Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Here are all the winners and losers from the Cowboys’ hiring of Klayton Adams. What a week it’s been for the Dallas Cowboys. Since naming Brian Schottenheimer their new head coach and the discourse surrounding the decision, the team has made some good decisions in assembling their coaching. First, the team named Matt Eberflus as their defensive coordinator to replace Mike Zimmer. Eberflus once worked in Dallas, coaching under Rob Ryan and returning to Dallas after his stint as head coach of the Chicago Bears. The other hire that has fans excited is Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator. Adams comes over from the Arizona Cardinals, where he made an instant impact with their offensive line, and the Cowboys feel he can give the Cowboys some fresh ideas and diverse looks to spice up the offense. Focusing more on the offense, with the addition of Adams, some players/staff will prosper because of it, while some may see a change in their standing with the Cowboys. Here are the winners and losers of Dallas hiring Klayton Adams as their offensive coordinator. Loser: Mike Solari It’s hard to envision a way Mike Solari can remain on the staff for much longer. Despite his years of experience, the Cowboys’ offensive line has regressed over the past few seasons. Terence Steele doesn’t look quite right since his season-ending knee injury in 2022, and Solari was tasked with getting a young offensive line going on the right foot. Cooper Beebe fared relatively well, but Tyler Guyton did not. Even though Solari has a relationship with Schottenheimer dating back to their time with Seattle, Adams’ presence on the team pushes Solari into a corner. If your new coordinator can get results from what he had to work with Arizona, imagine what he could do with the prospects in Dallas. Solari isn’t out the door yet, but his standing in Dallas is becoming more tenuous with Adams’ arrival. Winner: Tyler Guyton For the Cowboys offense to get back on track in 2025, you get the sense that it’ll be contingent upon how well Tyler Guyton develops. He had a rough rookie year where he was flagged for penalties numerous times and was benched for inconsistency while learning a new position at left tackle. Adams’ reputation as a miracle worker with offensive linemen could be what Guyton needs to get his confidence and start trending his career in the right direction. The hiring could very well have been done with Guyton in mind. It was already expected that Guyton would improve from year one to year two, but because of Adams’ impact, it could mean much more. Guyton having a coordinator with that area of expertise and playing for a coordinator who understands the importance of using misdirection runs will tremendously help showcase Guyton’s athleticism in the running game. Expect to see a more diverse running game with Guyton punishing smaller defenders on the move. Loser: Rico Dowdle This depends on how you want to look at it. Rico Dowlde is coming off the best season of his career at 26 years old, when he ran for 1,079 yards for an average of 4.6 yards per carry. Still, he’s an unrestricted free agent, and if we’re being honest, the Cowboys could already have their eyes elsewhere. It’s a loaded crop of running backs in the draft; the one name being floated around is Ashton Jeanty, with Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson also connected to the Cowboys. Although Dowdle ran well last year, there’s still a lack of speed in his game, which makes him feel replaceable. A new staff, a new coordinator, and rumors of former Cowboys running back Tashard Choice coming to be the running backs coach could mean a fresh start at the position. It’s for the best. The Cowboys’ running back room needs a reset, and Dowdle, coming off the year he had, would be wise to look for a pay raise elsewhere that the Cowboys likely would not be inclined to pay. Winner: Dak Prescott A new coordinator with innovative ideas in the running game will also benefit the passing game. In speaking with the media this week, Coach Schottenheimer said that he wants to design runs and passing plays to look the same. He wants to create indecision from opposing defenses that will permit Dak Prescott with opportunities to attack the defense off play-action and manufacture big plays in the secondary. Prescott has always been an excellent passer attacking the middle of the defense. If Adams’ offense is designed to create hesitation in the defense, expect Prescott to exploit that area of the field. CeeDee Lamb also benefits from this change by being a premier receiver at every level of defense. A healthy Prescott with a potent play-action attack is a formula success in 2025.
Cowboys news: Dallas continues filling out offensive coaching staff
Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images The latest Super Bowl week Dallas Cowboys news. Report: Cowboys to hire RB coach with ties to Alvin Kamara, Austin Ekeler – Todd Brock, The Cowboys Wire The Cowboys have their running back coach to help refill the depth chart at their thinnest spot. Foster, 38, will come to Dallas from New Orleans, where he served as RB coach this past season and helped guide Alvin Kamara to 950 rushing yards in 14 games and a yards-per-game average (67.9) that was 12th-best in the league for 2024. He was in same position for the Chargers prior to that and was instrumental in helping Austin Ekeler deliver the three highest season yardage totals of his NFL career. Foster had interviewed with the Cowboys last week, as had former Dallas running back Tashard Choice, currently the position coach at Texas. Oregon running backs coach and Metroplex product Ra’Shaad Samples was also reportedly on the candidate list. Both Choice and Samples were highly regarded, though there was speculation that either would have had to take a significant pay cut to leave their premier Power Five programs to work for Jerry Jones, who has a reputation for giving budget-conscious contracts to his coaches. Like those individuals, Foster also has extensive college experience, dating back to 2011 with stints on staff at Valdosta State, Tennessee, Northwestern State, Samford, and three seasons at Iowa before making the jump to the NFL in 2021. His role at nearly all of those stops focused on running backs. The Cowboys will look to turn around their ground game in 2025 after a season in which they ranked 27th leaguewide in rushing yards, were third-worst in yards per carry, and had the fewest number of rushing touchdowns of any team in the NFL. Rico Dowdle finished the season ranked 12th in rushing yards with 1,079. Cowboys add Tiquan Underwood as assistant wide receiver coach – Connor Livesay, Blogging The Boys Much like their hire at RB coach, Tiquan Underwood joins the staff at a position in need of talent. After his playing career, Underwood has spent time in both the college and pro ranks with the University of Lafayette (2018), the Miami Dolphins (2019), Rutgers University (2020-2021), University of Pittsburgh (2022-2023), and the New England Patriots (2024). Underwood has experience as a wide receivers coach, offensive quality control coach, passing game coordinator, and assistant wide receivers coach in his five stops. With the wide receiver coach job still to be decided, Underwood was a unique hire. Reports suggested that Underwood was receiving interest from Florida State, but elected to stay in the National Football League to work with the Cowboys receiving group that could have some new faces here soon. Cooper Kupp says Rams are looking to trade him ‘immediately’; could the Cowboys be a fit? – Staff, Dallas Morning News It wouldn’t be the offseason without wild trade speculation, would it? Kupp was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 after his staggering 145 catches for 1947 yards, both of which are second on the all-time single-season record list. But he’s played in just 33 out of 51 possible regular season games over the past three seasons due to a rash of injuries, including missing four games last season with a high ankle sprain. He finished the 2024-25 season with 67 catches for 710 yards. “2024 began with one of the best training camps of my career,” Kupp wrote. “Preparations start now for 2025. Highly motivated, as healthy as ever, and looking forward to playing elite football for years to come.” Could Kupp be a fit for the Cowboys? Dallas has been in need of a No. 2 offensive weapon next to CeeDee Lamb for a while now, and that won’t change next season without a big pickup either via the draft, free agency or a trade. Cowboys No. 2 WR Brandin Cooks will be a free agent. Kupp is under contract for 2025 at a $29.7 million cap hit. According to USA Today’s Jacob Camenker, who tabbed Kupp as a possible fit with the Cowboys in a piece from earlier this season, the Rams have expressed a willingness to absorb some of that cap hit in order to move Kupp. In terms of the likelihood Dallas lands the WR, though, Camenker says don’t hold your breath. High 5: Rising stocks from Senior Bowl & Shrine Bowl – Kyle Youmans, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys were well represented at the collegiate all star games, looking to turn their draft fortunes around and bolster the roster. Let’s rank the top five players that improved their draft stock from a week full of football between the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl, starting with the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Jack Bech – WR (TCU) – One of the great stories of the week, Bech stood out as soon as he took the field for National Team practice on Tuesday. Just one month after his brother passed away in the deadly New Orleans attack, he honored him by winning the overall MVP award and catching the game-winning touchdown. It wasn’t just the story that stood out, his play spoke wonders too. His six catches for 68 yards in the game included a down-field strike from quarterback Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) for 39 yards. His performance capped a dominant week of practice where he was named the top wide receiver on the national roster by his peers. Now, let’s look at who put together a great week with the East-West Shrine Bowl. Jordan Phillips – IDL (Maryland) – It could be argued that no one had a more complete week than Maryland defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. The 320-pounder showed his strength and quickness off the line of scrimmage is NFL ready, dominating in both the four practice sessions and the game as well. Phillips finished his college career without a sack, but did tally 31 run stops and 26 pressures. That production, paired with his Big Ten tape, could present
Cowboys Headlines: Cooper Kupp’s potential fit in Dallas, 2 assistants hired, Micah Parsons says he almost quit football
Cooper Kupp says Rams are looking to trade him ‘immediately’; could the Cowboys be a fit? :: Dallas Morning News Link With word coming down that he’s actively being shopped, Kupp could fit in nicely behind CeeDee Lamb in the Cowboys passing attack. While the Rams have expressed a willingness to absorb some of a $29.7 million cap hit in order to move Kupp, it seems unlikely that the Joneses will fork out what it would take to get 2021’s Offensive Player of the Year. Myles Garrett trade odds for 31 NFL teams :: Dawgs by Nature Link Very shortly after Garrett announced his desire to be traded out of Cleveland, Vegas put up odds for all 31 teams on where he might wind up. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Cowboys lead the list at 4/1 odds. (Philadelphia and Washington are up there, too.) Garrett specifically says he wants to go contend for a Super Bowl, and while Dallas has been a mix of contender and mess lately, a move this big seems unlikely for Jerry Jones after the year he’s had. Which is exactly why it will remain a tantalizing possibility to so many… Report: Cowboys to hire RB coach with ties to Alvin Kamara, Austin Ekeler :: Cowboys Wire Link Derrick Foster will come to Dallas fresh from working in New Orleans with Alvin Kamara for a year. Prior to that, he helped lead Austin Ekeler to his best three years of production with the Chargers. Now he’ll be tasked with turning around a Cowboys ground game that was near the bottom in most categories last season. Cowboys hire David Overstreet as their cornerbacks coach :: ProFootballTalk Link Overstreet was with Matt Eberflus in both Chicago and Indianapolis, so his addition to the Dallas defensive staff shouldn’t be a huge surprise. The Dallas native is the son of the late David Overstreet, who chose the CFL after the Dolphins made him first-round pick in 1981 and then joined Miami for the 1983 season before losing his life in a 1984 car accident. Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons explains why he almost quit football :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link Parsons is no stranger to hard work, but he says the grind at Penn State nearly drove him to quit the game just two months in. “I was in a 4 a.m. group, like when we had to have, like, morning workouts at 4:00 a.m. Like, I was in that era of, like, like, pain and suffering, like, before they kind of like, tweaked it out,” he said on his podcast, talking of the pre-NIL days. “Yeah, it’s sweet now, bro.” Anti-Jerry: NBA’s Mavs show Cowboys fans the flaws of a professional GM :: Cowboys Wire Link Mavericks GM Nico Harrison defended the Luka Dončić trade by citing things like culture, fit, defense, and conditioning as reasons. It was a move that made Jones and the Cowboys look good. But unlike Jones, Harrison doesn’t have the benefit of eternal job security on his side; that no doubt contributed to the highly controversial roster move. Say what you will about Jones and the Cowboys’ unique power structure, but the man has to weigh the long-term value of a superstar player in a way that Harrison did not. If anything, maybe that leads to a lack of aggressiveness in making offseason moves to help the Cowboys win now. Ranking Dončić-to-Lakers among biggest Cowboys, Mavs, Rangers, Stars trades :: Cowboys Wire Link Dallas sports has seen its share of stunning blockbuster trades. The Cowboys’ acquisition of Lions wide receiver Roy Williams in 2008 was one, as was the trade for Amari Cooper 10 years later and getting Joey Galloway eight years before. Landing Charles Haley was the final touch the dynasty needed, but nothing will likely ever compare to the 1989 deal that sent Herschel Walker to Minnesota for a truckload of draft picks that kickstarted three Super Bowl runs. Lance Zierlein 2025 NFL mock draft 1.0: Giants land Travis Hunter; Bengals add WR for Joe Burrow :: NFL.com Link The network’s draft analyst thinks the Cowboys will look to their D-line in the first round. He picks Mississippi defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who he says will be a disrupter on all three downs. In this mock, Dallas leaves Jalon Walker, Luther Burden III, Nic Scourton, and Emeka Egbuka on the board to grab Nolen. WATCH: Cowboys return ace KaVontae Turpin dominates Pro Bowl… on defense?!? :: Cowboys Wire Link Turpin put his blazing speed to good use on defense during the NFC-AFC flag football game, bagging both Joe Burrow and Russell Wilson for sacks and preventing a touchdown by chasing down Brian Thomas Jr. at the goal line. The return specialist thought he’d be taking home the MVP trophy but says he had fun moonlighting on the other side of the ball. Super Powers: What 1971 Cowboys had the current Cowboys need :: The Mothership Link The Cowboys’ first Super Bowl-winning squad boasted a stellar offensive line who paved the way for 25 rushing touchdowns that season. (Dallas had just six this year but played three more games.) They also had a linebacker corps with two future Ring of Honor members. And, of course, they got MVP-caliber play from their quarterback, as Roger Staubach was the runner-up for the regular-season award. Come closer to that on those three fronts, and the 2025 Cowboys will be well on their way to a sixth Lombardi Trophy. Washington owner Josh Harris says Commanders will remain team’s nickname :: The Athletic Link Despite a vocal contingent of fans who want to return to their former nickname, the Cowboys’ longest-standing rivals will remain known as the Commanders, says the team’s owner. The name isn’t exactly a fan favorite, but many inside and outside team headquarters began embracing the moniker over their 12-5 regular season and two road playoff wins last month.
Cowboys hiring Derrick Foster to coach running backs
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images The Cowboys have made their pick for a running back coach. The Dallas Cowboys have been filling out their coaching staff under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. The defensive side of the ball came together pretty quickly, but the offensive side has been at a more deliberate pace. Klayton Adams coming on as offensive coordinator was an important hire. Both Adams and Schottenheimer are big proponents of the run game, so the running backs coach is an important hire for 2025. The Cowboys have settled on Derrick Foster. The Dallas Cowboys are hiring Derrick Foster as their new RBs coach, multiple sources tell @startelegram. Foster, 38, served the same role for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021-2023, overseeing Austin Ekeler’s rise. An important hire for… pic.twitter.com/y3U2vlz28A — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) February 3, 2025 Foster is a veteran NFL position coach. He worked his way up through the college ranks, capitalizing on a successful turn at Iowa to jump to the NFL. He landed with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021 and stayed until they recently cleaned house in 2023. He spent last year with the New Orleans Saints, another team that is cleaning house this season. Foster will need some talent to work with as the Cowboys only real running back under contract for 2025 is Deuce Vaughn. Rico Dowdle is a free agent so it is possible he returns. But the draft is loaded with quality backs this year and Dallas is expected to dip into that pool.
Tunnel of Darkness: Nightmarish Cowboys season is about to come to a close
Tunnel of Darkness: Nightmarish Cowboys season is about to come to a close Ben Grimaldi With Super Bowl LIX on the horizon, the nightmarish 2024-25 season for the Dallas Cowboys is about to mercifully come to a close. After three straight 12-win seasons that included two NFC East titles, the Cowboys floundered through an embarrassing campaign. The mess of a year couldn’t have been a surprise to those paying attention. It began with a disaster of an offseason where the front office decided it was better to wait and sign their best players to extensions until training camp. That mistake was compounded by the team deciding to not participate in free agency while allowing many of their own free agents to walk out the door. It was a disappointing offseason that was made worse by Jerry Jones’ “all-in” comments. Savvy fans knew better than to believe the Cowboys were going to spend money and be aggressive in acquiring talent since it would’ve signaled a major change in organizational philosophy, but it was something that followed the team around for months leading up to the regular season. When September arrived, things appeared to turn. The team extended quarterback Dak Prescott on opening day and blew out the Cleveland Browns in Week 1. The Cowboys’ performance provided hope that the previous six months of worrying were all for nothing. Reality smacked the Cowboys in the face in Week 2, and the disaster many predicted was beginning. There were numerous blowouts throughout the year as the team finished 7-10 and in third place in the division. Dallas finished a putrid 2-7 at home, which included an embarrassing incident with the sun shining through the large windows and AT&T Stadium contributing to a losing storyline against the Philadelphia Eagles. The episode was made worse by Jones remaining defiant that the franchise wouldn’t draw the curtains for Cowboys games like the stadium does for other events. The Cowboys weren’t just getting humiliated, they were finding new ways to lose. Their special teams unit blocked a punt late in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which turned disastrous when cornerback Amani Oruwariye tried to recover and run with it. Instead of a game-winning play for Dallas, Oruwariye fumbled the ball away and the Bengals recovered it, which led to the winning score just three plays later. Injuries were also a theme for the Cowboys, who had many of their best players miss chunks of the season, including Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, and CB DaRon Bland. As if the team’s record wasn’t bad enough, it was a season that saw the Eagles soar back to the top of the division fueled by free agency pickup of the year, running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley, who came from another division rival, ran for over 2,000 yards. To make things worse, the Washington Commanders saw a resurgence under rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who looks like he’s going to be a problem for the Cowboys’ defense for years to come. The Eagles and Commanders both finishing ahead of the Cowboys and making the postseason further stuck the knife into the craw of Jones’ organization. It also had to hurt that the top two coordinators during McCarthy era in Dallas both played big roles in the Eagles and Commanders’ success. Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn left the Cowboys and found prosperity with NFC East rivals. The 2024-2025 season still might not have felt so bad if the postseason hadn’t been a kick in the teeth for the Cowboys as well. The team didn’t make the playoffs, but that didn’t stop the embarrassment. The Commanders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to advance to the divisional round where they pulled off a major upset of the Detroit Lions, making it to their first NFC Championship game in 33 years. That left the Cowboys with the longest title game drought in the NFC. It didn’t make things better that the Commanders’ win over the Lions meant they’d matchup with the Eagles, who got a home game as the No. 2 seed, for the right to go to the Super Bowl. When Philadelphia won that game, it marked the third Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles in the last eight years, a feat that crushes every Cowboys fan who counts the Eagles as their biggest rival. This hasn’t been a fun season for the Cowboys, and it could hit a peak level of frustration if the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX. Hopefully that doesn’t happen, there have been too many dreams coming true for the Cowboys rivals in 2024-2025, while they have been living in a nighmare. Thankfully, the NFL season is about to end and the reset can begin. A shot at better season in 2025 is just around the corner. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys add Tiquan Underwood as assistant wide receiver coach
Welcome aboard, Tiquan. The Dallas Cowboys have had a busy week as they continue to build their coaching staff under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. The Cowboys are bringing former NFL wideout Tiquan Underwood aboard as assistant receivers coach, per source. He was with New England last year, and had interest from Florida State before making the call to stay in the league. — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 3, 2025 According to Albert Breer, the Cowboys have added former NFL wide receiver Tiquan Underwood to be the assistant wide receivers coach. Underwood spent five years in the NFL after being selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. After his playing career, Underwood has spent time in both the college and pro ranks with the University of Lafayette (2018), the Miami Dolphins (2019), Rutgers University (2020-2021), University of Pittsburgh (2022-2023), and the New England Patriots (2024). Underwood has experience as a wide receivers coach, offensive quality control coach, passing game coordinator, and assistant wide receivers coach in his five stops. With the wide receiver coach job still to be decided, Underwood was a unique hire. Reports suggested that Underwood was receiving interest from Florida State, but elected to stay in the National Football League to work with the Cowboys receiving group that could have some new faces here soon.
Anti-Jerry: NBA’s Mavs show Cowboys fans the flaws of a professional GM
Anti-Jerry: NBA’s Mavs show Cowboys fans the flaws of a professional GM reidhanson Dallas Cowboys fans have not been pleased with the front office of their franchise. In the minds of many, the frugality of the team’s top decision makers has led to too many missed opportunities over the years. It’s a trend that appears to be continuing into 2025, and a resentment that’s been unrivaled in the local DFW fanbase. That is, until the Dallas Mavericks told Jerry Jones to hold their beer. The Mavericks recently made news for all the wrong reasons this week. They took a generational talent, just entering his prime, and flipped him for a player who’s great, but, by most accounts, past his prime. Other side dishes were included in this smorgasbord of lopsidedness but for the most part it was a trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. The Mavericks GM, Nico Harrison, defended the trade citing things like culture, fit, defense and conditioning as reasons why the trade was made. These issues may have very well existed, but to most fans, they hardly justified trading away a perennial MVP candidate. It was a move that made Jones and the Cowboys look good. Considering what’s happened for them over the past two seasons, that’s saying something. Jones has been on a mission of austerity as of late. While he’s re-signed his must-have superstars, he’s been essentially asset stripping his roster by parting ways with costly second and third-tier players, rounding out the roster, coaching staff, and support personnel the cheapest way possible. A reason why he would do such a thing is a fatal flaw within the structure of the team. Jones isn’t just the general manager and chief decision maker but he’s also the owner. What he doesn’t spend on players, coaches, and support personnel, he gets to keep in some ways. That’s not something any other GM in the NFL can say. Other GMs are given a budget and are fairly determined to spend to the limits of that budget in the name of winning. Unlike Jones, they can be fired if they fall short of expectations therefore, they have to make every season count. The demand to win now is significant, so understandably the life expectancy of a GM is fairly low. Based on these same motivating forces, the Cowboys have no comparable urgency to win and every financial reason to save. Up until this week, Harrison was regarded as one of the best GMs in the NBA. The former Nike executive has stacked the Dallas roster and made the 2024-2025 Mavericks one of the deepest and most talented teams in the league. He’s gone to the Conference Finals twice and the Finals once in a short time and done so with wildly different rosters. Even with Harrison’s success he feels the pressure to win now and has wasted no time making moves to achieve that goal. Unlike Jones, Harrison doesn’t have the benefit of eternal job security on his side and that has presumably led to a highly controversial roster move. When asked about how the Doncic trade affects the Mavericks in the long-term Harrison showed why even a traditional GM structure has flaws. “[Anthony Davis] fits right along with our timeframe to win now. And win in the future. In the future to me is three or four years from now,” Harrison clarified to reporters. “The future, 10 years from now, I don’t know. I think they’ll probably bury me and J [Kidd] by then. Or we bury ourselves.” Harrison isn’t a fan of the Mavericks, but rather he’s an employee. He’s not married to the team like the fanbase is. There’s a good chance he’ll be gone in three or four years, making Doncic’s long-term value unimportant to him. Fans are critical of the move because they’ll still be Mavericks fans for the next 10 years. After Harrison is gone and Davis is retired, they’ll still be watching Doncic dominate the NBA and it will probably be extremely painful. That day could realistically be just five years away. This kind of thing isn’t an issue for Jones and the Cowboys. Jones loves his Cowboys franchise and if anything, he cares too much about the long-term good of the team and not enough about the urgency of the here and now. He probably would have cashed on the Doncic brand in perpetuity. He probably wouldn’t have surrounded him the same depth of talent as Harrison has done, but he would have kept him. If fans had to pick which is GM setup is better, most would probably point to the traditional type of GM like the Mavericks have. But as Harrison just showed everyone, even that has its problems because most GMs aren’t concerned about life after they’re gone. For universal Dallas fans, it’s the worst of both worlds this year. Guess it’s a good time to be a Stars fan. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Follow all of your favorite Texas teams at Cowboys Wire, Longhorns Wire, Texans Wire, Rockets Wire and Aggies Wire!
Cowboys have been on the right end of some of their bigger trades, but not always
When it comes to making a big splash in trades, the Cowboys have made some historic moves. The big news in Dallas over the weekend did not come from a move Jerry Jones made as that honor belongs to Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison after he traded the face of his franchise, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers. While this huge head-scratching moment doesn’t come from the Dallas Cowboys, it doesn’t stop people from taking a shot a Jerry Jones. This is dirty work… pic.twitter.com/YZ1g48M6SG — Newy Scruggs (@newyscruggs) February 3, 2025 Sorry Mavs, you guys are on your own with that one. People won’t waste an opportunity to criticize the Cowboys owner/GM, but when you’re talking about blockbuster trades, Jones is sitting pretty as he’s done more good than bad in this department. Yes, the Trey Lance and Jonathan Mingo deals are fresh in our minds and most people are still caught up on the fifth-round draft capital with the Amari Cooper trade, but when you think about it, the Cowboys aren’t as terrible as some think when it comes to making deals. What are the team’s most successful trades? Which ones are their worst? In light of the Mavs’ big splash, let’s take a look at some of the biggest deals the Cowboys have made throughout their history. BEST TRADES Trading away Herschel Walker to the Vikings Most everyone knows all about this one. The Cowboys were terrible in 1989 so they leveraged their best player for a slew of draft picks that Jimmy Johnson turned into to valuable assets. There was also a lot of wheeling and dealing that shuffled around some of those picks, but the return the Cowboys got from that trade is as follows: Emmitt Smith – Hall of Fame Darren Woodson – Hall of Fame finalist Russell Maryland – 10-year starter, Pro Bowler Kevin Smith – eight-year starter That’s a pretty good haul. This trade known as “The Great Train Robbery” remains not only the best trade in Cowboys history, but in NFL history as well. Trading up to select Tony Dorsett Both the Cowboys Hall of Fame running backs were acquired through a big trade. In 1977, the Cowboys snookered the Seattle Seahawks out of the No. 2 overall pick that the Cowboys used to take Pittsburgh star running back Tony Dorsett. In return, the Seahawks got the 14th overall pick and three second-rounders. The Seahawks got a slew of picks, but nothing manifested from them compared to the career that Dorsett had. When he retired, he was second all-time on the NFL rushing list, trailing only Walter Payton. Trading for Charles Haley Everything came together for the Cowboys in 1992, and the final piece was acquiring pass-rushing stud Charles Haley from the San Francisco 49ers for a second- and third-round pick. Despite three Pro Bowl seasons (six seasons total) and two Super Bowl wins with the 49ers, Haley had become a headache, allowing the Cowboys to swoop in and grab him for a discounted price. Haley immediately bolstered the Cowboys’ defensive line and was part of a defense that helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls in four years. Even more satisfying is that he helped them beat his former team twice in the NFC Championship when Dallas and San Francisco were the two top teams in the league. Haley was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2015. WORST TRADES Trading for Roy Williams The Cowboys wanted to give Tony Romo another receiving talent opposite Terrell Owens so they traded away a first-round pick, third-round pick, and sixth-round pick to the Detroit Lions for Roy Williams. The 27-year-old receiver was just a couple of years removed from a Pro Bowl season where he had over 1,300 receiving yards. Sadly, he never was that same player in Dallas averaging just 33 yards per game. Making matters even worse is the Cowboys gave Williams a six-year, $54 million extension. He was released in 2011 after just two and a half seasons with the Cowboys. Trading for Joey Galloway After Michael Irvin suffered a career-ending spinal cord injury, the Cowboys tried to give Troy Aikman one last chance to make a run by making a trade with the Seahawks for their star receiver Joey Galloway. Dallas gave up two first-round picks to get Galloway. While the plan seemed okay in theory, everything blew up in their face. Galloway got hurt in his Cowboys debut and was lost for the year with a torn ACL. When he returned the following year, Aikman had retired, leaving the offense in dire straits. With older players leaving and no premium draft capital to help replenish the team, it set the stage for some disappointing seasons at the turn of the century. Trading up to get Morris Claiborne The Cowboys are stingy with premium draft capital these days, but as you can see from these examples, that wasn’t always the case. In 2012, the team gave up a second-round pick to move to the No. 6 overall pick to select LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Like the others, the idea wasn’t terrible and Claiborne was highly regarded coming out of college, but the outcome wasn’t favorable. Claiborne dealt with numerous injuries and never lived up to the hype. Additionally, we learned through the grapevine that the Cowboys’ second-round pick would have likely been eventual All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner.
Dallas Cowboys 2025 draft scouting report: DE James Pearce Jr.
Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images Here is our scouting report on James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at edge rusher James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee. James Pearce Jr. DE/OLBTennessee Volunteers Junior4-star recruit 6’5”212 lbs Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images History James Pearce Jr. attended Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was a four-star recruit after his impressive senior year where he recorded 14.5 sacks. His recruitment was somewhat unheralded until late in the process, but he received offers from several prestigious programs before committing to Tennessee. As a true freshman, Pearce Jr. appeared in 13 games mostly in a reserve capacity, rotating in but credited with three starts. He showed flashes of potential with two sacks and two tackles for loss. His sophomore season saw a significant jump in performance, leading the SEC in sacks with 10 and ranking second in tackles for loss (15). He also made one interception which he returned for a touchdown, showing off his unbelievable athleticism on the play. His notable achievements included being named to the All-SEC First Team. Last season, Pearce continued his impressive trajectory, recording 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and leading Tennessee in pressures with 55. His performance helped Tennessee reach the College Football Playoff for the first time. He was again honored with first-team All-SEC accolades and was a semifinalist for Bednarik award. Even though he had a productive season there was clear issue between him and the coaches in the way they utilized the elite pass rusher.. 2024 Statistics 464 Defensive Snaps38 Total Tackles13 Tackles For Loss55 Total Pressures 8 Sacks1 Forced Fumble1 Fumble Recovery5 Penalties NFL Combine/Pro Day TBC Awards First-team All-SEC (2024)First-team All-SEC (2023) Scorecard Overall- 89.1Speed- 86Acceleration- 97Agility- 86Strength- 82Pass Rush- 88Run Defense- 86Tackling- 81Discipline- 98 THE GOOD He possesses exceptional speed and acceleration off the edge, making him a formidable presence in pass-rushing situations. His burst off the line is the best in this year’s draft class His burst combined with exceptional snap anticipation makes him the first guy in the backfield on a regular basis. Elite as a speed rusher and has a solid spin move. Clearly a high motor player. Can play both as a stand-up linebacker in the two-point and with his hand in the dirt, showing flexibility in defensive schemes. TAPE TIME DE/OLB James Pearce Jr.Tennessee Volunteers ✅ THE GOOD✅#scouting #NFLDraft #Vols #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/t4nL7Sg2oM — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 2, 2025 THE BAD Undersized for the position. He sometimes struggles to disengage from blockers in the run game, leading to missed tackles or being taken out of plays. Doesn’t have a wide range of pass rush moves at his disposal. While generally a good tackler, his technique can occasionally falter, particularly in open-field situations where he might miss or not wrap up securely. His run defense needs some refinement. While he has good strength for his position, he could benefit from further development to handle NFL-level offensive linemen more consistently. TAPE TIME DE/OLB James Pearce Jr.Tennessee Volunteers ❌THE BAD❌#scouting #NFLDraft #Vols #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/4X2i249Au5 — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 2, 2025 THE FIT James Pearce Jr. is seen as a high-upside edge rusher with the potential to develop into an NFL high-caliber starter. His combination of speed, agility, and a non-stop motor makes him an exciting prospect, though he’ll need to work on his strength and run defense to be fully effective at the next level. His performance at Tennessee has been marked by significant growth, suggesting he could continue to rapidly develop with the right coaching. How he would fit in Dallas is a vital consideration. His quickness and bend could be utilized effectively. The synergy between Pearce and Micah Parsons would be wildly significant. Parsons’ ability to draw double- and triple-teams means Pearce could often go one-on-one with tackles, leveraging his speed to his advantage. If Pearce is available in the first round the Cowboys might consider him, especially if they prioritize defensive line in the draft. His value could be seen as a high-reward pick if they believe in his developmental potential. Pearce would be an exciting prospect for the Cowboys, particularly to bolster their pass rush given the lack of depth at the position for the upcoming season. His athletic gifts align make him a tantalizing prospect, but his development in run defense and strength would be key to his immediate impact. COMPARISON Brian Burns, New York Giants BTB GRADE 10th CONSENSUS RANKING 14th(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)
WATCH: Cowboys return ace KaVontae Turpin dominates Pro Bowl… on defense?!?
WATCH: Cowboys return ace KaVontae Turpin dominates Pro Bowl… on defense?!? Todd Brock Speed kills in the NFL. Even more so in flag football. So it’s perhaps no surprise that Cowboys return specialist KaVontae Turpin, easily one of the fastest men in the league, stood out even among the sport’s all-stars in the flag football finale of the 2025 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando. But Turpin being the NFC’s most impactful defensive player? That wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card. The third-year pro had an outstanding season, despite the Cowboys’ thoroughly underwhelming 7-10 record. Of all kick returners leaguewide who had more than 12 chances, Turpin’s 33.6-yard average was tops, and his 10.9-yard punt return average was seventh-highest among those with double-digit tries. Most notably, he was the only player in the NFL to return both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in 2024, with his 99-yard spin-move house call versus Washington serving as one of the most electrifying moments of the entire 272-game schedule. Special teams is what put him into his second Pro Bowl, one of five Cowboys honored with a berth this year. But Cowboys fans saw Turpin take a leap in his pass-catching prowess, too. After being used only sparingly in the passing attack over his first two seasons, the 28-year-old was Dallas’s fourth-most-targeted wide receiver, earning his first two starts at WR and finishing the 2024 campaign with 31 catches for 420 yards (all far and away career-highs) while playing on nearly 27% of the offense’s snaps. But it was Turpin’s pass-rush skills that caught everyone’s attention on Sunday. Sent on with the defense by NFC coach Eli Manning, Turpin used his otherworldly quickness to catch Joe Burrow well behind the line of scrimmage for one sack on a two-point conversion attempt… …And then pinned Russell Wilson for a nine-yard loss later in the game. All told, Turpin ended the exhibition with five tackles, including a touchdown-saving stop when he chased down Brian Thomas Jr. from behind and pulled his flag at the 1-yard-line. It was a dominant effort playing a completely foreign position, enough so that Turpin himself thought he’d be coming home with some hardware. “I feel like on defense on the blitz I got the quarterbacks rattled and had them throwing fast balls,” Turpin said per the Orlando Sentinel. “I was supposed to win MVP. I don’t know why they didn’t give it to me. But it’s all fun and games and I feel like everybody had fun and it was all worth it.” [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] (Jared Goff and Byron Murphy ended up taking home the MVP trophies after the NFC’s 76-63 win.) Turpin’s performance, though, may have some legitimately wondering if he’ll be deserving of a spot on the Team USA roster when flag football makes its debut at the 2028 Olympic Games. At the very least, maybe new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus would want to consider designing a few special packages that use Turpin in 2026. Of course, Turpin may find a bit more pass-rush resistance when the opposing team is allowed to deploy actual offensive linemen. But for one day in Orlando, at least, Turpin was a one-man wrecking crew… on defense. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
