty at the point of attack. His 2024 season showcased his ability to dominate the run game and disrupt plays with length and power, making him an immediate early-down contributor in the NFL. His pass-rush skills need development, but his frame, football IQ, and versatility offer a foundation for growth. For a team seeking a trench warrior to clog lanes and set the tone, Collins is a Day 2 steal with starter potential in the right system. He’s best utilized as a 3-4 nose tackle or 4-3 1-technique in a gap-control defense that prioritizes stopping the run. His elite run-stopping ability and physical tools make him a safe, high-floor pick, but his limited pass-rush ceiling caps him outside Day 1 and more likely a late Day 2 option. The Dallas Cowboys would look to tap into Collins’ strengths as a run-stuffing defensive tackle with his size and power. He would look to play as a 1-technique nose tackle where his ability to anchor against double teams and disrupt blocking schemes would shine for

Filed under: Cowboys plans for roster upgrades still in front of them after Commanders trade for Deebo Samuel The Cowboys appear to have a plan of sorts this offseason. By Sean Martin Mar 8, 2025, 8:00am CST Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Between last offseason, the 2024 season that saw the Dallas Cowboys finish a distant third to the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders in the NFC East, and the beginning of this current offseason, the Cowboys fan experience hasn’t been the most joyous endeavor for a long period of time now. This is well understood in all of the criticism the franchise has rightfully drawn. Their response to this wave of negativity so far has been shaking up the coaching staff all the way from the top down, replacing Mike McCarthy with Brian Schottenheimer as head coach and hiring new offensive and defensive coordinators Klayton Adams and Matt Eberflus. The Cowboys have also replaced last year’s disingenuous “all in” mantra with a new “selectively aggressive” mindset, something they’ve shown slightly already by getting a new contract done early with defensive cog Osa Odighizuwa, beginning negotiations with Micah Parsons, and restructuring both CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. None of these moves so far have reinvigorated the fanbase entirely, especially not with Kellen Moore and the Eagles being Super Bowl champions and – much more recently – the Dan Quinn led Commanders trading just a fifth-round pick for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The Commanders made this move out of seemingly nowhere and snuck in a subtle jab that teams truly looking to get better can do so at any time, at a moment’s notice. This is a lesson the Cowboys have refused to learn under the current front office. All of their offseason moves so far still point to keeping things relatively status quo and lining things up for the draft to be their lottery draw’s chance at changing fortunes. One look at the amount of holes on the Cowboys current roster is all that’s needed to see that putting more faith than needed in lottery tickets isn’t the best idea. This whole picture created a reaction to the Samuel trade from Cowboys faithful that opened up old wounds and was just the latest opportunity to point out how behind this team is. Wide receiver remains a pressing need for the Cowboys, Samuel was a part of four straight wins for the 49ers against the Cowboys including two in the playoffs starting his rookie season, and now Jayden Daniels has yet another weapon to build on a tremendous rookie season. I’ll be the first to admit that my reaction fell into this same line of thinking when the notification came across that of all teams, a Cowboys rival was the one benefitting from the end of the drama between Samuel and his original team the 49ers. Samuel is a plus scheme fit in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and needed support for Terry McLaurin in the current Commanders offense. He is capable of lining up all over the field, feasting on the yards after the catch opportunities that made Daniels so dynamic as a rookie, and bringing veteran experience to a team looking to build off a surprise trip to the NFC Championship game. With Washington also only giving up a fifth-round pick for Samuel, the comparison was immediately easy to make back to the Cowboys late season trade for Jonathan Mingo. Dallas traded away this year’s fourth-round pick for a receiver that caught five passes for 46 yards in eight games. He never played more than 50% of the team’s offensive snaps in any of his appearances with the Cowboys, despite being out of the playoff picture and without their starting quarterback. The Cowboys will be counting on bringing Mingo through the offseason program to help grow his role going into his first full season with the team, as well as his scheme fit in Schottenheimer’s offense being more of a positive compared to Mike McCarthy’s. Such is the crux of where the Cowboys should actually be complimented for getting back to the football side of their operation at the start of the Schottenheimer era. In a limited sample size that will need to expand in free agency, the draft, and potentially the trade market, the Cowboys are cutting through the noise and prioritizing specific scheme fits their new coaches are looking for. The prioritization of the Odighizuwa deal can be accredited to the Cowboys being extremely thin elsewhere at defensive tackle, but also how much new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus values the 3-tech position Odighizuwa plays and had a career high 4.5 sacks at last season. Schottenheimer’s vision for more “cut splits” (i.e. tight formations and targeting receivers out of the slot) could be the most beneficial thing for Mingo to actually live up to the fourth-round pick price tag as a big, lanky receiver with an above average catch radius. Somewhere under the avalanche of comparisons that came out after the Super Bowl between the champion Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys, the club is actually resembling one important aspect from the team that reclaimed the division from them and parlayed it into a Lombardi trophy. Where the Eagles know precisely the type of players they are looking for to fit their specific schemes, and are willing to pay nearly anything to get them, the Cowboys are laying this ground work to understand the players their new staff wants and prioritizing it. Schottenheimer’s staff coming together quickly ahead of the Senior Bowl and other key draft process dates was an impressive bit of work here to give the Cowboys some advantage. None of this comes with the guarantee that this will be the staff that gets the Cowboys back to championship glory, but if the Cowboys aren’t at least operating with this goal in mind, it would only confirm the worst possible suspicions about how winning between the lines takes a backseat in Dallas. There are

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The latest and greatest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here. Getting deal for Micah early ‘was always the goal’ – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com This is exactly what the Cowboys should do. The narrative surrounding the Cowboys’ ability to re-sign their own players in a timely matter was magnified last season. And rightfully so, considering CeeDee Lamb missed all of training camp with a contract holdout and Dak Prescott didn’t sign his deal until minutes before the Week 1 game in Cleveland. While the Cowboys’ front office has taken plenty of criticism, both Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have tried to point out – respectfully of course – that it’s a two-way street and that the initial asking prices from Dak and CeeDee caused there to be plenty of back-and-forth negotiations that took plenty of time. All of that is pointed out now as the Cowboys have turned their attentions to signing Micah Parsons to a long-term contract, something both sides have said is a priority for this offseason. And let’s not forget, the Cowboys did prevent Osa Odighizuwa from getting to free agency next week by signing him to a four-year, $80 million deal last week. Parsons is on the fifth-year option of his deal, awarded to first-round picks. The Cowboys issued the option for Parsons, which stands at $24.007 million for this season. However, the Cowboys could give Parsons a new deal, which would likely lower his 2025 salary cap as much as $11-12 million. Stephen Jones categorized the talks with Micah as “preliminary” last week when asked about where things stand with Micah. He was then asked if the goal is to get him done early, meaning before the start of free agency next week. “That’s always the goal. The goal was to get CeeDee done early,” Jones said with a smile. “The goal is to get it done when you can get it. How tightfisted Dallas Cowboys evolved from big spenders to bit players in NFL free agency – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News The Cowboys have done a complete 180 from decades past. The Cowboys used to play the role of Evil Empire in free agency. Remember? You may have forgotten they spent $32 million in signing bonus money in 2005 on four players for coach Bill Parcells, which included starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Did you forget there was a wide receiver (Terrell Owens) who showed up in 2006 saying “Get your popcorn ready!” because it was going to be a show? Jerry Jones signed a cornerback (Deion Sanders) in September 1995 to the largest contract for a defensive player in league history. Sanders was playing for a Major League Baseball team as a part-time job, by the way. The Cowboys spent the money. It worked for three Super Bowl titles in the Jones era. Major free agent signings and drafting elite players propelled the Cowboys to those titles. Now, the Cowboys are bit players in free agency, with little evidence it will change. Open Market: Jourdan Lewis headlines free agency options at cornerback for Cowboys – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Lewis is a big in-house priority considering the state of the cornerback position in Dallas. What’s Here: Jourdan Lewis: Snubbed. That is exactly what it feels like when discussing the fact Lewis was named to neither the Pro Bowl nor the All-Pro list, not even as a second-teamer, after the season he produced in 2024. Nonetheless, he was not only one of the best players in the building, but in the NFL, consistently grading out as the best nickel corner in the entire league; and it bears mentioning it wasn’t so long ago that he thought his career was over with a shattered foot that now requires a custom cleat — still playing at the highest level of his career while vocally pushing the locker room to do better on the field. Sign him yesterday to a multi-year deal, seeing how the prove-it deal last time around featured lots and lots of proof, or rather a reminder of what he’s capable of. (P.S. Matt Eberflus and Lewis have a great relationship from their first stint together in Dallas, so…. get’er done.) Israel Mukuamu: OK, I realize I said there wouldn’t need to be any safeties on this list but, technically, Mukuamu is [still] listed as one by the Cowboys, so here we are. Technicalities aside, the versatile defensive back made his way to the NFL as mostly a cornerback at South Carolina before being shoehorned into the safety room for depth reasons. But with the emergence of Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas behind contract-extended talent, i.e., Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, Mukuamu has found his way onto the field as a cornerback for Dallas and been more than serviceable in doing so. A fiery, capable backup who should come at a reasonable price makes this potential keep a hell yes for me. Former Cowboys wide receiver plotting a comeback for 2025 season after recent retirement – Bryan DeArdo, CBS Sports The former third-round pick for the Cowboys wants to get back on the gridiron. Less than a year after abruptly retiring, Michael Gallup is plotting a comeback. Gallup, a veteran wideout who spent his first six NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, intends to resume his career in 2025, according to his agent (via NFL Media). Gallup, who recently turned 29, retired just before the start of training camp last summer. He hung up his cleats less than two months after signing a one-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. Gallup had been released by the Cowboys last March in a cost-cutting move. A 2018 third-round pick, Gallup’s career appeared to be on the fast lane after he eclipsed 1,100 yards receiving during his second season in Dallas. But after having another productive campaign in 2020, Gallup suffered through injuries in 2021 that included a season-ending ACL tear in Week 17. A huge opportunity just came up for the

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images There are a number of veterans on the market who could help the Cowboys. The term “selectively aggressive” from Stephen Jones took the world be storm at the NFL combine. While Cowboys fans have become very familiar with the Cowboys lackluster use of free agency, the recent reports and whispers suggest we could see a slight change in their approach in 2025. With that being said, no one expects the Cowboys to go out and spend major money in free agency, but could signing one of these recently released vets help get the Cowboys back to playoff contention in 2025? Joey Bosa Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images Let me start off by saying this is a big name, which likely means his price tag will take the Cowboys out of the running for pursuing the former Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher. But we are mentioning him due to how highly the Cowboys viewed him coming out of Ohio State in the 2016 NFL draft. Joey Bosa, when healthy, is still one of the better defensive ends in the NFL, but staying healthy has been the main issue for Bosa over the last few years. Since 2022, Bosa has played in just 28 games, racking up 18 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Bosa primarily plays on the left side which is where DeMarcus Lawrence spent most of his time since Micah Parsons arrived in Dallas. Depending on the money here, the Cowboys could very well make an aggressive push for Bosa, based on his success in the NFL so far, and how they felt about him coming out of Ohio State back in 2016. Dre’Mont Jones Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images Fresh off the new contract for Osa Odighizuwa, the Cowboys would be wise to add another versatile defensive lineman prior to the NFL draft. Dre’Mont Jones is a very intriguing option for Dallas due to his ability to play both defensive tackle and defensive end. Jones signed a nice contract with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023, but was released on March 4th as the Seahawks are looking to clear cap space before the start of the league year. Jones had a very strong 2024 season, finishing with four sacks, seven tackles for loss, 13 QB hits, and 45 pressures. Those 45 pressures would have ranked fourth on the Cowboys last year behind Micah Parsons, Osa Odighizuwa, and DeMarvion Overshown. Tyler Lockett Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images This is one that just makes a lot of sense for both parties. The Cowboys have a big need at wide receiver with Brandin Cooks likely leaving in free agency, and even though Tyler Lockett is on the wrong side of 32, he has plenty of familiarity with Brian Schottenheimer. While Lockett is on the decline at this point in his career, he still has enough left in the tank to be a nice complement to CeeDee Lamb and bridge to a young receiver the Cowboys could draft this April to develop into an eventual WR2. Lockett played 762 snaps in 2024, 545 coming on the outside with 215 coming from the slot. That split matches up well with CeeDee Lamb’s role in the offense and would be a great replacement for Brandin Cooks who had a similar percentage of snaps on the outside in 2024. At this point in his career, Lockett will likely be pretty affordable and could look to return to his familiarity with Schottenheimer to close out his NFL career. While he should not be viewed as the solution for the Cowboys wide receiver issues, he can be a major part of the fix moving forward. Preston Smith Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images Last but not least, we have Preston Smith. Smith, a former Green Bay Packer and Pittsburgh Steeler, was released by the Steelers in February after trading for him at the deadline last season. Smith, now 32, finished with just 4.5 sacks in 2024, but reached eight sacks in 2023 (8), 2022 (8.5), and 2021 (9) with the Green Bay Packers. While Smith may not be the pressure player he was in his younger days, he remains a very good player against the run, receiving run defense grades of 64.3 (2024), 74.3 (2023), 64.1 (2022), and 72.1 (2021). If the Cowboys are unable to bring back DeMarcus Lawrence, finding a reliable run defender to play opposite Micah Parsons will be a key need for the Cowboys coming out of this offseason. With Smith’s age and natural decline, he could be a player that falls in the Cowboys price range, which would bring some value to Matt Eberflus as the team’s first-year defensive coordinator.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Michael Gallup is reportedly looking to return to the NFL after a year away. Next week will bring free agency across the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys would be wise to pick up a wide receiver when it all begins. Names like Tyler Lockett make a lot of sense for Dallas, especially given his familiarity with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, having worked together with the Seattle Seahawks. In the theme of reunions, Amari Cooper is also set to be a free agent and that would certainly be interesting. What’s more is that it was reported on Friday afternoon that Cooper is not the only former Cowboys wideout looking for a new team. Michael Gallup is eyeing a return to the NFL. Veteran WR Michael Gallup, whom the #Raiders released from the reserve/retired list today, wants to return to the NFL in 2025, per source. Gallup had 266 career catches in 86 career games with Dallas before signing with Las Vegas last year. He just turned 29. pic.twitter.com/5RL5HW4odA — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 7, 2025 The Cowboys released Gallup last offseason after a down 2023 season from him. You will recall that Dallas extended him two years prior to that, shortly before trading Cooper to the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, Gallup never lived up to that extension, but in his defense he was coming off of a torn ACL when the Cowboys gave it to him. Taken in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Gallup was an extremely serviceable player for the Cowboys, but in the end it was best for Dallas to move on. Tom Pelissero noted that the Las Vegas Raiders released Gallup from the Reserved/Retired list on Friday. You may have forgotten that Gallup signed with them ahead of last season. He did not play at all. In his last season with Dallas, Gallup played in all 17 games and had 34 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns. For context, that was CeeDee Lamb’s huge 2023 year, but again, it was time for the Cowboys to move on. Maybe the Cowboys will be looking at one of these vets in the next week or so.

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images What do you think will be the main focus for the Cowboys in the NFL Draft? While Jerry Jones may not have spoken at the scouting combine for the first time in a long time, Dallas Cowboys fans got plenty of Jerry Jones content from Zack Martin’s retirement press conference on Wednesday. After the Martin retirement press conference, Jones spoke to reporters about the team and their plans heading into free agency and the draft. In doing so, he may have given away some of the Cowboys plans for the draft. When asked about how the Cowboys could spend the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Jones mentioned the team has “a lot of options”, but specifically mentioned running back, defensive line, and “outside pressure players” as potential candidates with the 12th overall pick in the first round. Jerry Jones on picking 12th in the draft: “We’ve got a lot of options. The combine emphasized that there are key players at key areas — RB, DL, outside pressure players. So frankly, this is good time to be where we are.” — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) March 5, 2025 Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty has received most of the first-round running back hype, but people should not overlook North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton as a potential option in the first round as well. As far as the defensive line goes, that list looks a lot larger. Michigan’s Mason Graham headlines the list, but Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, and Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart should also be mentioned as potential candidates in the first round for the Cowboys. For those that do not know, “outside pressure players” means defensive end or edge rushers who will primarily rush “from the outside.” The first round names that fit that criteria should include, Penn State’s Abdul Carter (who is a betting favorite to be the first-overall pick in April), Georgia’s Mykel Williams, Georgia’s Jalon Walker, Tennessee’s James Pierce Jr., Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku, Marshall’s Mike Green, and a name we have not mentioned, but maybe need to start talking more about, Arkansas’ Landon Jackson. While it should be known the Cowboys could go in a different route with their first-round pick (wide receiver, cornerback, or offensive line), it would be wise for us to get very familiar with the names mentioned about, because according to the general manager, those are the positions they are zoning in on in early March as they continue to build their draft board.

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Previewing multiple ways the Cowboys could go about addressing their biggest needs this offseason. Just one week into March, the Dallas Cowboys have already had a more productive offseason than they did during the spring of 2024. Dallas signed their biggest impending free agent, Osa Odighizuwa, to a multi-year deal and are rumored to be looking into locking up more of their own players. While the Cowboys have gotten off to a relatively good start, there is still plenty of work to be done to become a playoff-caliber team. With that in mind, today, we play an offseason version of this or that, picking between two possible paths for Dallas this spring. Let us know if you agree with our selections in the comments section. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images This – Re-sign Jourdan Lewis AND Cooper Rush or That – Re-Sign Rico Dowdle AND Chauncey Golston Our verdict… Jess Haynie I’ll take the Lewis/Rush scenario because of all four players listed, Lewis is the best and hardest to replace. We may already have the next Golston in Marshawn Kneeland, and while Dowdle is dear to my heart he’s an average back in a very saturated market. Rush is a nice bonus in the deal because I do think he’s in the upper half of backup QBs. But the big swing factor here is Lewis, who pushes the secondary to another level of security and brings veteran leadership with it. David Howman Give me JLew coming back to the team. I really would miss Chauncey and Rico, but this is a deep draft class at both spots. Jourdan Lewis has quietly been one of the most consistent slot corners in the NFL throughout his career and he brings elite leadership to the locker room. Also, Cooper Rush just proved why he’s one of the top backup QBs out there, so bringing him back is a plus Matt Holleran As tempting as the package of Dowdle and Golston is, I’m taking Lewis and Rush on this one. Cornerback is sneakily one of the weakest position groups on Dallas’ entire roster, and letting their best cover corner from last year walk in free agency seems like a terrible idea. Lewis means so much to the Cowboys, not just on the field but in the locker room, that you must bring him back. While retaining Cooper Rush isn’t a sexy move, he did prove last season that he’s one of the best backup QBs in the league, making him valuable. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images This – Trade a 2025 fifth-round + 2026 fourth-round pick for veteran WR Cooper Kupp or That – Select a wide receiver with the 12th overall pick Our verdict… Jess Haynie I’m not giving up two draft assets, especially the fourth, for a guy who hasn’t played more than 12 games since 2021. A healthy Kupp would be a killer complement to Lamb, but I don’t think he can give you that anymore. We were able to get Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks for less in those trades. I’d much rather hope that a Tet McMillan or Luther Burden (assuming that’s who we’d take in the 1st) lives up to the hype and gives you an inexpensive WR2 for the next 4-5 years while you’re paying Lamb’s big contract. David Howman I struggled with this one, but ultimately I’ll take the first-round receiver over Kupp. I think that’s where Dallas should go regardless, and either Tetairoa McMillan or Luther Burden would be excellent additions to this offense for the foreseeable future. While I want Kupp, his age and injury history came into play here; in a vacuum I’d be fine with that price tag, but a rookie WR at 12 is going to offer similar production in 2025 with a much higher ceiling. Matt Holleran This is a very close call in my mind. In the end, I’d take sending the trade package for Cooper Kupp over selecting a wide receiver with the 12th overall pick. The Cowboys need an instant impact on their offense. As good as the wide receiver options are in the first round of this draft, there’s no guarantee they will be able to come into the league and produce tight away. While Kupp does come with some serious health concerns, if he is on the field he’s going to produce at a high level. I’d rather acquire a veteran wide receiver, like Kupp, who can serve as your number two and then select a high-upside wideout in the third round than pick one with your first-round selection. Kara Durrette/Getty Images This – Sign a Pro Bowl-caliber offensive player in free agency or That – Sign a Pro Bowl-caliber defensive player in free agency Our verdict… Jess Haynie Well, Dallas kind of already did “That” when they re-signed Osa Odighizuwa. He’s a borderline Pro Bowler at DT if you look at numbers compared to those who did get recognized. But that aside, I’d be happy if they made a big move at either WR or O-Line to take more pressure off the draft. Barring a trade down for more picks, it’s going to be hard for Dallas to address all of its needs. I’d hate to see them pass on a superior talent at a position so they can fill a roster need elsewhere, which often leads to reaching. David Howman ¿Por que no los dos? In an ideal world, the Cowboys do both. After all, they have enough cap space now. But since I have to pick one, give me a Pro Bowl offensive player. This is still an offense first league and the best way to win is to score more points. Plus, Micah Parsons alone is worth three Pro Bowl players in my mind. Matt Holleran With the restructures of CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, the Cowboys have the cap space and flexibility to sign Pro Bowl-caliber players on both sides of the ball.

Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images What is your favorite mock draft so far? Many of the top prospects for the upcoming draft met with potential suitors around the league, and competed in different drills, at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. The event is yet another tool to help with the evaluation process and gives us insight into potential prospects the Dallas Cowboys could be targeting. With a little bit of more information at our disposal, we thought it would be a good time to predict who the Cowboys could select in the 2025 NFL Draft with their premium picks. Today, with the help of the Pro Football Focus simulator, we predicted one way the draft could go for the Cowboys in the early rounds. *TRADE* Steelers receive 1.12, 6.190; Cowboys receive 1.21, 2.53, 4.122 1.21 – RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina Omarion Hampton put on a show at the combine over the weekend and proved why he is one of the best, if not the best, running backs in the 2025 draft class. Drafting RBs in the first round is usually not the best strategy, but Hampton is an exception to the rule. Not only does he have the prototypical size to be a RB1 for the Cowboys, but he’s an elite athlete capable of carrying workload as a complete three-down back. He’d be a tremendous upgrade in Dallas. Omarion Hampton is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.93 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 14 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025. Splits projected, times unofficial. https://t.co/BvtORFYopS pic.twitter.com/8Q7SRqnAgv — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2025 2.44 – WR Jayden Higgins, Iowa State Jayden Higgins was somewhat underrated heading into the combine this past weekend, but proved he’s one of the top wide receivers in the 2025 draft class. Due to his size/speed combination and his ability as a route runner, he compares favorably to Texans WR Nico Collins. He would be a perfect pairing playing on the outside as an “X” WR with CeeDee Lamb and give Dak Prescott another much-needed go-to receiving weapon. I made the comp of Jayden Higgins to Nico Collins and after his combine performance, everyone seems to be on board Higgins is my WR4 and may end up even higher than that. pic.twitter.com/wfBFJ8vemj — NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 1, 2025 2.53 – DT Alfred Collins, Texas Alfred Collins is one of the best run defenders in the entire 2025 draft class and has upside as a pass rusher as well. With his size and length, he easily anchors down against the run and sheds blocks as a nearly immovable force in the middle of defensive line. He could potentially challenge Mazi Smith from Day 1 as a rookie for the starting 1-tech job or at the very least provide some much-needed depth and mass on the interior of Dallas’ DL. Texas DL Alfred Collins played all over the Longhorn front but his future home lies at NT. His length (34.75-inch arms) allows him to establish first contact on blockers with the power to drive opponents backwards when his hands latch on inside. Day 1 impact run defender. pic.twitter.com/3GRDLEUB0V — Derrick (@Steelers_DB) February 14, 2025 3.76 – C Jared Wilson, Georgia Jared Wilson missed an opportunity to prove his worth at the Senior Bowl when he unfortunately had to withdraw from the event, but more than made up for it with his performance at the combine. He was just a one year starter at Georgia, but his talent/movement skills are as good as any iOL prospect in the 2025 draft class. He could challenge to start in Dallas, allowing Cooper Beebe to kick over and replace Zack Martin. Jared Wilson is a OC prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.98 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 2 out of 622 OC from 1987 to 2025. Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/ZIdrLsm28H pic.twitter.com/51vQHCQo7M — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 2, 2025 *TRADE* Cowboys received 4.108; Bills receive 4.122, 5.150 4.108 – CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas State Jacob Parrish will get knocked a little for his size, but he checks all of the other boxes teams look for in a cornerback prospect and more than proved his skill set/talent at the combine over the weekend. He’s tough in coverage and run support, is smooth with fast feet in his transition to click and close on the ball, and is one of the most athletic prospects at his position in the 2025 draft class. He could be a plug-and-play starter as a rookie in Dallas. Jacob Parrish is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.27 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 182 out of 2480 CB from 1987 to 2025. Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/tAtrKRDuj8 pic.twitter.com/icQxfDZoeV — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025