Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images We are doing our best to predict the 2025 Dallas Cowboys schedule. With the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, there is one major football event left before the mini-break before training camp: the release of the regular-season schedule. Today, we take a shot at predicting what the Dallas Cowboys schedule could look like. Week 1: Dallas Cowboys AT Washington Commanders (Sunday Night Football) The Cowboys open their season on the road for the fourth time in the last five years. Dallas travels to Washington to face the Commanders, who figure to be one of the better teams in the entire league. Week 2: Arizona Cardinals VS Dallas Cowboys Dallas kicks off their home schedule with a matchup against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. Week 3: Dallas Cowboys AT New York Jets Dallas hits the road again as they play their first of two games at MetLife Stadium, facing off against the New York Jets. Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images Week 4: New York Giants VS Dallas Cowboys The New York theme sticks around for another week as Dallas hosts the New York Giants. Week 5: Dallas Cowboys AT Las Vegas Raiders (Monday Night Football) The Cowboys play their second primetime game of the season in Week 5 as they take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Week 6: Dallas Cowboys AT Carolina Panthers On a short week, Dallas faces another test on the road, traveling to Carolina to take on the Panthers. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Week 7: Minnesota Vikings VS Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys return home to face one of the more underrated teams in the league, the Minnesota Vikings. Week 8: Dallas Cowboys AT Denver Broncos One of Dallas’ toughest tests on the schedule comes in Week Eight as the Cowboys travel to Mile High to take on the Broncos. Week 9: BYE Week It’s not as late of a bye week as the Cowboys would like, but it’s a nice break before some big pre-Thanksgiving games. Week 10: Kansas City Chiefs VS Dallas Cowboys The most anticipated game of Dallas’ regular season comes in Week 10, as the Cowboys face the juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs. Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles VS Dallas Cowboys (Sunday Night Football) One of the most competitive rivalries in football is renewed as Dallas hosts the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Week 12: Dallas Cowboys AT New York Giants Dallas hits the road for the first time since Week 8 as they take on the New York Giants. Week 13: Los Angeles Chargers VS Dallas Cowboys (Thanksgiving) Like they did in 2017, the Cowboys host the Los Angeles Chargers on Thanksgiving Day. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Week 14: Green Bay Packers VS Dallas Cowboys (Thursday Night Football) Dallas plays on back-to-back Thursdays as they host the Green Bay Packers in a game that could have plenty of playoff implications. Week 15: Dallas Cowboys AT Detroit Lions (Sunday Night Football) The road does not get any easier for the Cowboys as they continue their late-season NFC North theme, facing the talented Detroit Lions. Week 16: Washington Commanders VS Dallas Cowboys 15 weeks between matchups, the Cowboys host the Commanders in their final home game of the regular season. Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Week 17: Dallas Cowboys AT Chicago Bears Dallas draws the unpopular task of playing in Chicago in late December as they face off against the up-and-coming Chicago Bears. Week 18: Dallas Cowboys AT Philadelphia Eagles The Cowboys wrap up their season in Philadelphia, taking on the division rival Eagles.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Cowboys are officially declining the fifth-year option on cornerback Kaiir Elam. Very early in the offseason roster construction process the Dallas Cowboys made it a point to solidify their roster with veteran trade acquisitions. All told the team made three of them prior to the NFL Draft. One of the trades that Dallas executed involved the acquisition of cornerback Kaiir Elam thanks to the Buffalo Bills. All it took for Dallas to land Elam was a compensatory pick on Day 3 and given his high pedigree it stands to reason that he was worth a flyer, particularly at a position of need. Coincidentally the pick in question became another cornerback as Buffalo selected Ohio State’s Jordan Hancock at 170 overall. The pedigree in which Elam came from himself was the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Bills took Elam then at number 23 overall, just one spot before Dallas took Tyler Smith, which means that he has completed three years of service in the NFL. As this is the case for the former first-rounder the Cowboys had to decide this offseason if they wanted to pick up Elam’s fifth-year option, something they already did for Tyler Smith. Given that they have never seen him even play for them it always made sense that they were unlikely to do so and now that news is official. The #Cowboys are not picking up the fifth-year option of corner Kaiir Elam, acquired in a trade with Buffalo this offseason. This was largely expected, as the option would have paid him around $12.7M for 2026. — Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 1, 2025 With Elam’s option being declined it means that he is set to enter the final year of his contract with the Cowboys. Obviously the team could broker an extension at any point, although doing so early in the process is not exactly their style, but it seems logical to expect them to want to see what he has to offer. The future of the cornerback position is in a state of flux at the moment with DaRon Bland also currently set to enter the final year of his contract and questions surrounding Trevon Diggs. For what it’s worth the group did pick up a third-round pick in Shavon Revel Jr. who may answer some long-term questions down the road. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that what the position as a whole looks like a year from now could surprise us all.

Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images Dallas may have been waiting until this week to sign certain veteran free agents. Here’s why. The Dallas Cowboys sure do love their compensatory draft picks. The front office has often licked their lips when discussing additional firepower on draft weekend, and even how they factor in the compensatory formula with their offseason strategy. It wouldn’t be surprising, then, to see the team make a move in the next few weeks. According to league rules, as of this past Monday afternoon, any free-agent signings no longer count toward the calculation of next year’s compensatory picks. Before Monday, any free agents whose previous contracts had expired could negatively impact the Cowboys’ eventual haul of extra draft capital. Also a reminder on the comp pick formula, per Over The Cap: signings made after 4 pm EST on the Monday after the NFL Draft (so, today) will not be included.#Cowboys pic.twitter.com/t5baE6XR3h — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) April 29, 2025 Not all free-agent activity affects the formula. Re-signing your own, as they did with Osa Odighizuwa, KaVontae Turpin, and others doesn’t matter. Nor does signing players who were released by their former teams before the end of their contracts, such as Miles Sanders. Also, the deal has to be big enough to make a meaningful difference. So the budget-friendly signings of veterans like Javonte Williams and Robert Jones probably won’t cost them next year. This is far from the only reason, or even the primary one, that teams wait until after the draft to sign additional veterans. Mainly, they’re trying to patch up any holes that didn’t get addressed by the new rookies and fill out their 90-man offseason rosters. At this stage, many of the remaining unsigned free agents probably aren’t expecting much in these later stages of the offseason. That said, a couple of high-profile wide receivers like Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper may not be willing to play for peanuts, and that’s where this shift in the compensatory rules is most relevant. Dallas went into the draft needing another starting WR and didn’t even throw a late-round pick at the position. It is now their clearest and most present danger for the upcoming season, putting the top remaining free agents into more fervent conversation. Not having to worry about the compensatory formula removes one deterrent for the decision-makers. There are plenty of others given their ages, declined production, and of course Cooper’s previous run in Dallas which ended poorly. But if they believe either veteran can come in and offer a better option than Jonathan Mingo or Jalen Tolbert, then that’s what really matters now with ever-dwindling options. Another option with no bearing on compensatory picks is a trade, and those who aren’t high on Allen or Cooper would rather see the Cowboys swing a deal for a new WR2. The Jones family alluded to trade talks before and during the draft, and there’s a report that Dallas was talking with Pittsburgh at one point about George Pickens. So all of this free agency talk may be for naught if this is the route they eventually take. At the very least, should they continue to add free agents, the Cowboys no longer have to worry about hurting their 2026 compensatory picks. With WR still a glaring need after the draft, and additional depth needed at other spots as well, the team’s offseason business is far from over. We’ll see how Dallas takes advantage of this additional freedom in the coming weeks.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Do you feel better, worse or the same about the Cowboys draft class after a week to sit on it? It has been a week since the 2025 NFL Draft first started which means that we have all had time to think about every single thing that the Dallas Cowboys did and did not do. Maybe you loved the class from the start or perhaps you had questions at the very beginning. However you did or did not feel it is certainly possible that a week(ish) has changed your mind in one direction or the other. Perhaps not! It is possible that you felt an initial level of conviction that you are still holding strong to, good or bad. The purpose of our discussion on this fantastic Thursday here at BTB is to find that out. We want to know how are you feeling about the 2025 Dallas Cowboys draft class a week since it first began to be built? To be clear it is fine to feel the same, but whatever you feel let us know in the comments down below!

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The Cowboys news is delivered Jake Ferguson explains tweaks to training regimen for 2025, more: ‘I know what it takes’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Jake Ferguson is in a contract year. And Ferguson’s plan going into what will be the most pivotal year of his young NFL career? “Yeah, I think it’s almost like every other year, maybe a little bit more, but I know what it takes,” Ferguson said. “ I was [in the] Pro Bowl one year and, last year, not the year that I wanted to have. Just going through, going back and reassessing myself after this season, just knowing what it’s gonna take. I’m cutting out some of the bad things in my life —whether it be food, whatever it may be — and I am really locking in with Dak and making sure I’m keying on all the offensive keys with the new coaching staff. “I’m just making sure that turnover is seamless.” Schottenheimer’s goal is the same, and the buy-in has been immediate from the entirety of the locker room to this point. Despite the sweeping changes within the coaching staff and the fact it is Schottenheimer’s first year as a head coach, there’s an air about him that permeates your defenses and incessantly reminds you that he is not only a bright football mind bred under the tutelage of the legendary Marty Schottenheimer. He’s also a leader of men, an adorer of the game and a coach who relates to his players in a way not many coaches can tout. “it’s all about relationships. and you know. I don’t think I’ve ever had a head coach come down and every single time I’m in the cold tub, he’ll be talking to me,” Ferguson said of his early impressions of Schottenheimer the head coach. “To me, personally, just the first couple days of him being named, that’s what he was doing, and that meant a lot. You can tell he loves the game of football and he loves the guys he coaches. “To me, that’s something I can easily buy into. Personally, I’m just really excited and I’m happy as h-e-double hockey sticks to go in there every single day.” Mick Shots: Working On Solving Post-Draft Buts – Mickey Spagnola, DallasCowboys.com Some post-draft thoughts including some possible lingering issues, Another But: Great the Cowboys were able to draft cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round, and while there is a chance he will be ready for the start of the season, you just never know with these repaired ACLs and the meniscus he had repaired, too. His surgery was the first of October and likely will begin training camp on PUP for precautionary measures. Plus, no certainty Trevon Diggs will be ready for the season’s start. And on top of that, Caelen Carson is returning from his shoulder injury. And having traded for third-year corner Kaiir Elam is but a placeholder for now. So being on the lookout for a veteran cornerback is not out of the question. Plus, at that time in the draft, Revel was the highest player left on the Cowboys draft board. • But II: And while aware the Cowboys spent a fifth rounder for QB Joe Milton III and a seventh in return, but to me this does not automatically solve the Cowboys backup QB need. Why he’s played in just one NFL game last year in his rookie season. Sure think the Cowboys are keeping an eye out for a more veteran free agent quarterback with starting experience. Remember the “365.” • Going Blue: Who better to assess the Cowboys drafting University of Texas running back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round than Tashard Choice, the former Cowboys running back having coached running backs at the University of Texas before recently moving on to the Detroit Lions. His assessment: “Speed-wise, (Blue) is very similar to Jahmyr Gibbs, because he’s fast and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. They’ll look a little different in how they play the game, but the more Blue matures, he has a chance to be better (than Gibbs).” And that my friend is quite an endorsement. Cowboys cut RB Malik Davis, three others – Charean Williams, PFT In case you missed it. The Cowboys were one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL last season. They ranked 24th in attempts, 27th in yards and last in rushing touchdowns with Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott, both of whom are gone. The Cowboys also moved on from running back Malik Davis on Wednesday. The team announced it waived Davis, offensive lineman Jack Anderson, linebacker Brock Mogensen and offensive lineman Earl Bostick. Deuce Vaughn’s spot on the roster also is in jeopardy as the Cowboys upgraded the running back position this offseason. They signed free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders before drafting Texas’ Jaydon Blue and Clemson’s Phil Mafah. There is a good chance the team overturns the entire room for 2025. Davis spent 2024 on the practice squad but did not see any regular-season action after playing 12 games in 2022 and three in 2023. He has 38 rushes for 161 yards and a touchdown in his career, while adding six catches for 63 yards. Amari Cooper to Cowboys and More Ideal Free-agent Landing Spots After 2025 NFL Draft – Alex Kay, Bleacher Report That Amari Cooper idea is still out there. The Dallas Cowboys made the surprising decision to forego selecting any wide receivers in the 2025 draft. With Jonathan Mingo and Jalen Tolbert as the top options behind superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb, Dallas desperately needs to find some reinforcements in free agency. Reuniting with veteran pass-catcher Amari Cooper looks to be Dallas’ best path forward. According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, ”there is building team interest” in bringing Cooper back after he spent three-and-a-half seasons in Dallas from 2018-2021. It remains to be seen how much Cooper has left

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images How well do you think the Cowboys addressed their needs in the 2025 NFL Draft? What a difference a week makes! Well, at least we hope it does. That’s where so many fanbases sit following the 2025 NFL Draft, wondering how this year’s crop of rookies will help their teams’ fortunes next season and beyond. That may be even truer for the Dallas Cowboys than other franchises thanks to their heavy reliance on the draft for roster improvement. Shortly before last week’s festivities, we broke down the Cowboys’ needs after about a month of free agency. Follow the link for the details, but here was the list at that time: Running back Wide receiver Cornerback Defensive tackle Offensive tackle Defensive end Linebacker Guard/Center Tight end Quarterback Safety Special teams Since then, Dallas has added nine new players through the draft and several others as undrafted free agents. They even signed a veteran OT, Hakeem Adeniji, when everyone was too busy getting ready for last Thursday night to really notice. Now, with roughly three months to go until the start of training camp, how do those roster needs look? 12. Special Teams No surprise that an already-stacked position didn’t get any attention in the draft, or even from the UDFA signings. The Cowboys are ready to rock with this group and just have to figure out who will best fill the blocking and coverage duties from among their depth players. 11. Guard/Center Nobody expected Dallas to go with an interior lineman in the first round, or even before Day 3, but it really wasn’t that surprising when they selected Tyler Booker on Thursday night. Now, instead of hoping for the likes of Brock Hoffman, Robert Jones, and Saahdiq Charles to keep the line solvent, we’re looking for Booker to help push the line back to its 2014-2016 form. If that happens, it will make everyone on offense better in the same way Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and Travis Frederick did during their prime. 10. Safety It wasn’t a big need going in and, naturally, didn’t get any attention. The Cowboys seem content with Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson as veteran starters and a young but experienced trio of backups in Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell, and Israel Mukuamu. Like with Booker at guard, they could’ve made a pick here to elevate the group but were already adequately staffed for next season. 9. Quarterback Dallas had already used a fifth-round pick to acquire Joe Milton III via trade, so they had already made their Day 3 move at quarterback. With Dak Prescott and Will Grier already on the roster, the position was stocked except for another arm for training camp, something they can solve with a low-cost free agent. 8. Tight End Similarly, Dallas felt covered here going into the draft. They could’ve had Tyler Warren at the 12th pick but instead went with Booker, showing confidence in Jake Ferguson having a bounce-back year and third-year growth from Luke Schoonmaker. They did add a couple of undrafted rookies, but probably nothing more than camp bodies. 7. Defensive End While second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku was a big get for the pass rush, Dallas is still hurting for run stoppers. They’ll still be relying heavily on Marshawn Kneeland to replace DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston. Ezeiruaku helps mitigate risk with guys like Dante Fowler (age), Sam Williams (injury, unproven), and Payton Turner (bust), and is great for the future, but didn’t move the needle much on Dallas’ immediate need here. 6. Linebacker Fifth-round pick Shemar James adds another body to the rotation and could quickly assert himself in clear passing situations. But Dallas is still about where they started with trying to cover for DeMarvion Overshown’s absence. 5. Running Back While Day 3 picks generally aren’t needle movers, at least not on the surface, the depth of this year’s RB class allows for more optimism with Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. They should compete immediately with Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and Deuce Vaughn for carries and likely knock two of those veterans off the roster. Still, it’s hard to say that any of them will come in and become long-term answers at the position. 4. Offensive Tackle Even if sixth-round pick Ajani Cornelius plays tackle in the NFL, which is still unknown, he’s going to be a long shot to challenge for a meaningful role early. Asim Richards is probably still your swing tackle, meaning the need here didn’t really change. 3. Cornerback Shavon Revel is supposedly set to play in Week 1, if not sooner, but he’ll still be a rookie coming off a major knee injury. It gives Dallas more depth at CB but, with Trevon Diggs’ uncertainty, still leaves plenty of concern for the overall strength of the group in the early part of the season. 2. Defensive Tackle The Cowboys have more bodies now with Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote, but these late-round rookies can’t be immediately expected to do more than Linval Joseph and Carlos Watkins did last year. Dallas went in needing more reliable depth and, until we learn more this summer, it’s hard to say they improved the situation. 1. Wide Receiver The major story of this draft for the Cowboys was not taking any receivers despite it being a consensus top need, with some arguing it should have been their top priority. Tet McMillan was off the board by the 12th pick but everyone else was there, and throughout the rounds there were options that Dallas passed on for other positions. Going forward, the prospect of Jonathan Mingo and Jalent Tolbert competing for WR2 inspires little confidence. This is now the focal point of the remaining offseason, with rising clamor for Dallas to trade for an established receiver or at least sign a free agent like Keenan Allen or Amari Cooper.

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Every week, we gather the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Jess Haynie, David Howman, Tom Ryle, Sean Martin, and Brian Martin. What’s your take on the Cowboys first round pick? On the opening day of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys made a significant, and somewhat controversial, move of selecting offensive guard Tyler Booker from Alabama with the 12th overall pick. This decision was part of their strategy to bolster the offensive line after losing veteran guard Zack Martin. Renowned for his physicality and leadership, Booker allowed just two sacks during his three seasons in Alabama and right now he’s positioned to become the team’s starting right guard. Tom: While the immediate reactions were mixed, some rated Tyler Booker as the best guard in the draft, so that’s a positive. This was clearly a need-driven pick with the Zack Martin retirement, and I’m just fine with that. On day one, it is hard to fully evaluate the impact, but what stands out about Booker is that he is seen as very strong in the run game, especially when his assignment is to work in a phone booth to open holes and cut off pursuit. The follow up moves will be crucial, because this just screams more emphasis on the running game. At the end, the addition of two RBs makes this pick really make sense. It looks like Brian Schottenheimer is serious about running the ball, and Booker should help. Just seeing a plan taking shape and having the Jones family deferring to Schottenheimer and Will McClay is cause for cautious optimism. Brian: I have some concerns about Tyler Booker’s fit because I thought he was more of a power/gap player, but after listening to some of his interviews/press conferences I’m excited about the mentality he’s going to bring to the Cowboys OL. He should be a plug-and-play starter as Zack Martin’s replacement at RG and immediately improve the pass protection for Dak Prescott and upgrade the rushing attack. Even though I’m not completely in love with the pick, I’m still excited about the immediate impact he can make as a rookie. Howman: I have no issue with the player. Tyler Booker is going to be a great fit at right guard, and he’s got the exact type of physicality that Brian Schottenheimer spoke about wanting. My issue comes down to the value of the pick, specifically with guys like Tyler Warren and Shemar Stewart still on the board. It’s hard to quibble with taking a good player, but it’s enough to keep me from being completely overjoyed. Jess: Eleven years ago, Dallas added Zack Martin to the offensive line and watched it become the tide that raised all ships. DeMarco Murray’s huge year, Dallas’ big 2014 season, another big year in 2016 with Dak and Zeke as rookies; that what the Cowboys were thinking of when they drafted Tyler Booker. They’re hoping to restore elite-level play up front and seeing the entire offense benefit from it. Strategically, I get it. But thinking anyone can match the impact Martin had in Dallas is risky. Sean: I love this pick for so many reasons. Of course, the most obvious reason is the way Dallas instantly upgraded the choices to replace a future Hall of Fame right guard from unproven swing players and career backups, to a blue-chip prospect. The second reason is his plus scheme fit in Klayton Adams’ approach to offensive line play. The criticisms of this pick are all very fair, like how the Cowboys have gone this route of building a “great wall” before but the areas they lack in because of it hinder them in big games. There is also the ongoing comparisons between Brian Schottenheimer and Jason Garrett, only getting stronger after drafting Booker. Let’s not forget though that it took Garrett multiple years to build the offensive line into the best in the NFL, and now Schottenheimer may be starting out at this point. Also, it’s easy to forget just how bad and dysfunctional the Cowboys were a year ago en route to a 7-10 finish, so some of that Garrett era stability and getting back on track to a winning season should be welcome. Continuing the process by getting better at the line of scrimmage is never, ever a bad idea. Tyler Booker helps them achieve this and then some. What do you make of the Cowboys draft picks on Day 2? On Day 2 the Cowboys focused on bolstering their defense and secondary. In the second round, they selected defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku from Boston College with the 44th overall pick. Ezeiruaku had an impressive college career, tying the Boston College single-season sack record with 16.5 sacks in 2024 and earning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. This was one of the best value picks of the draft and very few experts had anything bad to say on the Ezeiruaku pick. In the third round, with the 76th overall pick, the Cowboys drafted cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. from East Carolina. Revel was once projected as a first-round talent before an ACL injury but is now considered a high-upside addition to Dallas’s secondary. This pick carries the most questions out of Dallas’ first three selections, but if right Revel could make this draft class one of the best in recent Cowboys history. Tom: Lots of best player at position of need here, and that’s a very good thing. A couple of draftniks here thought these were excellent choices in terms of value. Mike Poland had Donovan Ezeiruaku as a borderline first-round talent and Shavon Revel as a solid second-round prospect on his big board. David Howman had both of them on his list of the 15 best remaining players after round one. Ezeiruaku showed a desire to build from the inside out as the follow-up to Booker.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys are down to their official 90-man (sort of) roster. The Dallas Cowboys have a draft class that isn’t even a full week old and the team had some housekeeping to do. The NFL mandates that every team be down to 90 players following the draft and obviously the Cowboys had to take into consideration not only their drafted players, but the undrafted free agents that they will sign as well when trimming down to that number. On Wednesday it was revealed that the team waived four players: Malik Davis, Jack Anderson, Brock Mogensen and Earl Bostick Jr.. The #Cowboys have made the following roster moves today: Waived: RB Malik Davis OG Jack AndersonLB Brock MogensenOT Earl Bostick Jr. Utilized the International Exemption for DT Denzel Daxon. This allows them to carry 91 players on the roster. — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) April 30, 2025 The mothership’s Tommy Yarrish noted that the team is utilizing an international exemption for defensive tackle Denzel Daxon which technically brings their number to 91. On some level it is a bit surprising to see the team waive running back Malik Davis given the general unknown at the position, but obviously the Cowboys just drafted two backs and signed two in free agency. The math suggested this was possible. With a roster now set the Cowboys can focus on getting set for football(ish) activities. As you were.

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images Here are our grades for the Cowboys UDFA rookies The Dallas Cowboys really did nail this year’s NFL draft and their rookie class looks extremely promising with a number of high character players that all had productive collegiate careers. While everyone gets hyped for the nine draft picks they made during the seven rounds, they also quietly put together an interesting ensemble of free agents during the undrafted free agency period. Let’s grade the players they’ve taken and what their outlook is predicted to be at Dallas. WR, Josh Kelly, Texas Tech Kelly had a pretty productive 2024 season, recording 89 receptions for 1,023 yards and five touchdowns, leading the FBS with 32 third-down receptions. His ability to gain yards after the catch is easy to notice and his 605 yards-after-catch and 26 forced missed tackles highlights his playmaking skills with the ball in his hands. He’s an intelligent route runner with reliable hands, capable of playing both outside and in the slot. Given the Cowboys’ current depth at wide receiver, Kelly faces a challenging path to secure a spot on the 53-man roster. However, his versatility and special teams experience could make him a valuable asset for the practice squad with potential to be called up during the season. His college production and skill set suggest he could develop into a contributor for Dallas if given the opportunity. Pick Grade: B WR, Traeshon Holden, Oregon The Cowboys added a second wide receiver in their UDFA class with Traeshon Holden from Oregon. Holden, who began his collegiate career at Alabama, showcased improvement throughout his time in college. In his final year at Oregon, he recorded 45 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns. Notably, he had a standout performance against Ohio State with seven catches, 116-yards and two touchdowns. He certainly has reliable hands with an impressive 83.3% catch rate in 2024, and does well to make contested catches, even against some good cornerbacks. His problem is speed and explosiveness, where he really lacks both. He ran a 4.57s in the 49-yard dash and only hopped a 32” vertical. Holden’s size, hands, and willingness as a run blocker make him an intriguing addition, but his path to make the practice squad is a real test. Grade: B+ TE, Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn Fairweather has a little more intrigue here as the Cowboys spent time with him during a private workout before the draft after watching him at the Shrine Bowl. He began his collegiate career at Florida International University (FIU) then transferred to Auburn in 2023. During his college career, he amassed 116 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. He demonstrates the ability to be a reliable target, most certainly on short routes. He lacks any speed at any area of the field, but his strength and catch radius projects more as redzone player. Add his ability to be a good run blocker only reinforces his redzone capabilities. Fairweather’s combination of size, reliable hands, and blocking ability will certainly look to increase the competition at a position that was lacking last year. Grade: B+ TE, Tyler Neville, Virginia Neville was a graduate transfer from Harvard and played one season with the Cavaliers. He recorded 37 receptions for 394 yards and two touchdowns last season, and his best performance came in Week 2 against Wake Forest, when he caught four passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first UVA tight end since 2007 to achieve a two-touchdown game. He’s a dependable run blocker with toughness and a physical mentality, but Neville faces a massive uphill battle to secure a spot on the practice squad. Grade: C+ LB, Justin Barron, Syracuse At 6’4” and 225 pounds, Barron possesses the size and length that Dallas typically looks for in a linebacker. He’s a versatile defender who transitioned from safety to linebacker during his collegiate career, showcasing adaptability and athleticism on the field. They could look to use him as a hybrid linebacker and most definitely on special teams. His background as a safety contributes to his strengths in coverage, pursuit angles, and acceleration. But his areas for improvement, particularly in controlling his speed in space and shedding blocks, means he may struggle in the NFL as a full time linebacker. This signing has all the markings of a player taken for special team duty, which is something Dallas needs. Grade: B DB, Alijah Clark, Syracuse Ranked highest on the board, Clark represents the best talent in this year’s UDFA signings for Dallas. What also adds some extra sauce with Clark is the fact he’s best suited to play the slot corner or nickel back role, a position that holds many questions in Dallas since Jourdan Lewis’ departure. If Dallas utilize Clark in the right way he could stand a chance at making the final roster and carries the most potential. While playing at both Rutgers and Syracuse, Clark amassed 189 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and pass breakups. Grade: A- S, Mike Smith Jr, Eastern Kentucky Smith, a 6’1” and 206-pound safety had a pretty good 2024 season, recording 63 tackles, four interceptions, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble. His performance earned him multiple All-American honors and a unanimous First Team All-UAC selection whilst being the captain of the Colonels defense. His efforts helped Eastern Kentucky allow only 23 points per game en route to the FCS Playoffs with an 8-4 regular season record. This is quite a savvy move for the Cowboys. His proven production, leadership qualities, and versatility provide depth at a position that has a level of uncertainty beyond this season. Grade: B- CB, Zion Childress, Kentucky Childress, a Houston native, began his collegiate career at Texas State before transferring to Kentucky, where he became a two-time team captain and a versatile presence in the secondary. Over his five-year college career, he played in 62 games and amassed a whopping 283 tackles along with 13 tackles for loss, 17 pass breakups

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Who do you think will lead the Cowboys in rushing this season? The Dallas Cowboys had a huge need at running back when the offseason began and have done a number of things to give themselves options at the group. With respect to players like Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis, it stands to reason that the bulk of work will fall on the shoulders/legs of Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders and/or Jaydon Blue. Fellow rookie Phil Mafah will certainly figure into it as well. For our Wednesday discussion here on the site we are curious who you think will ultimately lead the team in rushing yards this season. It is always possible that the Cowboys add somebody else to the fold further down the road, but logic would suggest that the answer to this question is one of these names. This is the first season for the Cowboys in some time in which neither Ezekiel Elliott or Tony Pollard will be a part of the rushing attack in some way, shape or form. The last player to lead the team in rushing in a season like that was Darren McFadden in 2015. So who do you think it will be? Vote and let us know in the comments why you chose who you did!