Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys predicted to sign irreplaceable star to record-breaking contract – Koby Skillern, Sports Illustrated Another one of Dallas’ all-star players is likely to get a new deal this year. Since the moment Micah Parsons stepped onto the field as a rookie in a Dallas Cowboys uniform, the spotlight was on him—and he didn’t disappoint. Now, four years later, he’s a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro. Parsons has quickly become one of the best defenders in the league, with the stats to back it up. Now, it’s time to pay him like it. ESPN’s Dan Graziano predicts that Micah Parsons will sign a record-breaking extension worth around $180 million, with $125 million guaranteed over four seasons. This deal would significantly raise the market for top-tier edge rushers, following Nick Bosa’s recent five-year, $170 million contract that reset the market. Parsons’ deal would represent roughly an $11 million increase from Bosa’s contract. The deal would not only make Parsons the highest defender in the league but it would also make him the highest-paid non quarterback in the league. Parsons who has 52.5 sacks and nine force fumbles in his career is certainly worth every penny; however, Parsons did come out and say, “It would be nice to be surrounded by good players, players that will help me win championships, I’ll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn’t sound too fun to me. So, to me, it’s about keeping people that can make a difference.” Brian Schottenheimer candid on Cowboys’ offensive plan, blueprint in 2025 and beyond – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Despite the coaching continuity, there will be some offensive changes this season. Three consecutive years of 12-5 gave way to a train wreck of a campaign from the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, the team finishing with a losing record for the first time since 2020, and while the blame could be slathered over several slices of the proverbial bread, e.g., injuries, the offense under Mike McCarthy earned its fair share of accountability as well. Losing Dak Prescott to a season-ending injury made things worse, true enough, but the unit was disjointed prior to the All-Pro being lost in early November, giving way to backup quarterback Cooper Rush. How might things look differently under Brian Schottenheimer, though? “I’ve watched him have deference to experience,” said Jones. “… I’ve watched him bite his lip sometimes, when he didn’t necessarily agree with the direction. He bit his lip as [Marty Schottenheimer] would’ve told him to: ‘Bite your lip and have deference to the head coach.’” It’s unclear in which situations that occurred, but the coming era of Schottenheimer in Dallas will soon begin to shed light on his thought process as it relates to all things offense — his hiring of Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator and Derrick Foster as running backs coach giving strong indication, already, as to the direction things will go on that side of the ball. “I go back to my days with Pete [Carroll],” said Schottenheimer. “I think if you go back and you look at some of the things we did in Seattle, obviously, the starting point for me would be things that our players do well. You’re always going to start with that. If your system’s not flexible enough to do what your players do well then you’re probably in the wrong business.” Dallas Cowboys 2025 free agent wishlist: Offensive edition – Brian Martin, BloggingTheBoys.com Maybe this year will be the year that Dallas is active in free agency. Considering all of the current “needs” they have, the Cowboys can’t simply rely on building their roster through the 2025 NFL Draft. They will have to address a few of those “needs” via free agency, but who those players may be is the ultimate unknown right now. Today, we thought we’d have a little fun and remove all restraints by putting together a wish list of free agents the Cowboys to target in order to upgrade the offensive side of the ball. As unlikely as it is a sign anyone from this list, we still have our fingers crossed. RB – J.K. Dobbins Running back is arguably the Cowboys biggest roster “need” right now and why they are projected by some mocks to draft RB Ashton Jeanty with the 12th overall pick in the first-round. If they choose to go the free agency route though, J.K. Dobbins is a player to target. His injury history is well documented, but when healthy he’s proven he can be a highly productive RB in the league. Signing him as a free agent could allow Dallas to wait a little later in the draft to take advantage of the deep RB draft class. OG – Trey Smith Protecting Dak Prescott, the highest-paid player in the league, has to be one of the Cowboys top priorities, if not the top priority, moving forward. And, if they are serious about improving the running game, then finding Zack Martin’s replacement at RG if he retires is something they should focus on. By signing Trey Smith via free agency they would accomplish all that. He still just 25 years old and and is the best OG on the open market. He is a plug-and-play starter at RG and would help solidify Dallas’ OL for years to come. Cowboys defender with two years left on $21 million deal may no longer fit – Reid Hanson, USA Today A new defensive scheme may lead to a secondary player being let go. Matt Eberflus is the Dallas Cowboys new defensive coordinator and with him comes a new defensive scheme. As a former Cowboys coach, Eberflus isn’t foreign around these parts. His scheme is much more straight forward than that of Dan Quinn or Mike Zimmer. He stunts less, blitzes less, and disguises his coverages less. For safeties like Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker it

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Peyton Hendershot is the latest person to openly question the Dallas Cowboys culture. It is not a secret that some former Dallas Cowboys players do not believe the team is all about winning. Consider when Cole Beasley left the team and noted that the Buffalo Bills had better facilities. That was a long time ago, but in recent years Dalton Schultz left for the Houston Texans and caused a bit of a frenzy when he referred to the facility tours at The Star as a zoo-like atmosphere that players have to deal with. During the week of Super Bowl LIX, another former player went on record about it all. I happen to be in New Orleans and caught up with Peyton Hendershot during the Kansas City Chiefs availability on Wednesday morning. We had a great chat about Hendershot’s career, his time at Indiana, what it’s like to be in this game and all of the obvious thing, but it goes without saying that Cowboys questions came up. When asked about the pomp and circumstance associated with playing for America’s Team, Hendershot noted that there is a significant difference between his current team and old one, and in the exact same way that former Cowboys have done so in the past. Current Chiefs and former Cowboys TE Peyton Hendershot on the culture differences between the two teams: “This is throwing no strays… but I just feel like when I came to Kansas City… my first experience in the NFL was the Cowboys so that’s all I knew… I just feel like… pic.twitter.com/XLYKwhfiCy — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) February 5, 2025 Hendershot spoke with incredible respect to the Cowboys. His tenor was not one of ill will or in trying to stir the pot. He answered the question with grace and in the most honest way that he could. People shouldn’t assume anything negative here. But Hendershot confirmed what former Cowboys have said in the past by saying that the Chiefs, his current team, are purely focused on football and winning. In the tweet above he referred to “extracurriculars” being more of a priority with the Cowboys, and if you listen to the whole clip you will hear him say things like autograph signings and picture opportunities. He provided some legitimate depth to this subject that has encircled the team for some time. One of the first Cowboys things I asked Hendershot was actually about last offseason specifically. You will recall that he was traded to Kansas City in August so things have been a whirlwind for him since the season started. When asked if the chaos of last offseason that we all saw was something that he felt, he brought up the CeeDee Lamb contract and, like all of us, expressed bewilderment as to why the Cowboys took so long to get it done and noted that Lamb’s absence was a big deal. He even said that they went four to five months without seeing Lamb. Current Chiefs and former Cowboys TE Peyton Hendershot noted that the chaos of last offseason for Dallas was definitely something he felt. He brought up the contract situation that the team was in with CeeDee Lamb, how CeeDee’s absence was felt in his opinion during all of the… pic.twitter.com/kMDnTl2HnO — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) February 5, 2025 Like with the answer about the Cowboys culture this is hardly surprising, but it confirms the things we all tend to believe about the team and how they operate. It is sobering in that sense. For a bit of optimism to end things with, when asked what the Cowboys are getting in Brian Schottenheimer since he worked with him, he noted that he doesn’t exactly know Schottenheimer that well, but he did offer a fair endorsement so to speak. Current Chiefs and former Cowboys TE Peyton Hendershot noted that he couldn’t offer a full opinion on Brian Schottenheimer and how he will succeed as the team’s new head coach because he isn’t in the locker room anymore, but he did note that Schotty is a great guy. It was a fair… pic.twitter.com/S3rZ4nXc7w — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) February 5, 2025

John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Matt Eberflus has a former colleague coming with him to the Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys are making sure that new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is as comfortable as possible in his new role. On Wednesday, the team hired Bryan Bing as an assistant defensive line coach, a position he held in 2024 with the Chicago Bears while Eberflus was the head coach. This makes him the fourth former Bears assistant who has taken their talents to Dallas to follow Eberflus. Bryan Bing has been named the Cowboys assistant defensive line coach. He is the fourth former Bears assistant to follow new coordinator Matt Eberflus to Dallas, joining pass game coordinator Andre Curtis, LBs Dave Borgonzi and assistant DBs David Overstreet. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) February 5, 2025 Bing was with the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 as an assistant defensive line coach due to being a part of the Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellows program. That does it for his experience in the NFL. However, he was a defensive line coach at Butler (2018) and Wofford College (2021-2022). Bing was also a graduate assistant at Heidelberg University (2016), Kent State (2017), and Pittsburgh (2019-2020). The Cowboys have now distanced themselves from former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and the previous regime completely. Hopefully, it produces quality results next season and beyond.

Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK The Cowboys appear to be getting quite the coach in Klayton Adams. Dust is settling on the Dallas Cowboys hiring Klayton Adams as their new offensive coordinator and it is one of the hires in the Brian Schottenheimer era that has gotten just about universal approval. Adams joins the Cowboys off of a stint as the Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach where he oversaw a group that ran the ball very well. Obviously the hope is that he is able to have similar levels of success in Dallas. Beyond having on-field success, it seems that Adams was also a popular figure in the Cardinals locker room. Recent Cardinals lineman Will Hernandez spoke to DLLS while on Radio Row at the Super Bowl and touched on the subject. He spoke with great enthusiasm about Adams and who Dallas is getting. Had a great conversation with Arizona OL Will Hernandez — a free agent this offseason — about Klayton Adams. I’ll share the full interview tomorrow, but first here’s a teaser: “I’m telling you: you got the right guy.” https://t.co/tIj6DZUQYA pic.twitter.com/auKJql7nPK — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) February 4, 2025 It is important to note that Schottenheimer will be calling the plays so Adams’ role as an offensive coordinator is limited in that sense. But Adams will obviously be a key figure in establishing the team’s identity and in helping their identity form as weeks unfold. Hearing a recent player of his, one who Adams obviously worked with closely, is certainly encouraging and perhaps an indication of who could follow Adams to join his new offense. Consider that Will Hernandez is a free agent to be and that Dallas could certainly use help along the interior of the offensive line, especially if Zack Martin retires. If the Cowboys are seriously going to go about attacking the run game differently than they have in the past – the hiring of Schottenheimer and Adams suggest that this is the case to a certain degree – then they will need the proper personnel to do it.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Zack Martin opens up about 2024 Cowboys’ issues There has been a lot of discussion regarding the issues of the 2024 Dallas Cowboys. Whether it has been the injuries, penalties, coaching issues, or roster-building issues, there have been plenty of conversations about what went wrong. Cowboys offensive lineman and current free agent Zack Martin gave insight into some of the issues he felt the team dealt with in 2024. Martin sat down with Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan at Radio Row in New Orleans. In his sit down, Martin expressed his feelings on what was different in 2024: Zack Martin with us on Radio Row: “I’ve got a ton of respect for Coach McCarthy and what he did when he came in here, but for whatever reason something was off this year. Things weren’t gelling, weren’t clicking, and I think that’s something Schotty views as A1 importance, to… pic.twitter.com/Q2DNNRNAiT — Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) February 4, 2025 While this concern is discussing the past, it sounds like things in Dallas were not all sunshine and rainbows throughout the course of the season, and that may be an issue that needs fixing. With a lot of reports circling that former head coach Mike McCarthy had a really good pulse on the locker room and was viewed as a “player coach”, Martin’s comments suggest some issues surrounding the Cowboys locker room, meeting rooms, and overall culture. Martin later mentions that he thinks fixing a lot of these issues will be “A1 importance” for Brian Schottenheimer as a first-year head coach. Schottenheimer will likely have his hands full this year working on the offense, but with Martin’s comments it sounds like he will be digging just as deep into the culture issues that bled through the locker room in McCarthy’s final year in Dallas. It is still to be determined if Zack Martin will return in 2025. When asked in the sit down, Martin mentioned he still is working back to getting healthy before he makes a decision on his career moving forward. He also threw in that he is a free agent this offseason, and that could have an impact on his decision moving forward.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The Cowboys have a tell when it comes to their first-round picks for a first-year head coach Before reading, imagine the meme of Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, where photos and red lines are thumb-tacked all over a board behind him. Trying to determine which way the Dallas Cowboys might be leaning this early in the first round of the draft may seem like a fool’s errand; however, there is one thread we can follow that offers clues about which direction to consider. Dallas is a draft-and-develop team. That has been their core belief regarding roster construction for almost a decade. The front office will be tasked with helping out their first-time head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, in a way they neglected to do last year for Mike McCarthy: getting him some good players to work with. Considering the history and the core belief in building through the draft, there could be a blueprint for how the Cowboys might navigate the first round with their 12th overall pick. The Cowboys franchise has had ten head coaches, with five hired in the last 20 years, starting with Bill Parcells in 2003. When any head coach is hired, who they select with their first pick in their tenure really paints the picture of who they want to be and is usually a player the franchise builds around in that era. Here is the selection of #Cowboys CB Terence Newman during the 2003 NFL Draft: pic.twitter.com/9BoyzZ9Iv4 — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) June 13, 2023 The last four coaches in Dallas have had the fortune of Jerry Jones drafting players who align with their identities as offensive or defensive coaches in the first round. While circumstances influence who gets drafted, things don’t always work out as expected. This could be a coincidence or a connection that doesn’t exist. However, the fact that this has occurred for every first-year head coach since 2003 indicates a pattern. Here are those first-round selections by the Cowboys in the first year of a new head coach: Bill Parcells – Terence Newman, DB Wade Phillips – Anthony Spencer, DE Jason Garrett – Tyron Smith, OT Mike McCarthy – CeeDee Lamb, WR There is a story about the 2003 draft and how Parcells argued with the scouts about who he wanted them to pick. Newman was not Parcells’ guy, and he wanted to go in the direction of a defensive tackle, arguing with Jones during their pre-draft meetings. Even if Newman was not the pick, the goal was still to give Parcells, a defensive coach by nature, a player on that side of the ball to work with. In 2020, during McCarthy’s first draft with Dallas, they desperately needed an edge rusher heading into that season, and all eyes were on LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson. When the Cowboys were on the clock at pick No. 17, CeeDee Lamb was a blinking light staring at their faces. They decided to go with the best player available instead of drafting a player at a position of necessity. When McCarthy first got to Dallas, he talked about wanting to be better on defense than what he had to work with in Green Bay with the Packers. When Lamb was drafted, they already had Amari Cooper and Micahel Gallup under contract, so picking a wide receiver in the first round was unnecessary for McCarthy’s offense. Still, the value was too good to pass on. Michael Irvin said CeeDee Lamb was the top WR on the Cowboys’ draft board. He now pairs with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. A lot of weapons on that Dallas offense pic.twitter.com/QOCgdxhwOf — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 24, 2020 So where does that leave Schottenheimer, who has offense in his DNA? Could the Cowboys lean in that direction again to set their coach up for success in his first year? Well, everything indicates that the team wants to change its approach to the offensive side of the game. Schottenheimer and Stephen Jones have emphasized the importance of establishing the run because that’s what “championship football teams do.” Dallas’ most significant offensive needs are at running back and offensive line. The 32nd-ranked rushing team from 2024 has three runners under contract for next year: Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke, and Deuce Vaughn. Davis has the highest career rushing total of the three with 161 yards. He was not active for a single game last year. They could re-sign their leading rusher, Rico Dowdle, but they could also overhaul the entire room and fall in love with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, one of the top five players in the draft. He would solve their inability to run the ball very quickly. Dallas could also build in the trenches again and draft an offensive lineman for the third time in the last four seasons. Outside of Pro Bowler Tyler Smith, questions surround the best combination of five players along the line. Josh Simmons and I breaking down a couple teach tape frontside kick-out blocks along with a backside cut-off pic.twitter.com/uI36UqPbnx — Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) February 1, 2025 Cooper Beebe was outstanding in his first year at center, but would he be better off at guard, the position he played in college? Will there be a battle between Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele for right tackle if Guyton is not the day one starter on the left side? Zack Martin could retire from football, so can his replacement in Brock Hoffman or T.J. Bass step up for 17 games and continue to improve? There are too many questions about the offensive line right now for the Cowboys to feel comfortable building an identity centered around running the football. However, selecting Will Campbell, Josh Simmons, Tyler Booker, or Kelvin Banks Jr., who all can be day-one starters, and the offensive line looks much better than last year. Dominoes must fall before things are finalized for the draft. The Cowboys desperately need to make some moves in free agency because they don’t have enough

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Here’s your Wednesday morning news about the Dallas Cowboys. Zack Martin’s return to football remains up in the air; so does his return to the Cowboys – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News Zack Martin made it known he’s also a free agent and could play elsewhere this offseason. It’s understandable one of the longest-tenured players on the Cowboys’ roster is still trying to figure out his playing status for 2025. Martin, the seven-time All-Pro guard, is six weeks out from ankle surgery on a joint that cost him mobility during the 2024 season and limited him to just 10 games. When it comes to his future, Martin said he’s not sure what he might do. He could retire. He could play for the Cowboys. He could play for somebody else. “I think people forget I’m a free agent, too,” Martin told The Dallas Morning News from the site of Super Bowl LIX on Tuesday. “I’ll figure out if I am, where I’m playing and if I’m not, then obviously you guys will hear about that. Just trying to get healthy and make a decision down the road.” Martin and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence are the longest-tenured players on the current roster. Both were drafted in 2014: Martin in the first round and Lawrence in the second round. It doesn’t seem long ago that Stephen Jones convinced his father, Jerry Jones, the Martin was a better draft selection than Johnny Manziel. Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey open to negotiating extension with team this offseason – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Dallas might have to extend Micah Parsons and their All-Pro kicker before training camp. For Aubrey, it seems like yesterday that he was arriving at training camp having to earn a spot on the roster for the 2023 season. A little over 16 months later, the conversation has shifted to his name among the elites around the league. “It’s been a dream come true,” Aubrey said. “It feels like it’s gone by incredibly fast. I’m just trying to sit back and enjoy the ride. Just trying to survive week-to-week, then I look backwards and [see] I had a good year.” One big difference for Aubrey heading into his third season will be the absence of special teams coordinator John Fassel, who departed Dallas for the same position with the Tennessee Titans. Fassel discovered Aubrey when he was playing in the USFL for the Birmingham Stallions and developed him over his first two seasons. “He’s a good friend, a mentor,” Aubrey said. “He’s someone who discovered me and started my NFL career off right. I came into training camp battling for position, and they could’ve strung that decision out for a long time, but they made it nice and quick for me. It gave me a lot of confidence and built me up. He gave me every opportunity to succeed.” While Fassel has been crucial in his development, Aubrey said that his kicking coach – the same one he’s had since he started kicking in 2020 – will remain the same. “For me, it’s a separate kicking coach, and that’s the way it works best,” he said. “I’m not sure how it works outside of Dallas, I know other coaches might have more of a hands-on approach. But for me, I’ve got a coach I’ve worked with for five, six years now. He knows me as well as I know me.” Desired continuity may keep Cooper Rush in Dallas – Jess Haynie, Blogging the Boys The Cowboys must figure out the quarterback position behind Dak Prescott, with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance entering free agency. Not only does Rush bring consistent competence on the field but has been praised for assisting the coaches and the starter with game preparation during the week. He’s even been projected as a future QB coach once his playing career ends. That only increases his value as a roster member, even if there are legitimate complaints about his upside when he actually plays. No team better understands Rush’s lesser-seen qualities than the Cowboys. While Kellen Moore may try to get him over to New Orleans, assuming Moore even gets that head coaching job, Dallas should have the deepest appreciation of Rush’s value. So if that’s the case, why is there even a question of Rush getting a new contract? With Brian Schottenheimer’s promotion and Klayton Adams’ arrival as offensive coordinator, plus a new quarterbacks coach still TBD, there are lots of new opinions and perceptions in the coaching staff. But if a degree of continuity is what the front office valued in making Schottenheimer head coach, keeping Rush could help take that further. Still, the new guys may have strong feelings about the type of backup they want. If mobility is something they particularly desire, re-signing Trey Lance might become preferable to Rush. For that matter, Dallas might let both walk and just go with Will Grier as a cheaper backup, or bring in other guys who have worked with Schottenheimer or Adams at previous stops. The coaching staff changes create more variables for the offseason, particularly when it comes to free agency. Dak Prescott may also have a say in this. It’s clear that he influenced the promotion of Schottenheimer, so what if he also throws his support behind Rush? They’ve worked together for the better part of a decade, with Rush being the primary backup for at least six full seasons. With a new OC and position coach coming, Prescott may want a guy he trusts to help him digest the changes. Cowboys blockbuster trade proposal would land $80 million All-Pro in Dallas – Aaliyan Mohammed, Sporting News Does Jerry Jones view Cooper Kupp as an “all-in” addition to the roster for 2025? Los Angeles Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp revealed on X that the Rams are seeking a trade for him. Kupp is a former Super Bowl MVP and is one of the most talented players in the league.