Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Brian Schottenheimer seems focused on connecting Cowboys present to its past. During his press conference ahead of OTAs last week, Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked about his choice to wear a visor. Specifically, he was asked if his visor is a nod to Steve Spurrier. For those unaware, Schotty was a part of the 1996 Florida Gators team that Spurrier led to the National Championship. Schottenheimer landed in Gainesville by way of transfer and told that story while reflecting on the role that Spurrier, known for his signature visor, played in his football development. He even bragged about that team’s title while recounting the story. Schottenheimer was a clipboard holder for those Gators as Danny Wuerffel was the team’s quarterback and was also that season’s Heisman Trophy Winner, but the role and experience clearly taught him a lot. As noted, Schottenheimer bragged about the team he was a part of just last week right after confirming that he wears a visor as a nod to the man who helped it all happen. History is clearly important to the son of one of the NFL’s greatest coaches ever. Marty Schottenheimer ranks eighth all time in terms of NFL head coach wins, and was clearly a force during his time patrolling the league’s sidelines. Brian also made mention of how he would love to speak to his father, Marty passed away in 2021, about life running an NFL team. Brian Schottenheimer appears to want to marry the present with the past You do not have to look hard to see that history matters to Brian Schottenheimer. It makes sense that this would be the case given the football life that he has lived. But while Schottenheimer has been around the Cowboys for a minute now, he is not Jason Garrett in that he grew up with this team. He has never worn a Cowboys helmet, nor did he throw a pass at Texas Stadium, and he obviously never started for the team at quarterback on Thanksgiving Day. Still though, the team’s history seems to carry a high level of importance for Schotty. We touched on this in our news roundup last weekend but in case you missed it the Cowboys hosted former legends of the team alongside their families to partake in action with the current day team. The mothership’s Mickey Spagnola offered some details on the event: Yep, Schottenheimer wanted his players to connect with greatness, with the Cowboys’ glorified past. These guys were not only here to watch practice but also sit in during the team and position meetings, allowing these former players to introduce themselves but also bring along family members, for sure children and grandchildren. Also an opportunity to kibitz with one another, reliving old times. You could argue that a problem some Cowboys teams have had throughout The Drought™ is that they were living in the past. What different teams, different eras honestly, accomplished is business that only they can stand on. Different players and coaches hung the banners that fly within AT&T Stadium these days. The current version of the team has yet to do so. But ignoring or running from the past is also a step in the wrong direction. This is the Dallas Cowboys we are talking about, a team rich with history and tradition. It is at the very least cool that Schottenheimer is trying to convey the reasons as to why the star on the players’ helmets are so heavy. It is because of the people that came before them and everything that they did to lift it up so high. Spagnola noted a list of players who partook in these activities and one of them was former BTBer Tony Casillas. On Monday, Casillas shared a bit of what the experience was like from his perspective and it all sounds very cool. Cowboys culture changing !! #HappyMonday pic.twitter.com/jXRmsJMRpP — tony casillas (@tccasillas) June 2, 2025 Nobody is suggesting that Schottenheimer bringing some of the greatest players in team history around is going to help the current squad on any hypothetical 1st-and-10. What we are noting here is that the head coach seems to understand some important things that are rather intangible. That is important in and of itself. Good for Schotty and his visor-wearing ways.

Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images Kaiir Elam could wind up as an incredibly important member of the Cowboys. It is a bit difficult to choose the most important offseason acquisition that the Dallas Cowboys made. Part of the reason that this choice is somewhat tough is because the Cowboys made so many moves. Some may roll their eyes at a statement like that, but the reality is that the Cowboys pulled off a number of trades on top of signing more players than we are accustomed to seeing from a quantitative standpoint. In terms of which acquisition could carry the biggest impact, the most logical answer is wide receiver George Pickens. But as we get into seeing a bit more of the team through snippets like OTAs you do have to wonder if there is someone else who we underestimated at first that could prove to be quite vital. Kaiir Elam could be a prominent member of the secondary this season Any time Cowboys brass has spoken since acquiring him, they have made sure to mention cornerback Kaiir Elam. We know that the Cowboys hold their scouting process very near and dear to their hearts. Given that they thought highly of Elam when he was entering the league and went to the Buffalo Bills in the first round, it is pretty chalk for them to fall in line with their own previous line of thought. Nobody is in the business of overreacting to anything from OTAs at the end of May, but Thursday saw Elam draw a starting position on the outside. He seemed to make the most of it in the limited action that OTAs provide. Some overarching #Cowboys notes from the second media viewing period: – DaRon Bland spent a majority of the time in the slot during 11 on 11 and 7 on 7 periods. When he lined up outside, both Kemon Hall and Juanyeh Thomas saw reps there. – Rookie LB Shemar James was absent… pic.twitter.com/pEbUx4OJql — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) May 29, 2025 The cornerback room is one of those with extreme boom or bust qualities for the team as far as the 2025 season is concerned. Trevon Diggs is a question mark of sorts in terms of returning from injury. The same is true for Shavon Revel, although he is obviously new to the team in that he was just drafted. Bodies are in all likelihood going to be necessary across the attrition that is the season which means that Elam could play a critical role. Beyond just being a literal necessity, it is also interesting to consider how important Elam’s presence could be from a what-the-Cowboys-want-to-do perspective. Again, these were just OTAs, but it is curious that DaRon Bland saw work primarily in the slot. If you recall this is where the Cowboys wanted to play him in 2023 before Trevon Diggs was lost to injury and they were forced to put Bland outside opposite of Stephon Gilmore at the time. Perhaps Elam’s presence can help allow the team to move Bland where they prefer, give Revel more time to recover and have insurance behind Diggs. It was another good day for Cowboys CB Kaiir Elam. Seems to be fitting in well and has found some early confidence on the grass. pic.twitter.com/LYVleTmnhQ — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) May 29, 2025 These are all questions that don’t have a particular answer at this point in time. We are still very early in the overall process and it is going to be a bit before these things begin to reveal themselves. But it seems as if Kaiir Elam is definitely going to have some notable responsibilities within the team across this season. Hopefully he is ready for them.

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images One of the most important things for the Cowboys in 2025 is going to be health. The Dallas Cowboys can change the coaching staff and upgrade the roster, but the one thing they can’t do is prevent injuries from happening no matter how hard they try. They learned that the hard way last year in 2024 when the injury bug bit them hard. Throughout the season last year, several key players missed time due to one nagging injury or another. Some of those injuries were more severe than others, landing several players on injured reserve. Dallas’ offense and defense suffered as a result. Offensively, the biggest blow was losing QB Dak Prescott for half the season to a season-ending hamstring injury. His absence was significant, but injuries to Brandin Cooks, Jake Ferguson, and Zack Martin also negatively impacted Dallas’ offensive production throughout the year as well. Defensively things were even worse. There was a revolving door due to injuries at both defensive end and cornerback due to injuries. That resulted in several of those players spending time on IR at some point. If you add in DeMarvion Overshown’s season-ending injury, at no point in the 2024 season was Dallas’ defense close to full strength. While it’s true that was then and this is now, sadly several of those injuries to key players will carry over into the 2025 season for the Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown, and Sam Williams will be returning from season-ending injuries this year with only Prescott and Williams likely healthy enough to play in the season opener. The timetable for Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown to potentially play in 2025 is one of the ultimate mysteries right now for the Cowboys. There’s a chance both could possibly be available at about the mid-season point, however, the severity of both players injuries probably make that a best case scenario. If that wasn’t enough, the Cowboys drafted CB Shavon Revel in the third round this year, and he too is currently working his way back from a season-ending injury. Unlike Diggs though, Revel is expected to to be back around the time the Cowboys report to training camp where he could be competing for a starting job. Even though it’s out of their control, the Dallas Cowboys 2025 season likely hinges on several of their key players getting back to being 100% healthy and hopefully staying that way, or close to it, for the entire year. If not, we could see a repeat of their injury plagued 2024 season all over again. With their season likely hanging in the balance, the Cowboys have to find some way of better overcoming injuries than they did a season ago. Hopefully the moves that made in the offseason will help this situation better than it did last year, but only time will tell if that’s true or not. Whatever the case, injuries could once again play a huge factor in Dallas’ success or failure once again in 2025. All we can do is hope and pray for the best while we sit back and watch to see how all of this unfolds.

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 94) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we asked some of our writers to rank their top-100 players in Cowboys history using no particular criteria, and put the results together into one list. The further away you get from the top 20 or so, the more varied the opinions. Sometimes it is about more than just stats. Things like fame level, length of career in Dallas, the era they played in – all can affect where an individual might rank them. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 94. Eugene Lockhart Born: March 8, 1961, Crockett, TexasPosition: Linebacker Dallas Cowboys: 1984-1990Awards: All-Pro (1989) Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images Eugene Lockhart played linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys from 1984 to 1990 after being drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Houston. Known for his intensity and tackling ability, Lockhart quickly became a key part of the Cowboys’ defense during a transitional period for the team. In 1989, he led the league in tackles, recording a career-high total of 222, setting the franchise record. Though the Cowboys were not big contenders during most of his tenure, Lockhart remained a consistent and productive presence on the field. His hard hits and relentless tackling ability got him the nickname “Eugene the hitting machine”. The unfortunate part for Lockhart was the fact he was a standout player and elite defender on a Cowboys roster that was at its lowest, even in his standout season in 1989 the Cowboys still went 1-15. For this reason, Lockhart missed out on big opportunities and was never a part of the Pro Bowl. With the arrival of Jimmy Johnson, despite leading the team in tackles again in 1990, Lockhart was traded to the New England Patriots. So much fun with former #Cowboys Eugene Lockhart. Do yourself a favor, watch the full interview! Here is a sample for you to enjoy. He talks about coming in for an injured Bob Breunig. You don’t get inside stories like this anywhere else! #CowboysNation #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/KZkF67LKo4 — Mike Tag (@mtag1993) June 15, 2023 Best known for:Lockhart was best known for leading the NFL in tackles in 1989 and being a hard-hitting force in the middle of the Cowboys’ defense. He led the team in tackles in four of his seven years with the team. Lesser known fact:In 2012, Lockhart was incarcerated for fraud, a moment he deeply regrets and gives caution to people about trusting the wrong people. Since leaving prison he now does motivational speaking and mentorship, becoming a key role model for young athletes. ✭ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ✭ With 100 days to go until the #Cowboys kickoff the season the #Eagles, we are counting down with a @BloggingTheBoys Top-100 consensus ranking. We asked staffers to give in their top-100, here is: DAY 94 Eugene Lockhart#DallasCowboys #NFL… pic.twitter.com/RMr7f2YK2g — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 2, 2025

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images 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.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys have a huge decision to make about DaRon Bland in the near future. The Dallas Cowboys are about to have a lot of decisions to make. Micah Parsons’s contract has already been the subject of much discussion, but other players entering the final year of their current deal include George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, Jake Ferguson, Hunter Luepke, Brandon Aubrey, Sam Williams, Donovan Wilson, and DaRon Bland. Of all of those names, though, Bland may be the most intriguing. A fifth-round pick in 2022, Bland was pushed into a starting role as a rookie when slot corner Jourdan Lewis suffered a season-ending injury. He played well enough to earn the starting job opposite Trevon Diggs the next year, though Diggs would suffer an injury of his own early into the season. Bland, who had led the team with five picks the year before, lit the league on fire with a league-leading nine interceptions, breaking a record by returning five of them for a touchdown. Unsurprisingly, Bland was named a First-Team All-Pro that year. However, Bland’s follow-up campaign wasn’t as special. He failed to record an interception all year, though he missed more than half the season with a foot injury. Even when he did play, though, Bland didn’t look like himself. He gave up a completion two thirds of the time quarterbacks threw at him, and Bland’s passer rating allowed clocked in at 116.1, which is easily the worst mark in his career. In fact, only seven cornerbacks had a worse passer rating when targeted last year. Of course, none of this is to say that Bland is a bad player – the injury and the scheme change are two big factors to consider – but it does complicate the question of Bland’s market as contract negotiations approach. Bland’s 2023 was spectacular, and he’s already got his name in the NFL record books. It won’t surprise anyone if his agent tries to make Bland the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Honestly, anything less than top five would be a shock. Currently, Spotrac lists Bland’s market value at an average of $23.7 million per year. That would make him the third-highest paid cornerback, behind Jaire Alexander of the Packers and Denzel Ward of the Browns. That said, Spotrac’s formula generally puts more weight on comparisons to current contracts of players with similar performance rather than taking into account potential resetting of markets. In other words, Bland could very easily end up securing a contract that pays him more than $24 million a year. Whatever the actual number ends up being, though, it shouldn’t be with the Cowboys. Jerry Jones would be wise to mimic a move he pulled back in 2019 with another cornerback in Byron Jones. While Jones had quickly grown into one of the better coverage corners in the league, Dallas didn’t feel he was worth top-market money, in part due to a lack of takeaways. As such, it became a widely known secret that the Cowboys were going to let Jones walk. Bland is kind of in a reverse situation. Unlike Jones, Bland has a knack for getting takeaways; even this past year, with no picks, Bland recovered his first career fumble. However, Bland hasn’t been quite the shutdown cover corner that Jones once was. He’s giving up a 65.2% completion rate for his career and has been the victim of quite a few big plays over the years. Again, nobody thinks Bland is a bad cornerback, and he’s certainly in the realm of very good. But is his body of work thus far worthy of being paid like one of the three best cornerbacks in the league? It’s unpopular, but the answer is no. The Cowboys might know this, too. Last year they drafted Caelen Carson in the fifth round and this year they took Shavon Revel Jr. in the third. Carson looked overwhelmed in limited play as a rookie, and Revel is still recovering from a torn ACL, but both players have potential and upside. If the Cowboys are planning to give Bland the Byron Jones treatment, they’ve already got two in-house replacements they can be developing. And, of course, there’s always the 2026 draft and free agency if neither is ready. But a future without Bland in Dallas seems much more palatable than one where he’s being paid top dollar.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images It is basically impossible that Emmitt Smith’s career rushing record will ever be caught… but there is one semi interesting active player to monitor. Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith set what many feel is an unbreakable NFL record for career rushing yards. But after a monster first season in Baltimore in 2024, Derrick Henry has at least forced us to do the math. The Ravens’ star RB isn’t completely out of range at this point, though he would need some rare longevity to make it happen. In October 2002, during his last year with the Cowboys, Smith broke Walter Payton’s record of 16,726 yards to become the all-time leader. He increased his lead over the rest of that season and two more with the Cardinals, retiring after 2004 with 18,355 rushing yards over a 15-year career. Henry just finished his ninth NFL season, his first in Baltimore after an eight-year stint with the Tennessee Titans. Considered just another aging runner at an increasingly devalued position, Henry signing with the Ravens wasn’t considered a game-changing move at the time. But between Henry’s work there and Saquon Barkley’s impact on the Eagles, 2024 was a big year for RB respect. Henry finished second to Barkley with a whopping 1,921 yards, the 11th-highest single-season mark in NFL history. Even Emmitt Smith only ever had 1,713 yards in one year, albeit before they started playing 17 games. With last season’s surge, Henry now has 11,423 total yards after nine years. After his ninth season in 1998, Smith had 12,566 yards. So while Henry is still behind him on that all-time pace, it’s not as far off as you might have guessed. Henry currently sits 19th on the career leaderboard and, with just another 1,000 yards, will shoot up to 11th past the legendary Jim Brown. Another 500 yards from there, he knocks Dallas great Tony Dorsett out of the top ten. What’s really interesting to consider is if Henry hadn’t spent his first two seasons as a backup to another former Cowboy, DeMarco Murray. The Titans traded for Murray in 2016 about a month before drafting Henry. While Murray was very good for Tennessee, going to the Pro Bowl in 2016, it forced a slow start to Henry’s career. If he’d been a starter from Day 1, Henry could’ve easily closed that production gap with Emmitt Smith and perhaps even had more yards after nine seasons. Losing half a season in 2021 due to a foot fracture also didn’t help. What really matters now, of course, is what happens from here. And for Henry, it’s a gigantic order. He needs 6,933 more rushing yards to break Smith’s record. Even if Henry played until he was 35, that’s just four more seasons. That would mean averaging about 1,733 yards during those years, which is almost unfathomable for a back his age in the modern NFL. Especially when you consider Henry’s physical playing style, it’s amazing he could even do what he did last year. Power backs tend to break down faster with all the punishment they take, so Henry is already performing miracles. Many are wary of him even keeping it going in 2025, let alone for years to come. Derrick Henry’s career is a great example of why Emmitt Smith’s record is perceived to be so unbreakable. It was a perfect storm of talent, an immediate starting role, avoiding major injuries, and being allowed to keep playing well beyond his prime. Henry has done about as good a job as any RB could and still would need incredible longevity to even get into the top five (Adrian Peterson’s 14,918 yards), let alone threaten Smith. For Cowboys fans, it’s further reassurance that our beloved ’90s icon will maintain his perch for a long time to come, if not forever.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Here is a look at the state of the Cowboys edge rushers In our last edition of the roster rundown, we discussed the defensive tackles and how they will fit in to improve the defense. Now we move on to the defensive ends. The one area the team should excel at overall is rushing the passer, specifically from the edges. Although losing DeMarcus Lawrence to free agency does take some wind out of their sails, the Cowboys have done a good job of replenishing the position and have good prospects on deck ready to step up to the plate. Today we examine the Cowboys at edge rusher. Micah Parsons Micah Parsons checks off every box you want in a pass rusher. He has elite speed and quickness that allows easy paths against guards and centers when isolated pass rushes. Also, his power is underrated especially when rushing from the interior. Once he’s got a path to the quarterback, it’s over. Parsons has phenomenal closing speed and flexibility to retrace back to the quarterback once he has left the pocket. Most importantly for Parsons, is the unpredictability of where he lines up once the defense breaks the huddle. It places so much pressure on the opposing team’s blocking assignments to make sure he’s properly accounted for. At only 26 years old, Parsons has been named to four Pro Bowls, and three All-Pro Teams. The only questions that remain are can he be the leader to turn the defense into a championship-caliber one and how much money the Cowboys will pay him? We may learn the answers to both in 2025. Dante Fowler After a brief stint with the Washington Commanders, Dante Fowler is back with the Cowboys on a one-year, $6M contract with $5M being guaranteed. It’s a great deal for the Cowboys because Fowler has shown he has a lot left in the tank. Last season he had 10.5 sacks and one would have expected that Fowler would have had a busier market after such a season, but it’s the Cowboys who benefit, signing Fowler to a team-friendly contract. It’s anyone’s guess if he will warrant the number of snaps he did with the Commanders, but he has shown to be productive with the playing time he receives over the past three seasons. You can expect that in a contract year yet again, Fowler will look to put his foot forward. Marshawn Kneeland As a rookie, Marshawn Kneeland was off to a promising start. Early in training camp, Micah Parsons had this to say of the rookie: “I think he’s going to be a great player,” Parsons said. “I’m giving him comps, I think he’s a young Cam Jordan. I think he has the talent and ability. He’s just so hungry every day, willing to learn and he has that dog in him. He has unteachable characteristics.” “Sometimes you have rookies that come in here…and are reluctant. Marshawn came in right away asking questions.” Kneeland has a lot of polish to his game for such a young player and has very good technique and strong hands. A knee injury forced him to spend some time on injured reserve, but he should be fully healthy for 2025. The team should feel good about his potential. Again, especially with Lawrence now in Seattle, it’s time for Kneeland and his other counterparts to step up. 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. Donovan Ezeiruaku Donovan Ezeiruaku is arguably the best pick of the Cowboys’ draft. His length as a pass rusher is exceptional with 34-inch arms but also has terrific flexibility to capture the edge around offensive tackles. Not only that, Ezeiruaku is very adept at converting his speed to power to drive back offensive linemen. He could be the best value of the Cowboys draft solely based on his potential and warrant significant playing time as a rookie. It’ll be very exciting to see his 1-on-1 reps in training camp versus Tyler Guyton to get a barometer of both players. Payton Turner Before he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round in the 2021 draft, Payton Turner was a late riser. Boasting a 6’6”, 270 lb. frame, the Saints were expecting Turner to be a cornerstone for the future. However, that was been nowhere near close to coming to fruition. While Turner experienced injuries in 2023 that caused him to miss 13 games, he never started a single game with the Saints despite being taken in the first round. Turner comes to Dallas on a modest one-year, $2M contract hoping to turn things around. Turner is a really good athlete that can be used on twists and stunts. Also, his length may contribute to special teams on the field goal unit. The Cowboys have a lot of depth at the edge rusher spot so Turner will have to make the most of what may be limited opportunity.

Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 95) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we asked some of our writers to rank their top-100 players in Cowboys history using no particular criteria, and put the results together into one list. The further away you get from the top 20 or so, the more varied the opinions. Sometimes it is about more than just stats. Things like fame level, length of career in Dallas, the era they played in – all can affect where an individual might rank them. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 95. Eddie LeBaron Born: January 7, 1930. San Rafael, CaliforniaPosition: Quaterback Dallas Cowboys: 1960–1963Awards: NFL Rookie of the Year (1952)4× Pro Bowl (1955, 1957, 1958, 1962) Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images Eddie LeBaron joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1960 as the franchise’s first starting quarterback during their inaugural NFL season. Though undersized at just 5’7”, LeBaron brought veteran leadership and experience to a young expansion team. Despite the Cowboys’ struggles in their early years, he provided stability and professionalism, helping to lay the groundwork for the team’s future success. LeBaron played three seasons in Dallas before retiring, earning respect for his toughness and intelligence on the field. He would lay the foundation for Don Meredith and be his mentor, helping the young quarterback ease into the life of professional football. After life playing quarterback in the NFL, LeBaron served as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons from 1977 until 1981. Eddie LeBaron, the first Dallas Cowboys QB, in 1961. Eddie, a Korean War veteran, was 5’7″ tall and weighed 168 .lbs. pic.twitter.com/pQKeKjgmc0 — Traces of Texas (@TracesofTexas) May 17, 2022 Sadly, LeBaron passed away in April, 2015. He left behind a legacy in the league as well as leaving behind his wife, three sons, along with five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His entire life from the military to the league proved that great things come in small packages. Eddie LeBaron, Starting QB on Cowboys’ Inaugural 1960 Team; Passes Away http://t.co/UN4OD3a64b pic.twitter.com/TH4QKiL9Md — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 2, 2015 Best known for:LeBaron was best known for being the first starting quarterback in Cowboys history, throwing the first touchdown for the franchise and setting the tone for the team’s future. The Dallas #Cowboys‘ first game in franchise history was played in #Seattle — a 16-10 exhibition loss to the 49ers before 22,000 fans at Husky Stadium. The game was part of the city’s Seafair festival. Eddie LeBaron hit Frank Clarke for the lone Dallas touchdown August 6, 1960 pic.twitter.com/rzSFWGL5Vv — Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) August 19, 2023 Lesser known fact:Before joining the Cowboys, LeBaron served as a U.S. Marine in the Korean War and was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism, making him one of the few NFL players to have also been a decorated war veteran. He also owns the record for the shortest passing touchdown in NFL history, throwing a strike in the end zone from the two-inch line. ✭ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ✭ With 100 days to go until the #Cowboys kickoff the season the #Eagles, we are counting down with a @BloggingTheBoys Top-100 consensus ranking. We asked staffers to give in their top-100, here is: DAY 95Eddie LeBaron#DallasCowboys #NFL… pic.twitter.com/3rqAS7Txdi — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 1, 2025

Think you can figure out which Cowboys player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game! Can you guess this free agent addition in today’s in-5 trivia game?Hey Cowboys fans! We’re back for another day of the Blogging The Boys in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form. If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article. Previous games Saturday, May 31, 2025Friday, May 30, 2025Thursday, May 29, 2025 Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games NFL in-5MLB in-5MMA in-5 Blogging The Boys in-5 instructions The goal of the game is to guess the correct Cowboys player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form. Enjoy!