Robert Scheer/IndyStar The Cowboys have made another addition to their defensive staff. The Dallas Cowboys have had a busy week filling out their coaching staff. They hired Matt Eberflus to be the defensive coordinator as well as several position coaches on that side of the ball. After bringing in Klayton Adams to be the new offensive coordinator on Friday, the Cowboys have now added David Overstreet as their new cornerbacks coach per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Curtis worked under Eberflus while he was the head coach of the Chicago Bears for three seasons. The Cowboys have hired David Overstreet, who worked with defensive backs in Chicago under new DC Matt Eberflus and new passing game coordinator Andre Curtis. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) February 1, 2025 Overstreet spent two years as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Bears before taking over as teams nickel coach in 2024. Before he went to Chicago, Overstreet spent four years with the Indianapolis Colts. The first three were as a defensive quality control coach before moving up to an assistant defensive backs coach in 2021. He worked under Eberflus while he was the defensive coordinator for the Colts during that time as well. One thing is for certain, Eberflus is getting a ton of familiarity with his style of coaching on board in Dallas, which should make for a smooth transition, and hopefully a better defensive unit in 2025.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images This has been a long offseason for the Cowboys and it has barely started. The Dallas Cowboys introduced their newest head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, on Monday, and ever since then have been busy building the staff that will work underneath the first-time head coach promoted from the offensive coordinator role. The hires will be just one piece of the puzzle to seeing how the 2025 Cowboys differ from the team that just suffered through a 7-10 season, with the next being the full player acquisition phase to reinfuse the roster with talent. A major step in this process is already underway with the two college All-Star bowls, and the Cowboys have done well to move just quickly enough to have something of a staff direction in place while evaluating draft prospects. Brian Schottenheimer’s introductory press conference was technically the first chance to gather info on the new direction of the franchise, with the new head ball coach seated between both Jerry and Stephen Jones. As silly as it seemingly is, there is such a perceived thing as “winning a press conference” in today’s NFL. Whether or not the Cowboys did this when introducing Schottenheimer is almost entirely dependent on any given fan’s opinion on the hire before ever hearing a word from either the front office of Schotty himself. There was not all that much from Monday’s proceedings that turned those against the hire from the start into Schottenheimer’s biggest fans and believers in the whole process, and those in favor of the hire shouldn’t have heard anything that completely swayed them the other way either. Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Two themes were persistent throughout the press conference, and they weaved their way in between long stretches of Jerry speak and cringeworthy air quotes from Stephen throughout the hour-plus session. One theme was how the hiring of Schottenheimer represents both risk and necessary change for the sake of improvement. The risk in taking a lifelong assistant coach who did not interview for any other head coaching openings this cycle and promoting him after three seasons with the Cowboys. The changes that would come with it both in Schottenheimer’s leadership abilities and coaching style, as well as more tangibly on the field. Schottenheimer did not get an extraordinary amount of time to discuss any scheme or philosophy changes he plans on implementing, but when he did it took no time at all to start with emphasizing the run game – surely music to the Jones’ ears after already interviewing Schottenheimer twice – as well as more play-action and the types of throws Dak Prescott thrived on much earlier in his career. The second theme was much more consistent, and did its best to contradict both some of the good and bad from the first. This was the theme of familiarity, of the importance of family, and the overall sense of doing things the “right way” and winning with the “right guys”. It didn’t take long for all of these things to create a comparison between Schottenheimer and former head coach Jason Garrett, also promoted from an OC role. Schottenheimer talked about the business of football always being about the people more than the X’s and O’s. As valid as this may be, the Cowboys had Monday as an opportunity for the first time since the season ended unceremoniously at home to address just how flawed they were on the X’s and O’s side of things in 2024, and all but passed on it. Without seeing a clear vision for how the team can improve here, and with all four of the conference championship participants from the day before looking leaps and bounds better in this critical area than the Cowboys, it remains hard to fully believe in this offseason being consequential enough to move this team all the way from third in the NFC East into first place again. Especially when the two teams that finished ahead of them just competed for a chance to go to the Super Bowl, both with former Cowboys coaches playing key roles in Kellen Moore for the victorious Eagles and Dan Quinn for the Commanders. It didn’t even take very long at all for Jerry to say point blank that he “wanted to be a coach”, which is sure to draw all sorts of eye rolls and discussion about the lack of experience from Schottenheimer in a role like this compared to his near lifelong dedication to the game of football. Is this the closest Jerry can actually get to having a coach like influence on the team, even commenting at length on his “proximity” to Schottenheimer in team meetings as a key part of the hiring decision? Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images Within those meetings, Jerry specifically talked about watching Schottenheimer both have “deference” to Mike McCarthy at times, and also “bite his lip” at other times when discussing game plans. If Schottenheimer’s presence was strong enough in these meetings to sell himself as a head coach without even realizing it, why was it not strong enough to make a difference on the field, where the offensive scheme persisted in the image of McCarthy’s play calling and hardly any of anything from Schottenheimer’s past in Seattle or elsewhere? If it was because a veteran head coach like McCarthy knew how to protect his own power within the team over anything else, and not allowing his coordinators to have big enough roles was a reason for parting ways after five seasons, how can the merits of a first time head coach like Schottenheimer, who will need an even stronger reliance on his support staff, be spun as a positive? If you’re going to sell a first time head coach to the fans, maybe start off by spelling his name right at the introduction @dallascowboys. My goodness. pic.twitter.com/w8phwukIbV — Sean Martin ✭ (@SeanMartinNFL) January 27, 2025 Unfortunately, these were not the only points of confusion when watching a team so desperate for a

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Cowboys fans seem to be coming around to the idea of Brian Schottenheimer. The Dallas Cowboys season may be over, but the NFL rolls on and the offseason takes over. We still have the Super Bowl to go and all the hoopla around that (more on hoopla below), but for most teams taking care of offseason business is in full swing. The Cowboys were one of the franchises that underwent a big change, that of changing their head coach. At first, it seemed that Mike McCarthy would stay and things would just continue on until Jerry Jones wouldn’t give him the length of contract that he wanted. McCarthy walked, which led to a chaotic head coaching search that included names like Kellen Moore, Robert Saleh, and apparently Pete Carroll in a bigger way than we thought. In the end, though, it was offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer who got the job. What did Cowboys fans think of that? As you might already surmise, they didn’t like it. The most popular grade was a ‘C’ (30%), followed closely by an ‘F’ (27%) and a ‘D’ (24%). That’s a vote of no confidence. We’ll have to wait to see how it ultimately plays out. It looks like the Cowboys are assembling a pretty strong coaching staff around Schottenheimer so that may help when the 2025 season rolls around. But it is safe to say Cowboys fans aren’t thinking Super Bowl right now. Speaking of the Super Bowl, the Manning brothers will be renewing their rivalry in the Kick of Destiny before the game on Super Bowl Sunday. The brothers will battle it out in a kicking contest from 25-yards out. Peyton may have been thought of as the superior quarterback in their NFL careers, but Eli is the pick of NFL fans to win the competition. Our partners at FanDuel are putting on the competition and if you are interested in making a pick, head on over. How to Play Download or Log In to FanDuel Sportsbook. Click the Kick of Destiny Icon on the homepage with your new or existing account Make your FREE Pick before 3pm ET on Super Bowl Sunday. Pick whether you think Peyton or Eli will win the Kick of Destiny 3 Win a share of $10,000,000 in Bonus Bets if you made the correct pick. Watch live Super Bowl Sunday on Fox to see the Mannings kick! Then, check back Monday to see how much you got! What is the Kick of Destiny? It’s a field goal competition pitting brother vs brother with a max of 3 rounds. If the first kicker makes his 25-yard kick, the second kicker is given a chance to tie. But if the first kicker misses, the second kicker is given a chance to win. If both kickers miss an attempt, they will move 5 yards closer for the next round.’ If no winner is decided after 3 rounds, the kicker who kicks it closest to the center target on the net in the third round will win the tiebreaker and be crowned Kick of Destiny Champion!

Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Who do you think the Cowboys are going to draft in the first round? It is no secret that the 2025 NFL draft is one of the weaker classes we have seen in recent years. With only a few blue-chip prospects at the top, the 2025 class will likely see fewer first-round-graded players than we are used to. For most draft analysts, there seems to be between 10 and 13 first-round-graded players in the 2025 NFL draft. With the Cowboys owning the 12th overall pick in the 2025 draft, will they have the opportunity to land one? Another expert consensus board update. pic.twitter.com/ytF1rvjLDs — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 28, 2025 Above is a recent update of the consensus board, and we can see where many of the main NFL draft evaluators have players graded in this class. Penn State’s Abdul Carter seems to be the consensus number one overall player in this class with Travis Hunter following closely behind. For most evaluators, Carter and Hunter seem to be the only blue-chip players in this class and will likely not be in range for the Cowboys to draft come April. Where things start getting interesting are the few names following Carter and Hunter. Michigan DT Mason Graham, Michigan CB Will Johnson, and Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty are the three other players landing in the top five of the consensus rankings. In Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent mock draft, he has Graham landing with the Jacksonville Jaguars at fifth-overall, Johnson landing with the Atlanta Falcons at 15th overall, and Jeanty landing with the Dallas Cowboys at 12th overall. Dane Brugler’s most recent mock draft has Graham landing with the New York Jets at seventh-overall, Johnson landing with the Jacksonville Jaguars at fifth-overall, and Ashton Jeanty landing with the Denver Broncos at 20th overall. As you can see there is no real consensus outside of Carter and Hunter, who ended up going in the first three picks in both Brugler and Jeremiah’s recent mock drafts. With the 12th overall pick, the Cowboys are likely keying in on wide receiver, offensive line, or defensive line with their first-round pick, but the sleeper here is Jeanty. He is widely considered a top five prospect by most people studying the NFL draft, but with questions about positional value and one of the deeper running back classes in recent years, it is tough to determine how high he will go in April. The Cowboys are likely to be one of the two teams in the top 15 to consider the Boise State running back, with the Chicago Bears a sneaky team to watch with the recent hire of Ben Johnson. For the Cowboys to land one of the few first-round-graded players, they will likely need a few of the quarterbacks to go off the board early to some of the quarterback-needy teams picking in the top eight. Luckily, for the Cowboys, there are currently six teams (Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints) in the top ten who could be in the market for a quarterback as of today. With Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders the only two quarterbacks garnering top ten consideration, there is a good chance both players could go ahead of the Cowboys in this year’s draft, pushing first-round-graded players at positions of need to them. As of today, I currently have only 11 first-round grades in the 2025 draft. Those 11 are: 1. Abdul Carter, ED, Penn State2. Travis Hunter, WR/DB, Colorado3. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona4. Mason Graham, iDL, Michigan5. Will Campbell, OL, LSU6. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State7. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia8. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan9. Mike Green, ED, Marshall 10. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State11. Jalon Walker, ED, Georgia The Cowboys will likely be right on the border of being able to draft one of those players based on where they stand currently, making the next few months a nervous wait for the front office and fans. In most cases, the 12th overall pick is almost guaranteed to land you a first-round-graded player, but unfortunately for the Cowboys they are ending up with a premium draft slot in a non-premium draft year.

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images The latest and greatest news surrounding the Cowboys is here. Cowboys name Klayton Adams new offensive coordinator – Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas keeps filling out their new coaching staff. While Brian Schottenheimer will call plays in his first year as the Dallas Cowboys’ coach, he has hired his offensive coordinator in former Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams. Adams, 41, spent the past two seasons in that role for the Cardinals and is well regarded across the league for his run game. The Cardinals had the seventh-ranked run game in the NFL last year (144.2 yards per game) and were second in yards per carry (5.3). James Conner had 1,094 yards and eight rushing touchdowns for Arizona in 2024. The Cowboys were led by Rico Dowdle, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent, with 1,079 yards and just two touchdowns. The Cowboys had only six rushing touchdowns on the season. The Cowboys are expected to hire an offensive line coach in addition to having Adams. Before joining Arizona, Adams spent four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, working with the tight ends and serving as an assistant offensive line coach. Ready to run? Here’s what Cowboys new OC hire could mean for Dallas’ offense – Calvin Watkins, DMN The Cowboys look like they want to run more, but who’s going to carry the rock? With Schottenheimer as the offensive play caller and with the run schemes Adams used with the Arizona Cardinals in his two seasons as the offensive line coach, this might be a good fit. In 2024, Arizona finished 7th in rushing yards (2,451) and yards per game (144.2). The previous season, the Cardinals were fourth in rushing yards (2,365) and yards per game (139.1). The problem with all this success in Arizona is that Dallas doesn’t have a lead running back for the 2025 season or a quarterback that moves. Dallas Cowboys making one thing clear in Schottenheimer era: They will ‘run the damn ball’ – Nick Harris, Star Telegram Harris with some early ideas about who could end up carrying the rock. In 2024, the Cardinals led the NFL in post-snap pulling with offensive linemen in the run game, as Adams specialized in intricate blocking schemes that allowed for multiple blockers to pave holes for running backs such as veteran James Conner who finished with the highest single-season rushing total (1,094 yards) in his seven-year career. While at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., the Cowboys’ scouting department put in a lot of work in interviewing multiple running backs such as UCF’s R.J. Harvey, USC’s Woody Marks and Kansas’ Devin Neal among others. With Rico Dowdle set to hit free agency, Deuce Vaughn is the only running back from the 2024 active roster signed for next season. Drafting one running back, if not two, was already a necessity. With a now clear emphasis on establishing a run game, it’s now become a requirement. Whether it’s drafting Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty with the No. 12 overall pick or selecting production machines such as Harvey or Neal later on, the need is there for a running weapon in a league where Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have powered their teams to deep playoff runs. With the right hire and weapons in place to do that, it will only make life easier for Dak Prescott and the beginning of the Schottenheimer era. Interesting to note that AZ’s run game has been more diverse (and effective) with its run scheme than DAL since Adams came on board prior to 2023, notably using “counter” concept runs much more frequently (over 3x more) over the past 2 seasons. #Cowboys https://t.co/KpmsatD9QQ — John Owning (@JohnOwning) January 27, 2025 Courtesy of @JohnOwning, here’s a direct comparison of run concepts between the two teams. What to expect from new Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams – David Howman, Blogging The Boys Here are the important nuggets about Klayton Adams. Adams’ coaching background has exposed him to a variety of different offensive schemes. It began in his playing days, when the California native committed to Boise State, back when Dan Hawkins was the head coach and Chris Petersen – soon to be the face of the program – was coordinating the offense. There, Adams was exposed to a variety of different run schemes due to the multiple nature of the Boise State offense that Kellen Moore later drew on to jumpstart his own coaching career. After graduating, Adams started coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. He moved on to various stints at FCS programs before coaching tight ends at San Jose State. When his head coach, Mike MacIntyre, took the head job at Colorado, Adams followed. Over six seasons in Boulder, Adams worked with running backs, tight ends, and the offensive line. He also added co-offensive coordinator duties to his plate in his final season with the Buffaloes. MacIntyre was fired following that 2018 season, which led to Adams jumping to the NFL. He was hired as the assistant offensive line coach for the Colts, reuniting him with his former position coach at Boise State, Chris Strausser. There, Adams was part of an offensive staff led by head coach Frank Reich, who called the offensive plays. Adams’ first season saw two offensive linemen earn Pro Bowl nods for the first time. After two seasons assisting Strausser with the offensive line, Adams opted to return to college to coach the offensive line at Arizona State under Herm Edwards. However, the Colts lost their tight ends coach to the Eagles just a few days later and enticed Adams to return for the tight ends job, which he accepted. After two seasons coaching the tight ends, which ended with Reich being fired midway through the year, Adams left for the offensive line job with the Cardinals. There, he took a prominent role under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, a longtime disciple of Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Between Petzing

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Who are you watching in this year’s Senior Bowl? The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft and one important scouting stop along the way is the Senior Bowl. The game will be played this Saturday (Feb 1) at 2:30 PM ET. Here are 10 players the Cowboys should keep tabs on during the game. OT, Josh Conerly JrOregon Conerly has elite foot speed, lateral agility, and good technical skills in pass protection. His ability to mirror edge rushers and manage complex blocking schemes would be beneficial for the Cowboys’ offensive line that certainly had its bad moments last year. He’s best described as effective as a run blocker with versatility in both zone and gap schemes. His background as a high school running back helps him understand the requirements to be an upfront blocker. CB, Azareye’h Thomas Florida State With the Cowboys needing depth at cornerback, Thomas’s connection to Juanyeh Thomas as his younger brother makes him an interesting prospect. His size and fluidity suggest he could be a good fit, though he’ll need time to develop. RB, Ollie GordonOklahoma State Dallas has an obvious need at running back, especially under the impending Brian Schottenheimer scheme. Gordon is a Fort Worth native, which adds a hometown appeal, but he’s also a versatile back capable of thriving in both zone and gap schemes, huge check marks at this stage. His patient running style, vision, and ability to make defenders miss in the hole would complement the Cowboys’ offensive strategy, which has historically valued a robust running game. His size (6’2”, 225 lbs) also allows him to be a power runner when needed, potentially replacing the production lost with Rico Dowdle if the coaches opt to not bring him back. Gordon’s does carry some off-field red flags issues (like a DUI arrest), which could be a cause of concern for some teams. But his on-field talent and fit within the Cowboys’ scheme make him a compelling prospect. QB, Jaxson DartOle Miss Dart’s arm talent is evident, but his inconsistencies make him a later-round pick. If he performs well at the Senior Bowl, he could be an intriguing developmental quarterback for the Cowboys to sit behind Dak Prescott. At this stage, Cooper Rush and Trey Lance are both free agents, leaving the QB2 spot up for grabs. DE, Mike GreenMarshall As a potential complement to Micah Parsons, Green’s performance in the Senior Bowl could see him rise up draft boards rapidly. His skills as a pass rusher are notable, though he needs to work on his run defense. He would be an excellent fit for the Cowboys due to his explosive pass-rushing abilities and high football IQ. Green has demonstrated he can be a game-changer off the edge, which would add significant pressure from the Cowboys’ defensive line. His list of accolades, which includes All-American honors, suggests he can step in and contribute immediately, enhancing the Cowboys’ pass rush and potentially elevating the defense once again. DT, Deone WalkerKentucky With Osa Odighizuwa’s free agency looming, Walker represents a strong, if not yet polished, interior lineman option. His size and strength are his biggest assets. At 6’6” and 348 pounds, Walker offers the physicality needed to bolster the Cowboys’ run defense, which was a point of concern last year (again). His versatility to line up in various alignments, from nose tackle to 3-technique, aligns with the Cowboys’ need for a flexible defensive line under Matt Eberflus. OG, Willie LampkinNorth Carolina Willie Lampkin’s fit with the Cowboys would largely be based on his potential as a developmental player with immediate depth capabilities and the strong possibility of him growing into a more prominent role as he gains NFL experience and physique. His wrestling experience will translate well to the physical endurance required in trench warfare in the NFL. This type of background has often seen players perform above expectation due to having an understanding and natural rhythm when it comes gaining leverage and hand fighting. Both of which are seen on tape with Lampkin. WR, Jayden HigginsIowa State Incorporating Higgins into the Cowboys’ offense could provide them with a physical presence at receiver, adding another layer to their passing game. Higgins has demonstrated a knack for making difficult catches, with a notable catch radius and body control. His ability to win in contested situations and his high-point ball skills make him an attractive target for quarterbacks, especially on crucial downs. The Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb as their primary receiver, but they could benefit from a possession, X-type receiver like Higgins who can move the chains on third downs and provide a different kind of threat than what’s currently on the roster. DE, Shemar StewartTexas A&M Stewart’s versatility and size make him a candidate for the Cowboys to consider, particularly if they’re looking for a player who can adapt to multiple defensive roles. Stewart’s physical attributes, potential to improve both the run and pass defense, and his local ties make him an intriguing prospect for the Cowboys. His fit would particularly shine if the Cowboys aim to build a more robust even front that can control the line of scrimmage while also contributing to the pass rush. DT, T.J. SandersSouth Carolina Sanders needs to work on his anchor and physical development to become a more complete player. If the Cowboys can nurture his raw talents into a more polished game, he could significantly enhance their defensive line. His quickness off the snap and ability to affect quarterbacks, particularly when given freedom in reduced alignments, could help the Cowboys improve their interior pressure, which is about to lose players that once provided that. Look for Sanders stock to level out as a second- to third-round pick, which aligns where the Cowboys might look to address defensive line needs. And to top it off, Sanders won’t even be 22 years of age by the time training camp ends.

Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK Brian Schottenheimer has found his right hand man in Klayton Adams The Dallas Cowboys have landed their final coordinator of Brian Schottenheimer’s inaugural coaching staff, adding Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator. Schottenheimer will call plays on offense, but Adams will serve in a vital support role for the new head coach. Prior to Adams’ hiring, Stephen Jones offered these comments during the Senior Bowl on what the team was looking for in an offensive coordinator for Schottenheimer: “I think most of these guys always want to check the run game box,” Jones said. “Most of these guys are very, if you will, fluent when it comes to throwing the ball around the yard. But you always want a great offensive line coach, a great running game coordinator. And of course, the key this day and time is to marry that run game to the pass game.” “We want to be able to run the ball,” Jones said. “Everybody says that we want to run the ball and we want to stop the run, and certainly that’s what we want to do. That’s what great championship football teams do, and I know coach Schottenheimer wants to do that. I think it’s real important that we find in this hire a coach that’s going to be outstanding in the run game area.” That description fits Adams to a tee. In just his second season coaching the offensive line for the Cardinals, Adams helped Arizona finish eighth in EPA/rush and ninth in rushing DVOA. As a team, the Cardinals averaged 5.3 yards per carry, outdone only by the Ravens this year. Adams’ coaching background has exposed him to a variety of different offensive schemes. It began in his playing days, when the California native committed to Boise State, back when Dan Hawkins was the head coach and Chris Petersen – soon to be the face of the program – was coordinating the offense. There, Adams was exposed to a variety of different run schemes due to the multiple nature of the Boise State offense that Kellen Moore later drew on to jumpstart his own coaching career. After graduating, Adams started coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. He moved on to various stints at FCS programs before coaching tight ends at San Jose State. When his head coach, Mike MacIntyre, took the head job at Colorado, Adams followed. Over six seasons in Boulder, Adams worked with running backs, tight ends, and the offensive line. He also added co-offensive coordinator duties to his plate in his final season with the Buffaloes. MacIntyre was fired following that 2018 season, which led to Adams jumping to the NFL. He was hired as the assistant offensive line coach for the Colts, reuniting him with his former position coach at Boise State, Chris Strausser. There, Adams was part of an offensive staff led by head coach Frank Reich, who called the offensive plays. Adams’ first season saw two offensive linemen earn Pro Bowl nods for the first time. After two seasons assisting Strausser with the offensive line, Adams opted to return to college to coach the offensive line at Arizona State under Herm Edwards. However, the Colts lost their tight ends coach to the Eagles just a few days later and enticed Adams to return for the tight ends job, which he accepted. After two seasons coaching the tight ends, which ended with Reich being fired midway through the year, Adams left for the offensive line job with the Cardinals. There, he took a prominent role under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, a longtime disciple of Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Between Petzing and Adams, the Cardinals have built an offense that, in many ways, mirrors the offense that Stefanski runs in Cleveland. There are strong influences of the Shanahan type offense that Stefanski majored in with the Vikings, but with a more varied blocking scheme in the run game. For example, the Cardinals have been one of the top gap-blocking teams in the league these past two years, using at least one pulling offensive lineman on just under two thirds of their run plays this past year. In 2024, they found great success running counter, finishing second in the NFL in counter run plays but showing a wide variation of formations they ran it from. The Cardinals didn’t just have a strong running game, though. They excelled in pass protection too: their 28.0% pressure rate was the sixth-best in the league, ranking one spot ahead of the Cowboys, despite losing both starting tackles to injured reserve and playing with a quarterback in Kyler Murray whose frequent scrambling ability often makes it harder on the offensive line to hold up. Part of this was accomplished through an insanely high play-action rate, something Schottenheimer has already mentioned as a priority for his offense. Only three other quarterbacks had a higher play-action rate than Murray this year, and only four quarterbacks threw for more yards off play-action. One other point to consider with Adams’ hiring: the tight end position. Outside of the offensive line, Adams has spent the most time in his career working with the tight end position, and Trey McBride became a focal point for the Cardinals this year. He finished one catch behind rookie sensation Brock Bowers for most receptions in the league, and McBride’s 1,146 yards, 526 yards after the catch, and 2.14 yards per route run all ranked second in the league as well. That background could potentially be impactful for Jake Ferguson, who’s coming off a bit of a down year and enters the final season of his rookie contract. All in all, Adams brings some exciting experience with creative and highly efficient run schemes, something that had already been mentioned as a priority for Schottenheimer’s offensive coordinator. On top of it all, Adams has often been praised for his charisma and ability to relate to players, making him a perfect