Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Osa Odighizuwa is a huge bright spot for Dallas We continue the ‘Reasons To Be Positive’ series, where we give fans some inspiration and optimism ahead of the 2025 season. This installment looks at Osa Odighizuwa. Osa Odighizuwa Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images 2024 Season stats:Games- 17Snaps- 859Total Tackles- 47Tackle For Loss- 5Pressures- 60Sacks- 5Forced Fumbles- 1Pass Breakups- 1 2025 Projected stats:Total Tackles- 55Tackle For Loss- 8Pressures- 69Sacks- 5 Osa Odighizuwa was rewarded recently with a contract extension from Jerry Jones and the front office. Thanks to his consistent on-field performance, and leadership, Odighizuwa has slowly become a pivotal figure on the team’s defense and should be a massive reason for Cowboys fans to feel positive going into the 2025 season. Interior Wrecker Osa Odighizuwa had 42 pressures in the second half of last season. The Cowboys retained a good one! @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/lqhow3fnyL — SleeperCowboys (@SleeperCowboys) May 14, 2025 In 2024, Odighizuwa delivered his most impactful performance to date, and it didn’t go unnoticed. He achieved career highs with five sacks, 47 total tackles, and 23 quarterback hits, showcasing his disruptive presence on the defensive line. His ability to pressure quarterbacks and halt running plays was instrumental in the Cowboys’ defensive strategies and only seemed to get better as the season wore on. Odighizuwa’s partnership with fellow defensive stalwart Micah Parsons forms a formidable duo on the Cowboys’ front line. Their combined and consistent pressure disrupts offensive schemes and forces opposing quarterbacks into precarious situations, laying the foundation for a dominant defensive front. This synergy is expected to be a linchpin in the team’s strategy moving forward. #Cowboys Osa Odighizuwa has generated 27 pressures across 199 pass rushes (13.6%) over the past six weeks, the most pressures among defensive tackles over that span, per NFL Pro.#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/Sdgz75AQyF — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) December 14, 2024 Odighizuwa really laid it on in 2024. His 33 pressures were third-most among defensive tackles, helping Dallas’ total pressure count to reach 180, second-most in the league. His level of elite production last season outdid division rival Jalen Carter, who most agree is one of the best inside defensive lineman in the league. Thanks to this level of efficiency, the Cowboys secured Odighizuwa with a four-year, $80 million contract extension, including $52 million guaranteed. This move not only rewards his past contributions but also solidifies his role as a cornerstone of the defense for the foreseeable future. Osa Odighizuwa with his mom and agent after signing four year, $80 million deal with the Cowboys H/T @dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/xoWRxeYuUr — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) March 4, 2025 Odighizuwa has also emerged as a leader within the Cowboys’ locker room, further enhancing his importance to the team. His work ethic and commitment, which has been prevalent from the start, set a standard for younger players, fostering a culture of accountability and excellence. As the team navigates transitions and integrates new talent, his leadership will be crucial in maintaining cohesion and focus. Osa takes him down! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN : Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/3coVlrUQoj — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 19, 2024 Outlook for 2025With Odighizuwa’s continued development, leadership, and the stability provided by his contract extension, Cowboys fans have ample reason for optimism here. His presence fortifies the defensive line, and his influence resonates throughout the team. As the 2025 season approaches, Odighizuwa’s role will be pivotal in the Cowboys’ pursuit of victory. For a team that has historically undervalued the 3-tech position, Odighizuwa becomes an extremely valuable commodity going forward. osa goin’ hard @Osagoeshard with the sack : #NYGvsDAL on FOX : Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/itYyAFI9c0 — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 29, 2024

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images One Giants site believes the G-Men have a better quarterback group than Dak Prescott. We disagree on things as a fanbase. It is normal. Something that one person believes is great is viewed as utter trash by another. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and therefore our opinions on things differ from time to time. Again, that is to be expected. One of the most divisive issues among Dallas Cowboys fans specifically is always the quarterback who plays for the team. This is true of Dak Prescott, was true of Tony Romo before him and will be true for all of time. Unless you are lifting Lombardi Trophies you are subject to ridicule. That is the game, for better or worse. However you feel about Dak Prescott is one thing, but there is an element about who he is and his abilities as a quarterback that we should all agree on. Big Blue View ranked the Giants quarterbacks ahead of Dak Prescott This time of year is known for thinking, speculating and pontificating. We are in the most doldrum-y doldrum of the offseason, after all. Recently our friends at Big Blue View conducted an interesting exercise and ranked the position groups on offense across the entire NFC East. This is a fun thing to think about, although with the Philadelphia Eagles serving as reigning Super Bowl Champions it is a bit less fun than normal. BBV handed out points for each ranking. If a team had the best player at a certain group they received four points, if they were second they received three, so on and so forth. At the end of the exercise they tabulated all of the math to see how things shook out. You can read their analysis here. As is customary they started with the quarterback position. BBV ranked Jayden Daniels ahead of Jalen Hurts which may strike some as outlandish, but obviously there is some context and nuance involved in that conversation. Jalen Hurts is good, but uniquely so and that requires an expansive conversation. We are not here to have that one, though. We are here today because BBV ranked the Giants quarterback situation (Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart) ahead of Dak Prescot. This is the same Dak Prescott who the Giants have lost 13 straight games against, by the way. The No. 3 spot is controversial, but should it be? Let me preface this by saying no Giants quarterback is as talented as Dak Prescott. I have praised Prescott for years. He’s underrated, cerebrally gifted, and he has above-average arm talent. Still, he is the highest-paid player in NFL history, with a $50.5 million cap hit in 2025 and $ 231 million guaranteed. That’s a lot of cash, and his contract has a no-trade clause. He’s also 31 years old and missed most of last season with a torn hamstring that required surgery. I’m a big fan of Prescott, but there’s plenty of reason to pause when one looks at his contractual situation. That brings us to the Giants and why they are ahead of Dallas. It’s simple; the Giants have two veteran quarterbacks signed to relatively inexpensive short-term deals and a rookie first-round pick whom Brian Daboll gushes over. If Dart strikes bullseye, the Giants have a 22-year-old cost-effective quarterback contract on the books. Plus, New York has a plan to allow Dart time to develop, while also possibly playing competitive football with either Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston. Dallas takes the one, New York snags the two. Brian Daboll gushing over one of his team’s players is hardly a reason to slot him ahead of anyone, but there is too much else to react to. The author here is arguing that Dak trails the Giants quarterback room from a cost-efficiency standpoint. That is fair! Dak certainly costs more than Wilson, Winston and Dart combined and then some. Nobody disagrees there. But as users pointed out in the comment section at BBV, this rationale was not used for literally any other position in the analysis. Even if you want to lump contractual value into things, you can make a very strong argument (I’m sure Brian Schottenheimer would and since we are counting Brian Daboll’s gushing as a value) that Dak is worth his current contract relative to what the Giants have going on. Just because the Giants have some lower-value quarterbacks on their roster does not make them good. Wilson and Winston were available for what they were because they are not very good. Dart is admittedly an unknown commodity, but he was so important to the Giants (even with all of the gushing) that they let him fall almost out of the first round entirely before ending his slide. Again, no one here is advocating for anything other than the fact that there is no argument on this planet or any other in our solar system that the Giants have a more preferable quarterback situation to the Cowboys. Even Prescott’s biggest critics likely agree with this. Once again, the Giants have lost 13 straight games to Prescott-led Cowboys teams.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images Cornerback is definitely an area of concern for the Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys have been active this offseason, even after the draft, trading for George Pickens to round out what should be a really solid receiving corps now. It doesn’t sound like they’re done, either, as insiders have recently suggested Dallas is one of several teams interested in Jalen Ramsey. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Dolphins are engaged with multiple teams on a Jalen Ramsey trade with nothing imminent. Fowler named the L.A. Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders as potential suitors. — David Furones (@DavidFurones_) May 23, 2025 Ramsey, who the Cowboys infamously passed on in the 2016 NFL Draft to take Ezekiel Elliott, has been with the Dolphins for the last two years. At 30 years old, Ramsey is approaching the twilight of his career, though he did make a triumphant return from a torn meniscus early in 2023, playing all 17 games this past year. That said, there are reasons why Ramsey simply doesn’t make sense in Dallas. For starters, as is usually the case with the Cowboys, the money is an issue. Ramsey signed an extension with the Dolphins just last year that gave him $24.23 million in guaranteed money. He’ll carry a cap hit of $16.67 million for this season, and it’ll balloon to just over $25 million in 2026; the contract tops out with a $36.17 million cap hit in the final year, which isn’t until 2028. It should be noted that Ramsey’s contract has an out after this next season, with potential cap savings up to $18.29 million. However, given his age and injury history, does it really make sense to give up assets (likely draft capital) for a one-year rental? The Cowboys just did that with Pickens, but he’s six years younger and $13 million cheaper. Of course, the Cowboys have the room to make it work. They’re currently looking at $32.26 million in cap space, per Spotrac. However, the team is (allegedly) working on an extension for Micah Parsons, and will also have to make decisions this offseason about Donovan Wilson, DaRon Bland, Jake Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert, and Pickens. In other words, the Cowboys likely aren’t thrilled about the idea of giving up even more draft picks for an aging cornerback that will cut their cap space in half and almost certainly needs to be released after one year on the payroll. Then there’s the issue of Ramsey’s actual play. The Cowboys have Bland, who they should feel good about despite an uneven 2024. They also like Trevon Diggs, though he’s rehabbing an injury and may or may not be available at the start of the year. Rookie Shavon Revel Jr. is in a similar situation, tearing his ACL last September. Kaiir Elam, Caelen Carson, Israel Mukuamu, Josh Butler, Kemon Hall, Andrew Booth Jr., and a couple others will also be in the mix to potentially start in 2025, at least until Diggs is back to full health. That uncertainty is why the Cowboys need to find another viable option at the position, but in 2025, Ramsey just isn’t that. This past season, Ramsey gave up a 70.8% completion rate and a 93.5 passer rating when targeted. That’s his highest completion rate and second-highest passer rating ever allowed. Perhaps most concerning, though, is that Ramsey gave up the 15th-most yards per reception despite having the 10th-lowest average depth of target. It’s not a surprise that Ramsey is showing signs of decline. He played at the highest level for a long time, being named an All-Pro three times and a Pro Bowler seven times. But Ramsey is past his prime now, despite still being paid top dollar. That makes him a poor fit for the Cowboys, who need someone reliable in the secondary without breaking the bank. They can’t afford to close the book on adding another cornerback before the season starts, but Ramsey cannot be the guy.

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images What is your favorite Dallas Cowboys documentary? When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys the best part about them is obviously watching their games. Football has grown and evolved so much to the point that following the team is now a huge experience. Ultimately though, whatever thoughts and energy we put into the team, at the end of the day the most important and critical element to them is watching them literally play the game. When it comes to watching the Cowboys though there are other ways to do that. Given who they are there is no shortage of material relative to America’s Team, many movies and documentaries have been put together that either chronicle them outright or reference them in some sort of way. For our Monday discussion here at the site we want to know what is your favorite documentary or film about the Cowboys? To be clear it can be something “about” the team in even a tangential way. Perhaps it is a 90s movie where the team who the main one was trying to beat was referenced as “Dallas” since that happened all of the time in those days. Let us know in the comments below!

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 Sunday, May 25, 2025Saturday, May 24, 2025Friday, May 23, 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!

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images What role will Kaiir Elam play in 2025? It is no secret that the cornerback position was a major concern for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. With injuries to DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs, and Josh Butler, the Cowboys were left with Andrew Booth and Amani Oruwariye playing a lot of snaps at corner throughout the 2024 season. With Jourdan Lewis’ departure in free agency, the Cowboys were in a scary spot again at corner, but trading for Kaiir Elam and the drafting of Shavon Revel Jr. gives the Cowboys more capable options at corner. Revel is currently still rehabbing an ACL tear he suffered early in the 2024 season at East Carolina. So it is unclear if he will be ready for the start of the season. Along with Revel, Trevon Diggs is rehabbing a knee injury and could miss time in 2025. That is where Kaiir Elam comes into play. Elam is heading into year four of his young NFL career, after being drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. So far, Elam has been a disappointment in Buffalo, and the Cowboys made a low-risk, high-reward trade for Elam earlier in the offseason. Elam and the Cowboys are hoping a change of scenery will jumpstart his career. He was a high-quality player at Florida which landed him in the first round. Elam has size, length, and above average athleticism. He received an impressive 8.64 relative athletic score (RAS) after his testing leading up to the 2022 NFL draft. Coming out of college, Elam had all the tools to project as a quality starting cornerback on the boundary in the NFL. Elam’s inability to get on the field, and struggles when he did get on the field in Buffalo, led to him spending most of his time on the sideline over the last two years. So far this offseason, Elam has said and done all the right things. With the Cowboys electing to not pick up his fifth-year option, both the Cowboys and Elam have a big opportunity in 2025. Elam will likely see plenty of playing time in 2025 in Matt Eberflus defense. Due to the injuries to Diggs and Revel, Elam could be pushed into a starter’s role early on in the season. Elam will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself and possibly get a decent payday in 2026 if he performs well. For the Cowboys, Elam is an upgrade over what the Cowboys had down the depth chart in 2025. Elam is due just $2.5 million in 2025 and he was acquired with a day three pick-swap. While Elam has been a disappointment so far in his career, 2025 will provide both Elam and the Cowboys plenty of chances to prove themselves.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys‘ 2025 regular season schedule has been fully released. Like every year, the Cowboys are one of the biggest draws in the league, being featured on primetime on six separate occasions, the second-most in football behind the Kansas City Chiefs. Today, two of our staff writers dive into Dallas’ schedule and take a shot at predicting the outcome of each game. Let us know your predictions in the comments section. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 4, at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC Holleran: While I believe the Cowboys catch a break getting their road matchup against the Eagles in Week 1 versus later in the season, this will still be one of the more difficult games on Dallas’ schedule. I see this being a competitive matchup, but I don’t have enough faith in the Cowboys to pick them to get the upset here. Give me the Eagles to win this one, 26-20. Current Record: 0-1 Howman: Starting out on the road against the Super Bowl champions is not exactly ideal, especially with so many new pieces in Dallas. I think the Cowboys look surprisingly competitive in this one, but the Eagles win. Current Record: 0-1 Chris Jones-Imagn Images Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Holleran: If Jaxson Dart or even Jameis Winston are starting this game, I may feel differently, but a Russell Wilson-led Giants team should be a relatively easy bounce-back matchup for Dallas in Week Two. Give me the Cowboys, 28-17. Current Record: 1-1 Howman: Losing the season opener hurts, but it’s easier to digest knowing that the Giants are up next on the schedule. Dak Prescott owns this franchise, and Russell Wilson is not good enough in 2025 to change that. Current Record: 1-1 Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21 at Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX Holleran: The Bears may be one of the more improved teams in the league this season. I see Caleb Williams and the new-look Bears offense causing problems for Dallas’ defense and making this a high-scoring affair. Ultimately, Chicago gets the ball last and puts up points, delivering Dallas a devastating loss. Give me Chicago, 33-30. Current Record: 1-2 Howman: I expect the Bears to be much better this year under Ben Johnson, but I’m not sure how up to speed they’ll be this early in the season. Chicago has some pieces, surely, but I think Micah Parsons will make life miserable for Caleb Williams and the Cowboys improve to 2-1 early on. Current Record: 2-1 Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28 vs Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC Holleran: After a tough loss in Week 3, Dallas faces almost a must-win game against the Packers in Week 4. We see an inspired Cowboys team, looking to bounce back from the Chicago loss, come in and dominate this one from the start. Dallas flips the script from the two teams’ playoff matchup in 2024 and wins in a big way. Give me the Cowboys, 30-13. Current Record: 2-2 Howman: The Cowboys are likely to be an underdog in this game, and fairly so, but the Packers have routinely struggled to start the season in recent years. I see that happening again, especially with so many new faces at WR, and Brian Schottenheimer gets a win to exorcise some demons early in his tenure Current Record: 3-1 Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Week 5: Sunday, October 4, at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Holleran: The Cowboys have shown an ability to handle Justin Fields, no matter what team he’s on in recent matchups. This year is no different as the Cowboys’ defense leads them to a low-scoring win. Give me Dallas, 20-10. Current Record: 3-2 Howman: If I’m right about the Packers game being a win, this schedule sets up very nicely for a hot start. The Jets are firmly in the first phase of a rebuild, and the Cowboys should be favored to win this game by a comfortable margin, which is how I expect it to go. Current Record: 4-1 Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Week 6: Sunday, October 11, at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Holleran: The Panthers may be more competitive this season, but this is a game in which Dallas will have a clear talent edge. Back-to-back road games at this point of the season won’t be an easy task, but Dallas is up to the challenge and earns their third-straight victory. Give me the Cowboys, 26-20. Current Record: 4-2 Howman: I’ll start by saying I’m expecting big things out of the Panthers, and I specifically view head coach Dave Canales as a budding star in this league. That said, this team is still building things out, especially on defense, and I’m not sure they have the pieces to match the Cowboys just yet. Chalk up another win for Dallas, who moves to 5-1. Current Record: 5-1 Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Week 7: Sunday, October 19, vs. Washington Commanders, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX Holleran: While the Commanders did have an outstanding season last year, the Cowboys played very well against them in their two matchups. I see Dallas having the same success this year, keeping their winning streak intact, logging their fourth-straight victory. Give me Dallas, 27-24. Current Record: 5-2 Howman: The Commanders officially moved into contender status last year, but they lost one game to the Cowboys and nearly lost the second one too. Dallas matches up well here, and with them riding a hot streak they’ll continue to roll and get the win Current Record: 6-1 Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Week 8: Sunday, October 26, at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS Holleran: Something about the Denver Broncos brings out the worst in the Cowboys. For whatever reason, Denver has been Dallas’ kryptonite in recent memory, and that does not change this season. The winning streak ends with an abysmal performance from Dallas in

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Micah Parsons is arguably the biggest reason for positivity as far as all things Cowboys are concerned. We continue our “Reasons To Be Positive” series where we look to find reasons for some inspiration and optimism ahead of the 2025 season. This installment looks at Micah Parsons. Micah Parsons Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images 2024 Season stats:Games- 13Snaps- 694Total Tackles- 43Tackle For Loss- 12Pressures- 70Sacks- 12Forced Fumbles- 2Pass Breakups- 1 2025 Projected stats:Total Tackles- 77Tackle For Loss- 16Pressures- 86Sacks- 14 Micah Parsons remains the brightest beacon of hope for Dallas Cowboys fans. Despite contract uncertainties, Parsons’ on-field dominance, leadership evolution, and unwavering commitment to the franchise provide ample reasons for fans to remain optimistic. In 2024, Parsons showcased his elite pass-rushing abilities, recording 12 sacks, tying for fifth in the league. The previous years he finished seventh in total sacks and his rookie year, he finished sixth. He also registered 70 total pressures which was ninth-most among defenders last year. Yet, in a year where Parsons played the fewest games in a season (13) he still put up impressive numbers. Micah Parsons was dominant against NYG, finishing with 7 pressures, 5 pass-rush wins that didn’t result in a pressure, 2 sacks (get those half sack BS outta here) and a near 30% pass-rush win rate. By this time, Parsons’ lightning get-off was giving Evan Neal a major problem,… pic.twitter.com/lAxM0hW1vC — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 29, 2024 Over his four-year career, Parsons has amassed 52.5 sacks and 256 total tackles, solidifying his status as one of the NFL’s premier defenders. His consistent performance has earned him a Pro Bowl selection every year he’s been in the NFL and the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Quarterback Pressure Rate Leaders among DL (Per NFL Pro):1. HOU Danielle Hunter – 20.7%2. CLE Myles Garrett – 19.3%3. CIN Trey Hendrickson – 19.2%3t. DAL Micah Parsons – 19.25. DET Al-Quadin Muhammad – 19.0% 8. DET Aidan Hutchinson – 16.8% 12. DET Za’Darius Smith – 15.3% — Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) December 11, 2024 Beyond his athletic prowess, Parsons is embracing a leadership role within the Cowboys’ locker room. In 2024, he responded to challenges from the coaching staff by stepping up as a vocal and motivational leader, guiding younger teammates and setting a standard for excellence. His commitment to team cohesion and morale has been instrumental in fostering a resilient defensive unit. While contract negotiations have been a topic of discussion, Parsons has demonstrated his dedication to the team by participating in voluntary offseason workouts. Despite being in the final year of his rookie deal, he remains focused on contributing to the team’s success, emphasizing the importance of building chemistry with new teammates and maintaining leadership responsibilities. Scary: Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons have been training together this offseason A UNSTOPPABLE duo. pic.twitter.com/bPVXB7uNcF — Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 20, 2025 Outlook for 2025Parsons’ presence on the field and in the locker room will be pivotal this year, especially given the fact there’s been so much change this offseason with the team. His combination of talent, leadership, and commitment positions him as a cornerstone of the franchise’s present and future. Fans can look forward to another impactful season from Parsons as he continues to elevate the team’s defensive prowess, elevating the entire defense as he heads the way. Parsons is in prime position this year to set records, all fans want before that happens is a contract extension. Every player with 50+ Sacks and 250+ Tackles since 2021: ⭐️ Micah Parsons That’s it https://t.co/vKOSr5JO7E pic.twitter.com/FSZRT4kDpe — The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 1, 2025

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images The arrival of Memorial Day weekend and the summer may not be the most synonymous holiday with football season, but boxes are indeed being checked when it comes to the arrival of the 2025 season. Last week, the Dallas Cowboys found out their schedule, and this week they were on the fields in Frisco for OTAs. The release of the schedule always creates an interesting and very wide array of opinions from football fans. Considering the opponents on the schedule are known well in advance, some don’t see the point of all the fanfare in simply finding out when and where the games will be played. There is also the aftershock that comes from having a tangible schedule that includes things like win/loss predictions, key matchups within games, and shots in the dark at how the division standings will play out. All of this comes despite the collective understanding by the very fans and media members taking part in it that surprise teams are a guarantee from year to year, injuries are an unfortunate lock to change matchups, and a true week-to-week nature still exists at the highest level of football. Of all teams, certainly the Cowboys don’t have to look far to see recent examples of this from just a season ago. As defending division champions themselves, the injury bug bit hard in their efforts to repeat, and an even bigger blow to this effort was the surprise run all the way to the NFC Championship game by the Washington Commanders. The Commanders of course met another NFC East team in that game that went on to win the Super Bowl, a Philadelphia Eagles team that will now look to be the first repeat NFC East winner since 2003-04. Those were the final two years of a four-year run atop the division by Philadelphia. This mix of things has led to predictable takes like the Cowboys still being projected as the third best team in the East, and how a tough stretch to end the season with six of their last seven games being against playoff teams from a season ago is daunting as Dallas was out of the playoffs for the first time in three seasons in 2024. The Cowboys response to these projections would hardly stand alone from other teams looking to surprise this season. The level of roster and coach turnover each offseason is at such a fever pitch, that every team gets a truly clean start come week one. The Cowboys have hopes of making the dance again with their near full-scale level of coaching turnover. New OC Klayton Adams is a very noteworthy addition, especially when it comes to the Cowboys getting back to being a strong rushing team again, something they’ve tried to fully recommit to this offseason. For the third year in a row the Cowboys will have a new defensive coordinator, going from Dan Quinn, to one year of Mike Zimmer, and now Matt Eberflus. Below Schottenheimer, Adams, and Eberflus as the new brain trust, the Cowboys have almost all new position coaches as well. Just a few highlights of how these coaches will get to work with new players in key areas include Eberflus flipping the depth chart at linebacker with a trade for Kenneth Murray and signing Jack Sanborn, and Schottenheimer calling plays for not only CeeDee Lamb in the pass game, but another wide receiver he sees as a number one, the recently acquired George Pickens. The Cowboys are going to be hard for opponents to scout based on a lot of things from their recent history, and whether this is good or bad remains to be seen. A first-year head coach will still have to handle six traditionally scheduled primetime games, Thanksgiving against the reigning AFC champions, and Christmas against the Commanders. All of these new players will have to pick up on the new schemes and terminology quickly, and as always roster health will need some good fortune – better than 2024 at minimum. How these elements of change for the Cowboys this offseason relate to the schedule is an interesting underlying way to look at a schedule that has already been put under the microscope a million different ways. Of the six other teams with new head coaches going into the 2025 season, the Cowboys will face two of them in the first five weeks of the season, and another coming off their bye in week 11. The Cowboys will face Matt Eberflus’ old team in Week 3 when they visit the Bears and first-year HC Ben Johnson, play the Jets and Aaron Glenn on the road in Week 5, and Pete Carroll and the Raiders on Monday Night Football in Week 11 off the bye in Vegas. While it is Ebeflus that certainly has more of a connection to the Bears, it is also interesting to point out that Schottenheimer’s longest stint in the NFL so far came with the Jets from 2006-11 as offensive coordinator, and more recently he also worked with Carroll in Seattle as OC from 2018-20. If anything about current betting lines or win projections for any team is to be believed, the Cowboys are going to be faced with playing as underdogs fairly often in Schotty’s debut season. In order to still be successful, banking wins in “must have” games will be essential. Whether or not the Cowboys use all of their turnover to their advantage and gel quickly to hit the ground running, particularly early on against other teams with new coaches trying to do the same, could be very telling for the outcome of the season even with just a three-game sample. Only the Giants within the division will play more teams with new head coaches this season. These games against the Bears, Jets, and Raiders will also serve as real litmus tests for even the most skeptical of Cowboys fans to the hiring of Schottenheimer as head coach to begin with. How

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news. How will KaVontae Turpin fit into the 2025 Cowboys offense – Mark Heaney, Inside the Star How will Dallas utilize their speedy offensive weapon? In one of the most covered Cowboys offseasons in recent memory, one major contract is flying far under the radar. KaVontae Turpin, Dallas’ special-teams ace and emerging offensive weapon, signed a three-year, $18M extension in March.nIf you’re thinking that’s a lot for a special teamer, you would be right. That deal made him the highest-paid special-teams player in NFL history. That description may be selling Turpin short, considering he set career highs in targets, receptions, and yards in 2024. With that in mind, it seems like a stretch to say Dallas is only paying him $18M to return kicks. In one of the most covered Cowboys offseasons in recent memory, one major contract is flying far under the radar. KaVontae Turpin, Dallas’ special-teams ace and emerging offensive weapon, signed a three-year, $18M extension in March. If you’re thinking that’s a lot for a special teamer, you would be right. That deal made him the highest-paid special-teams player in NFL history. That description may be selling Turpin short, considering he set career highs in targets, receptions, and yards in 2024. With that in mind, it seems like a stretch to say Dallas is only paying him $18M to return kicks. So, if the Cowboys do have bigger plans for him, as the 2024 statistics would suggest, where does he fit in? After all, the offense is loaded up with the recently-acquired George Pickens, superstar CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, and a strong tight end room. With all of that in mind, let’s talk about Turpin’s role and why it could rise or deflate in 2025. Moving On Up: KaVontae Turpin’s Next Step Nobody is expecting KaVontae Turpin to outshine Lamb or Pickens, but he doesn’t need to. Right now, he is listed as the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart behind Dallas’ two Pro Bowlers and Tolbert at WR3. We can’t ignore the emergence Tolbert had in 2024, but it is safe to say Turpin is not far off from jumping him. As a more traditional wide receiver, Tolbert reached career highs in all the major categories, but that was helped out by an injury to Lamb. Just as we saw some positives from Tolbert, he came with his downsides as well, including three drops, zero broken tackles, and just 3.4 yards after catch per reception. In short, he wasn’t explosive in the Cowboys’ offense. He was really just a solid target. In one of the most covered Cowboys offseasons in recent memory, one major contract is flying far under the radar. KaVontae Turpin, Dallas’ special-teams ace and emerging offensive weapon, signed a three-year, $18M extension in March. If you’re thinking that’s a lot for a special teamer, you would be right. That deal made him the highest-paid special-teams player in NFL history. That description may be selling Turpin short, considering he set career highs in targets, receptions, and yards in 2024. With that in mind, it seems like a stretch to say Dallas is only paying him $18M to return kicks. Cowboys boast ‘seat belt’ in secondary to guard against crash out due to injuries – Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire Second-year cornerback ready to put the “straps” on opposing receivers. When the Dallas Cowboys selected Caelen Carson with the 174th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, it was hailed as a certified steal by many draft evaluators. Carson’s 6-foot, 195-pound frame and 76-inch wingspan made him an ideal cornerback prospect in the NFL. Rated as CB13 on Dane Brugler’s draft guide, he garnered a grade somewhere between the third and fourth round in last year’s draft. With 36 games of experience under his belt and significant snaps in both man and zone coverages, Carson brought with him top-three corner capabilities in just about any NFL system. Oddly enough, the Wake Forest product came to Dallas with a significant degree of hype rather abnormal for a fifth-round pick. Overall, the Cowboys 2025 draft class addressed needs without offering much in the razzle dazzle department. Being just short of boring as a whole, the situation made this particular CB prospect a popular selection within the fanbase. The hype eventually came to an end when injuries and developmental hiccups made. Carson’s rookie season a season to forget. Comfort should be found in the fact hiccups are nothing new for rookie prospects. The leap from college to the pros is significant and not all players successfully clear that hurdle on their first attempt. Fans shouldn’t forget Carson has all the tools to make him successful. He has the versatility to play multiple positions at CB and to do so in a variety of schemes. His ability to do it all while locking down opposing receivers is what ultimately led to Carson’s nickname in college, “Seat Belt.” “It was my freshman year in college, “Carson said of his nickname. “I started as a true freshman, my teammate and roommate told me, ‘Damn, you’re always locking somebody up. You’re like a seat belt.’” Carson doesn’t have the same elite traits as other Cowboys’ CBs such as Trevon Diggs, Kaiir Elam and Shavel Revel bring to the table, but then again, neither does fellow fifth rounder DaRon Bland and all he’s done is set NFL records enroute to an All-Pro season. Cowboys insider pumps brakes on exciting trade rumor for All-Pro CB – Josh Sanchez, SI.com Not so fast Cowboys nation. The Dallas Cowboys have made several trades to improve the roster throughout the NFL offseason, but none made a bigger splash than the move to land star wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Entering the weekend, the Cowboys were once again named to a big name who could be available, this time on the defensive side of the ball. Dallas was named as a potential suitor for three-time All-Pro and Super