Alternate Reality: Cowboys could’ve been led by Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer as opposed to current path reidhanson Everyone remembers the one that got away. From the girl next door to the job offer with the bad timing, hindsight can be cruel as much as it can be educational. For the Dallas Cowboys, Sean Peyton is often seen as the head coach that got away. Once a Cowboys offensive coordinator under Bill Parcells, Payton was seen as the next great coach in Cowboys lore. As luck would have it, Parcells stayed on one year too long and Payton jumped ship one year too early, essentially killing the dream. Looking at the current situation in Dallas, it’s difficult not to think about what could have been once again. Over the past 13 months the Cowboys had a few desirable coaches on their staff and if they would have played things differently, they could have had considerably different setup today. After losing to Green Bay in the playoffs in the most embarrassing way possible one year ago, many believed McCarthy was a lock to get fired. The team was ill-prepared, unfocused and unmotivated. It was an indictment on a head coach that throughout his time in Dallas couldn’t win a postseason game against a team with a winning record. If the Cowboys would have fired McCarthy after that Packers loss, Dallas probably could have had Dan Quinn as their head coach in 2024. Not only that, dumping McCarthy would have unchained Brian Schottenheimer as the offensive coordinator. McCarthy never let Schottenheimer call plays during their time together and it was generally viewed as McCarthy’s offense through and through. Instead, the Cowboys stuck with McCarthy one more season, opening the door to Quinn’s departure and empowering the NFC East rival Commanders to complete one of the NFL’s biggest franchise turnarounds. There is an alternate reality in 2025 as well. Let’s say the Cowboys stuck with McCarthy and 2024 unfolded just as it did. But instead of elevating Schottenheimer to head coach, the Cowboys elevated Mike Zimmer instead. Zimmer was making headway on the Dallas defense in his one year as defensive coordinator. He survived a litany of injuries and instilled discipline in a notoriously undisciplined unit. It stands to reason with a healthy roster and a couple new pieces, the Cowboys defense could bounce back to elite ranks in no time. Much like the Quinn example a year prior, elevating the defensive coordinator to head coach wouldn’t necessarily run Schottenheimer out of town. Schottenheimer wanted to call plays and by most accounts wasn’t a high demand coaching prospect this winter. It stands to reason simply offering him control of the offense would be enough to keep him on board for the foreseeable future. In this scenario the Cowboys could have elevated fan favorite Al Harris to take over as Zimmer’s defensive coordinator or even brought in the current coordinator Matt Eberflus. It would still be Zimmer’s defense but would add additional coaching talent to franchise. In both scenarios Schottenheimer is running the offense it’s just the defense that’s in different hands. Theoretically the Cowboys could have had their cake and eaten it too. Maybe all things worked out for the best. Quinn got his chance to pull a franchise up from the dirt and the Cowboys dodged a coach whose postseason ended in another defensive meltdown. Zimmer wasn’t the most daring head coach in Minnesota so maybe he wouldn’t be a great option for the Cowboys. Based on possible gained win percentage, his fourth-down decision making finished in the middle of the pack (one spot worse than the Cowboys from 2014-2021) and he might have put Schottenheimer under his thumb as so many of Schottenheimer’s coaches had done in the past. It’s impossible to know how things would have turned out but it’s interesting to look back and envision how things could have been. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
New Cowboys special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen comes with unique background
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images It is going to be difficult for the Cowboys to replace John Fassel. The Dallas Cowboys landed their new special teams coordinator on Tuesday, hiring Nick Sorensen to replace John Fassel. Sorensen has ties to new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, having worked on the same Seahawks and Jaguars staffs, but his résumé is otherwise pretty unique for a special teams coach. Welcome to Dallas, Coach Sorensen! ⭐️#DallasCowboys | : https://t.co/18FxaSGNuA pic.twitter.com/oyERaW5WeB — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 28, 2025 Sorensen is set to begin his 13th season as a coach, but his first year in Dallas will mark just his second as a special teams coordinator. He also comes to the Cowboys after a one year stint as the 49ers defensive coordinator. So what is there to know about this new coach? Let’s start from the beginning. Sorensen, a Virginia native, committed to Virginia Tech to play quarterback. After two seasons alternating at the starting role, Sorensen was permanently benched when the Hokies landed freshman phenom Michael Vick. Soon after, Sorensen was moved to defense, playing a hybrid safety/linebacker role. Sorensen went undrafted in 2001 despite being fourth on the team in tackles during a national championship run. He spent two seasons with the Rams, where Sorensen played alongside defensive lineman Jeff Zgonina, who coached the Cowboys defensive line this past season. He then had a four-year stint with the Jaguars, primarily seeing work as a special teams player and even being named a team captain. Sorensen then spent four years with the Browns before a neck injury led to his retirement. Of note, though, is the fact that his last two years in Cleveland saw Rob Ryan running the defense and Matt Eberflus coaching the linebackers. Both coaches would move to Dallas the year after Sorensen retired, of course. A few years after Sorensen retired, he joined the Seahawks as the assistant special teams coach. Seattle won the Super Bowl his first year on the staff and returned to the Super Bowl the next year. After three seasons assisting Brian Schneider with the special teams, Sorensen also added the title of assistant defensive backs coach. He then transitioned fully to coaching defensive backs and held that role for the next four seasons in Seattle. Schneider, Sorensen’s former special teams mentor, left the Seahawks for the same job in Jacksonville under new head coach Urban Meyer. After four months on the job, and shortly before training camp began, Schneider abruptly stepped away from the team. Meyer pivoted to Sorensen, giving him his first coordinator job. The move also reunited him with Schottenheimer, who had spent the previous three seasons as the Seahawks offensive coordinator, and was working as the Jaguars’ new quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator. In case you, like so many Jaguars fans, have purged that season from your memory permanently, it did not go well. Meyer was fired before the season even ended, and kicker Josh Lambo later sued Meyer for assault and battery, among other things. Needless to say, Sorensen’s only season as a special teams coordinator wasn’t great – Jacksonville finished 31st in special teams DVOA – but it’s hard to attribute much of that to Sorensen himself, especially considering he didn’t even join until late in the offseason. After Jacksonville, Sorensen wound up in San Francisco as a defensive assistant specializing with the linebackers. The move reunited him with Schneider, who had just joined as the special teams coordinator. A year later, Sorensen was promoted to pass game coordinator to help new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks maintain the bones of the 49ers defense despite being an outside hire. When Kyle Shanahan made the controversial decision to fire Wilks a couple days after losing in the Super Bowl, he promoted Sorensen to defensive coordinator. Shanahan also brought in fired Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to help mentor Sorensen. It did not go well, as the 49ers dropped for fourth in defensive DVOA under Wilks to 13th under Sorensen. In fairness, though, San Francisco was dealt a slew of injuries, mostly on the defensive side. Star linebacker Dre Greenlaw played in just two games, while safety Talanoa Hufanga – one of the enforcers of the defense – didn’t make his season debut until December. Nine other defenders finished the year on the injured reserve as well. Following the season finale, Shanahan decided to move on from both Sorensen and Schneider, though the head coach publicly expressed a desire to retain Sorensen as their new special teams coordinator. However, after conducting interviews with other candidates, while Sorensen did the same, both sides ultimately chose to go in different directions. That brings Sorensen to Dallas. His experience is a bit light, with just one year running his own special teams unit and coming off the worst defensive year of the Shanahan 49ers era. He’s stepping into some big shoes, as Fassel is one of the most respected special teams coaches in the NFL, but Sorensen does inherit the league’s best kicker in Brandon Aubrey. It’s unclear how much Sorensen’s schemes will differ from Fassel’s, who was known for an aggressive approach that favored trick plays. But his relationship with Schottenheimer – from their days in Seattle under Pete Carroll to the trying year under Meyer – should at least provide a strong level of trust moving forward with this unit.
Cowboys news: Dallas make smart move by signing Will McClay to extension
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Will McClay, Cowboys agree to multi-year contract extension for 2025 and beyond – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com One of Dallas’ critical pieces to success will be staying with the team for a while. What is arguably the biggest news of the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason has landed, and not long after the team named Brian Schottenheimer as the tenth head coach in franchise history; and this time it’s by way of a new deal being struck with Will McClay. The team’s vice president of player personnel has officially signed a multi-year contract extension that will keep him in Dallas for the foreseeable future, on a five-year deal, to be more specific, per the team’s front office. The Cowboys have enjoyed a bounty of eventual Pro Bowlers, All-Pros and future Hall of Famers who were drafted in the McClay era — e.g., DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, Dak Prescott, etc. etc. — and his influence continues to shine through each offseason. McClay’s existing contract was set to expire after the 2025 NFL Draft, but no longer. Cowboys confident new DC Matt Eberflus will ‘get the most’ out of Micah Parsons – Matt Galatzan, Sports Illustrated Matt Eberflus returning to Dallas seems to be a good sign for Micah Parsons. The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most dangerous and versatile defensive players in the NFL in Micah Parsons. In fact, since being drafted by Dallas in 2021, Parsons has been on a historic pace, sitting with 52.5 sacks in four seasons, with four Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro nods. Three of those seasons were spent under former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who now sits as the head coach of the Washington Commanders, while Parsons also thrived under Mike Zimmer this past season. Now, a new defensive coordinator will enter the mix for the third season in a row, with the Cowboys hiring Matt Eberflus on Monday. And the Cowboys are confident that Parsons will continue to be a dominant force under his new playcaller. “Everybody’s had their own idea of versatility with [Parsons] and moving him around because he’s such a game-wrecker when he’s rolling. Getting him into situations where he can have matchups that are favorable [when] everybody’s gonna be trying to double, triple,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said at the Senior Bowl. “If you can move him around and then not know for sure where he’s gonna be, then it can be advantageous for everybody on the defense. … We’re confident [Eberflus] is going to utilize him and get the most out of him.” Dallas Cowboys announce three additions to Brian Schottenheimer’s coaching staff – Staff, DMN Three more signings. On Wednesday afternoon, the team announced the hiring of linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton and defensive passing game coordinator Andre Curtis. All three assistants will work closely with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Curtis got well-acquainted with the Cowboys in recent days after reportedly interviewing for the team’s defensive coordinator gig. He has extensive experience coaching in the NFL, recently working as the Bears’ secondary/safeties coach. Curtis and Schottenheimer worked together in Seattle from 2018-20. Borgonzi is returning to Dallas after spending the last three seasons in Chicago. He recently served as Eberflus’ linebackers coach with the Bears from 2022-24. Finally, Whitecotton is joining Schottenheimer’s staff after spending the last four seasons with the New York Jets. He coached the Jets’ defensive line during his New York stint, moving up into the role after working as an assistant defensive line coach in San Francisco and Buffalo from 2018-20. Report: Cowboys interview Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams for their OC job – Charean Williams, PFT The staff seems to be coming together. Adams has spent he past two seasons in Arizona, arriving with head coach Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals ranked seventh in rushing yards per game this season and eighth in rushing touchdowns. James Conner had his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. The Cowboys want an offensive coordinator who is “outstanding” in the run game. Saints head coaching search: Eagles OC Kellen Moore in the driver’s seat for job after strong interview – Jared Dubin, CBS Sports A former Cowboys coordinator now seems to be the front-runner for the Saints’ head job. The New Orleans Saints apparently have a new front-runner for their head coach opening. According to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is “in the driver’s seat” for the role after a strong in-person interview on Monday. As Jones notes, Moore will actually be in the Saints’ facilities next week because the Eagles are the designated home team in the Super Bowl, which is being played in New Orleans. However, league rules dictate that the Saints cannot contact him again until after the Super Bowl is over and his hiring could not be made official until after the game, either. Jerry Jones lashes out against critics of Cowboys’ hire of Brian Schottenheimer: ‘You’re so wrong’ – Chris Bumbaca, USA Today Jerry Jones disagrees with those criticizing the Brian Schottenheimer hire. With the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones maintained his stance of being “all in” during his first meeting with the media since parting ways with Mike McCarthy two weeks prior. Jones also used the introductory news conference Monday to respond to the idea that he would only hire somebody he could control. “I know I get my proverbial (expletive) kicked over needing people in my comfort zone. Without this thing being about me in any way, if you don’t think I can’t operate out of my comfort zone, you’re so wrong, it’s unbelievable,” Jones said. “This is as big a risk you can take, as big a risk as you can take – no head-coaching experience. “Let me share something with you. With all of that, you just heard him reference his osmosis, his family, anybody in this
Cowboys Headlines: 3 assistants added to staff, defensive star listed as ‘priority’, which Triplet is considering a coaching career?
Cowboys hire first three assistants on Schottenheimer’s staff :: The Mothership Link The organization has hired Dave Borgonzi as linebackers coach, Aaron Whitecotton as defensive line coach, and Andre Curtis as defensive passing game coordinator. Borgonzi was on staff with Dallas from 2012 to 2013 and worked under Matt Eberflus in Chicago. Whitecotton has worked for the Jets for the last four seasons. Curtis has previous ties to both Brian Schottenheimer and Eberflus. Cowboys could thrive under defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. But first, they must answer a major question about their best defender, Micah Parsons. :: Yahoo Sports Link With a new coaching staff in place in Dallas, it will be more imperative than ever to get the team’s top players locked in as early as possible. There will be a lot of eyes on how the team handles Micah Parsons’s upcoming contract talks. Are the Cowboys willing to pay Parsons the money players at his position have commanded, as some of his predecessors have reset the market among non-quarterback contracts? And how will other defenders like T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett factor in with their own negotiations with their teams? Cowboys plan to make projected $100 million free agent a ‘priority’ :: SI.com Link The Cowboys reportedly want to keep Odighizuwa from hitting the open market this offseason. While Stephen Jones says getting the former third-round draft pick signed is a priority, he also needs to confer with the team’s new defensive coordinator. Odighizuwa has been projected to cash in with a $100 million contract, but whether Jones goes for that price remains to be seen. What Daryl ‘Moose’ Johnston said about Cowboys hiring Brian Schottenheimer, Matt Eberflus :: Dallas Morning News Link The three-time Super Bowl-champion fullback believes it will be “very, very challenging” for Schottenheimer to call his own plays as head coach, especially as a first-timer. “To me, I would like my head coach to be more, kind of the overseer of the entire game,” he said. As for the defense under Eberflus, Johnston says Dallas should give opponents a lot to think about with a fast and physical style of play that’s not overly complicated but fundamentally sound. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: Brian Schottenheimer is ‘tied directly to my future’ :: NFL.com Link Prescott loves the continuity that Schottenheimer will bring to the 2025 offense, and he feels it will carry over to the rest of the team. “The special teams, the defense, everybody will have the same message. You’ll be on the same accord. I think everybody will have clear job responsibilities,” Prescott said. “And from there, he will hold everybody [accountable], and not only that, he expects everybody to hold him accountable to that, to those communications.” The quarterback noted that his own contract runs the same length as Schottenheimer’s, so their futures are very much tethered to one another. Schottenheimer’s success with Cowboys hinges on one thing he can’t control :: Cowboys Wire Link The first-time coach can’t do it alone, and his success hinges just as much on the front office as it does him. The Cowboys front office will need to be more aggressive in acquiring quality talent. They simply cannot be last in free agency spending again and expect to turn their fortunes around for 2025. Restructuring some big contracts and actively working some trades could help tremendously. Report: Cowboys interview Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams for their OC job :: ProFootballTalk Link Adams has spent the past two seasons in Arizona as offensive line coach. The Cardinals ranked seventh in rushing yards per game this season and eighth in rushing touchdowns. James Conner had his second consecutive 1,000-yard season under his unit’s protection. Dallas Cowboys interview Kevin Koger for offensive coordinator job :: On3 Link The Cowboys have also interviewed Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger for the OC job. Prior to 2024, his first year in Atlanta, Koger served the same role for the Chargers for three seasons and was an offensive quality control coach in Green Bay for two years before that. Cowboys extend contract of most important front office member of last decade :: Cowboys Wire Link As VP of player personnel, Will McClay has drafted 15 Pro Bowlers and six All-Pros since taking over the Cowboys’ scouting efforts in 2014. Last year was the last of his contract, causing some to fear he might depart for a true GM role elsewhere. After helping in the selection process that ended with Schottenheimer’s hiring, McClay was signed Wednesday to a multi-year deal that will keep him in Dallas. What do the Dallas Cowboys look for at the Senior Bowl? Here’s what Will McClay had to say :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link McClay uses the week in Mobile, Ala. to get first-hand first impressions of this year’s crop of prospects. “We’ve gathered the information, now we can put our own flavor on it and see who’s telling us the truth or not,” he explained. “It’s our job to dig and find where the warts are and where the holes are.” Also important, seeing how the players interact with NFL personnel away from their schools and protective university handlers. 2025 Pro Bowl Games: NFL participants announced for Thursday’s Skills Show, six challenges between AFC, NFC :: CBS Sports Link Several Cowboys have been selected to participate in the skills competitions making up this year’s Pro Bowl Games. KaVontae Turpin and Micah Parsons will be part of the NFC’s relay race team, while Tyler Smith and Brandon Aubrey will compete in dodgeball. Those events happen Thursday in Orlando; more games will be held Sunday before the flag football finale. Report: Former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy to take season off to prepare for 2026 :: Cowboys Wire Link With Kellen Moore reportedly “the clubhouse leader” for the Saints’ head coaching job, McCarthy has pulled himself out of the running before even having an official interview. The 12th-winningest head coach in NFL history will reportedly take a year off to
This position is prime for Cowboys to find a rookie replacement in 2025
This position is prime for Cowboys to find a rookie replacement in 2025 reidhanson As if there wasn’t enough to do already, fans can probably add punter to the list of needs for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. Bryan Anger, the Cowboys’ punter for the past four seasons, is a free agent. The veteran is regarded as one of the best punters in the NFL, logging Pro Bowl bids in two of his four seasons in Dallas. At 36-years-old, Anger is a little long in the tooth for an NFL player, but the punter position is forgiving, and Anger has been an ironman, missing just two games in 13 seasons (both in 2019). But with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs all making significant money, the Cowboys are looking to cut costs anywhere they can. And punter looks like a fairly obvious position to target. It’s not for nothing one of Anger’s biggest advocates, John Fassel, has signed on to coach special teams in Tennessee. It’s reasonable to assume some degree of interest will be paid to Anger as Fassel builds his unit out. According to Over the Cap, Anger cost the Cowboys an APY of $3 million during his time in Dallas. That’s not going to break the bank for the Cowboys but that’s not chump change either. Much like long snapper, punter is typically a position teams can generally go cheap with. It’s important but it’s not irreplaceable. If Anger does indeed leave, the Cowboys could look to a lower cost veteran or even the free agent crop of rookie punters to fill his shoes. Punters are rarely drafted so it would most likely be a post-draft addition if Dallas went the rookie route. In that case, punters like Alabama’s James Burnip, Oklahoma’s Luke Elzinga, Florida State’s Alex Mastromanno, Florida’s Jeremy Crawshaw and South Carolina’s Kai Kroeger all look like viable options. For the first time in a long time the Cowboys may be in the punter market. Just add that to a list of their many offseason needs in 2025. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
Cowboys 2025 draft: 10 names to look for in this year’s Shrine Bowl
Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Here are some names to keep an eye on in the Shrine Bowl. With the end of the College Football Playoff and draft season getting ready to kickoff, we get the start of the All-Star season with the oldest bowl game in football history, the East-West Shrine Bowl. The game will be played Thursday night (8 PM ET) at AT&T Stadium on the NFL Network. This yearly bowl game has led to some better NFL draft outcomes in recent years, attracting more talent each subsequent year. Eric Galko, the Shrine Bowl’s director of football operations, is confident that the talent pool for 2025 will exceed last year’s impressive draft results. When it comes to the all-star games, the Dallas Cowboys always show keen interest and many players over the years have come from these bowl games. Last year’s sixth-round draft pick Ryan Flournoy and seventh-round picks, Nathan Thomas and Justin Rogers, were all Shrine bowl players that left a mark on the coaches. And in 2023, Jalen Cropper, Princeton Fant, Luke Schoonmaker, Earl Bostick Jr, Tyrus Wheat, and Eric Scott Jr. all stood out to become Cowboys players thanks to the Shrine bowl. So who are the expected standouts this year the Cowboys will look to add late in the draft or post-draft? Here are ten names to keep an eye during practices this week and in the game. CB, Mello Dotson Kansas Mello Dotson could be an excellent fit for Dallas due to his versatile skill set and the fact that cornerback is a sneaky need right now for this defense. His ability to excel in both man and zone coverage makes him adaptable to various defensive schemes. His ball-hawking skills, evidenced by his interceptions, proves he could be a playmaker in the Cowboys’ secondary, providing the team with added turnover potential. His performance, including nine interceptions the last two seasons , suggests he could step in and contribute immediately, enhancing the Cowboys’ defense with his playmaking ability and adding some much needed depth. DT, Kenneth Grant Michigan Talking about defensive linemen from Michigan is like cussing around Dallas. But always scout the player, not the logo. Grant is a mid-first-round prospect and has some traits that top fellow Michigan standout, Mason Graham, who is ranked as a top-10 prospect. Grant possesses a significant physical presence that makes him hard to move off the line. His sheer mass aids in halting single blocks and managing double-teams which showcases his potential as an elite run-stopper. Despite his size, Grant demonstrates impressive athleticism for his position, including lateral agility and twitch off the snap. This combination of size and agility allows him to be disruptive on both run and pass plays. His ability to eat up space and two-gap in the middle of the line is notable. Grant is a seriously compelling prospect for Dallas who are looking to bolster the defensive line, particularly against the run after last seasons issues and the potential loss of guys like Osa Odighizuwa and Chauncey Golston. His added potential to grow as a pass rusher only adds to the intrigue. RB, Raheim Sanders South Carolina Running back is a big need for Dallas, especially given Brian Schottenheimer’s style of offense. The good news is that this is one of the most talented and deepest running back classes we’ve seen in a very long time. Being so deep means drafting a running back early in the first round may not be necessary. By the fourth round, players like Raheim Sanders enter into their own in value and would fit great in Dallas. Sanders is known for his imposing size at 6-foot-2 and 237 pounds, which he uses effectively to power through defenses. His build is likened to a “larger than life” presence on the field. His size is combined with good speed, with a projected 40-yard dash time of around 4.47 seconds. He exhibits elite burst and acceleration once the ball is in his hands, complemented by good vision to find lateral holes after breaking the line of scrimmage. Sanders represents a high-upside running back with the only questions around his draft value being due to his durability. He has some medical red flags and the medicals will determine a lot in terms of his stock. RB, Tahj Brooks Texas Tech Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks is an insanely productive back with a promising future in the NFL. Brooks went back to Texas Tech looking to break the school’s career rushing record. His 2024 season had him leading the Big 12 in rushing with 1,505 yards on 286 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scoring 17 touchdowns. That’s balling. Currently, Brooks is seen as a mid Day 3 pick, but his draft stock hinges on his performance at the Shrine bowl and Pro Days. This is because as he stands right now, Brooks projects best as a rotational back or in a committee where his physical running style can be utilized effectively. He’s a hard-nosed runner and for a team like Dallas looking for a dependable, physical back, he would fit right in. His journey from here will depend on how he addresses his weaknesses, especially in pass-catching and protection roles. If he can showcase an improvement in these areas, he could climb draft boards. WR, Ricky White UNLV This isn’t a particularly deep wide receiver group this year. It has talent at the top but lacks the depth we’ve all been accustomed to in past years. The Cowboys need a WR2 and if the coaches believe Jalen Tolbert isn’t capable of that role then this team needs to draft one. White has demonstrated his capability to stretch the field, which could enhance the Cowboys’ offense, especially if they seek a deep threat. His versatility in playing both outside and in the slot is a valuable asset. A positive performance in the Shrine Bowl could make him an appealing mid-to-late round selection for Dallas,
Schottenheimer’s success with Cowboys hinges on one thing he can’t control
Schottenheimer’s success with Cowboys hinges on one thing he can’t control Ben Grimaldi Brian Schottenheimer is now the 10th head coach in Dallas Cowboys history, and he’ll try to help end a Super Bowl drought that will reach three decades during the 2025 season. The opening press conference dog and pony show is over, and now the real work begins. The first-time coach can’t do it alone, and his success hinges just as much on the front office as it does him. Therein lies the biggest challenge for Schottenheimer, to find a way to lead the team if upper management doesn’t change their philosophy. It’s no surprise that Schottenheimer looked the part during his initial media session, but sadly Jerry and Stephen Jones played their roles as well. If Schottenheimer is the hero in production, the Joneses remain the villains. If the Cowboys want better results with their new coach, they’ll have to alter their ways and provide a better supporting cast. Frankly put, the front office will need to be more aggressive in acquiring talent. Free agency must be used for more than just the plugging of holes, as Stephen Jones put it during the opening presser. The stopgap option of waiting through the first few waves on the open market before signing cheaper players isn’t a way to break their championship drought. The last 12 years of free agency should have told organization this lesson. The Cowboys don’t need to sign the best and most expensive players in free agency, but they do have to add quality talent. The team can still sign players that help at positions of need, they just have to do it with better options. Team executive vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged they might need to alter their free agency approach during Schottenheimer’s press conference. Jones mentioned how the Cowboys will look at how they use free agency and how it helped the better teams in the league this season, but that guarantees nothing. Much like his dad’s facetious “all-in” comments from last offseason, Cowboys fans will believe it when they see it. Stephen Jones is notoriously cheap when it comes to adding outside players; the organization has signed just one player over $6 million annually since the 2012 offseason, and that was a one-year rental for defensive lineman Greg Hardy in 2015. Other than Hardy, the threshold has rarely been hit and no big-money free agent has been signed by Dallas. Instead, the Cowboys like to re-sign their own free agents and extend their best players before crying poverty. The Joneses (mainly Stephen) will talk about the salary cap and how the pie divides trying to make excuses as to why they don’t use free agency, it’s how the team conducted business last offseason. The Cowboys signed quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to massive extensions but slept through free agency. The team made one outside move, signing linebacker Eric Kendricks, and that was it before the compensatory pick window closed. That cannot be the case again this offseason, even with a high number of their own free agents to re-sign and the priority on extending edge rusher Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have to find quality players from outside the organization. They cannot be last in free agency spending again and expect to turn their fortunes around for 2025. Currently they don’t have a ton of salary cap space, but that can easily be managed by getting Parsons’ deal done quickly and restructuring some contracts, with Prescott and Lamb’s deals leading the way. The Cowboys can create all the cap room they need to be in on good players in the open market. Dallas can also be aggressive in the trade market. It was a successful route in 2023 when they dealt for cornerback Stephon Gilmore and WR Brandin Cooks. Any progressive approach to adding talent will be necessary to give their new coach a chance at being more successful than his predecessors. The Cowboys hired Schottenheimer to get them where their previous six coaches couldn’t, and part of those failures are because of how the front office operates. They can’t continue to do the same thing this time around, hoping it works. If the decision makers don’t give Schottenheimer more to work with, he’ll suffer the same fate as the previous six. This problem isn’t new, the previous two coaches have felt the sting of the organizations unwillingness to be proactive in acquiring talent. The lack of utilizing free agency has been something that’s held the Cowboys back for the past 12 years, and it threatens the team’s future again. Schottenheimer might only have one shot as a head coach, so he’s at the mercy of the Joneses and how they operate the franchise. It’s what he signed up for, and he’s been around the organization long enough to understand the way it works. There’s smiles and laughter now, but no one’s going to care if Schottenheimer can’t deliver on his bold prediction that the Cowboys are “gonna win championships.” The coach can only work with the talent he’s given, and hopefully, Dallas’ front office provides Schottenheimer with the players they need to get over the hump. Solving this Super Bowl drought is as much on the front office, as it is their new head coach.
Cowboys Reacts Survey: Time for an initial verdict on the Brian Schottenheimer hire
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images What would you grade the Brian Schottenheimer hire? It certainly didn’t go as was initially thought. The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason with their mind set on bringing back Mike McCarthy for another go as head coach. While that may not have been the most popular move, it wasn’t a crazy notion. Then the crazy started to happen. Somewhere along the way in the negotiations between McCarthy and Jerry jones, things went sideways. The majority opinion was that the length of the contract was a big issue, but ideas around control, the make up of the coaching staff and other issues might have played a role. Once the McCarthy break up happened, things got a little weird. Deion Sanders, Jason Witten and other candidates were floated, some with proper qualifications, and others that just made no sense. It was a confusing time until the Cowboys finally settled on offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. The Cowboys are selling it as both continuity for the offense and Dak Prescott, but a change of culture at the Star. They also are hyping Schottenheimer’s experience as an NFL coach, along with his offense evolving with the modern NFL landscape. Schottenheimer laid out his vision, and even got into some specifics on offense, during his introductory press conference. So now that the deed is done, we need you to grade the hire. Forget about the process that got us here, but what is your grade of Schottenheimer as the new Cowboys head coach and what he can bring over the next few years. Vote in the poll and hit the comments. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dallas Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Please take our survey
Report: Will McClay signs an extension to stay with the Cowboys
Will McClay has reportedly signed a multi-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys. Yesterday, the Dallas Cowboys brass, led by Stephen Jones and Will McClay, traveled to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, to evaluate future players for their roster. Whatever that future holds, Jones also ensured McClay would be a part of it for a long time. According to Todd Archer of ESPN, McClay and the Cowboys have agreed to a new contract to keep him with the team for a long time. The Cowboys have signed VP of player personnel Will McClay to a multi-year extension, according to sources. He has overseen Cowboys’ scouting since 2014, found 15 Pro Bowlers, 6 All Pros through the draft. A key retention as club moves forward with new coach Brian Schottenheimer. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) January 29, 2025 McClay’s contract was set to expire after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, so there was uncertainty about how much longer their VP of Player Personnel would be sticking around. McClay has had his fingerprints on many of the Cowboys’ success since his elevated role. McClay spoke about the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer and how he was involved in the interview and decision-making process that led the Jones family to choose Schottenheimer as the team’s 10th head coach. Reading between the lines, having him involved with that process signaled that an extension could be on the horizon and was a positive step forward. The front office usually waits until midnight on an expiring contract to get things done because, in Dallas, “deadlines make deals.” Luckily for the franchise’s future, this deadline didn’t need to strike to happen ahead of time. Maybe it’s a sign of things to come for other extensions and action in free agency for the Jones’
Cowboys extend contract of most important front office member of last decade
Cowboys extend contract of most important front office member of last decade Todd Brock The man that most believe to be the most critically important contributor to any success the Cowboys organization has on the field is staying put, despite a vast sea of current offseason changes all around him. Will McClay, the team’s vice president of player personnel, has signed a multiyear extension to remain with the Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The 58-year-old has been with the Cowboys since 2002, first as a pro scout, and he’s served in his current role since 2017. He signed his most recent contract in 2022, but that deal expired earlier in January along with the deals of the rest of the Cowboys coaching staff. McClay has been considered a potential general manager candidate for other clubs in the past. The Commanders, Panthers, and Chargers all requested permission from the Cowboys to interview him for their open GM positions just last year before McClay announced he “didn’t want to waste anybody’s time” and wouldn’t be fielding offers to leave Dallas. The Tennessee native’s son was also entering his senior year of high school, and McClay made it clear that helped influence his decision to stay in Dallas for the final year of his contract. With his son now set to graduate in the spring, the Cowboys staff undergoing massive turnover, and the Jerry/Stephen Jones power structure in Dallas firmly locked in place, some wondered if the writing was on the wall for McClay to finally take an official GM job somewhere else. But McClay has been evaluating college prospects this week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, perhaps a sign that coming to terms on a new contract was simply a formality for both sides. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Before leaving for Mobile, however, McClay was included in the front office’s head coaching search and helped the Cowboys finally land on hiring Brian Schottenheimer. “I think the greatest part is being aligned from the top down,” McClay said of giving the longtime offensive coordinator his first head coaching job. “That’s one of the commitments we all made sitting in there about what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it. He’s got a plan, he’s got a vision. We’re going to support that. We’re going to add good players. I have a great feeling about what Schotty and what he’s looking for.” McClay certainly has a proven track record of identifying talented players for the Cowboys. He has found 15 Pro Bowlers and six All-Pros through the draft since taking over the club’s scouting efforts in 2014.
