Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports We should hopefully hear from the Cowboys about a number of things this week. It feels like the Dallas Cowboys last played a game over a year ago when it reality it has only been about six weeks. The NFL at large only just wrapped up the season as the Super Bowl definitely feels like five minutes ago at this point in time. Whatever the case, the action is back as the NFL Combine kicks off this week. Much about it has changed over the years as it has become a massive event where the drills even take place in primetime. While there is certainly a lot to glean and gather from the combine as far as its participants are concerned, it is also an important opportunity relative to NFL rosters as they currently stand. Head coaches and general managers will speak and offer their first round of public comments in quite some time. Brian Schottenheimer last spoke publicly at his introductory press conference where the Cowboys announced him as their head coach. Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones were there as well obviously, and this week should offer a chance for maybe all of them to speak. Schottenheimer is scheduled to speak to the media on Thursday when Jerry Jones’ holding of court inside of his bus could happen at any point. It is when Jerry speaks that we will likely get an update of sorts on the big-time things, including one of the biggest contract extensions that the team has to take care of. This week will hopefully offer an outlook on Parsons’ extension with the Cowboys It was reported as last weekend began that the Cowboys have not begun to have contractual discussions with Micah Parsons as far as his would-be extension is concerned. This runs counter to the suggestions of just about everybody as the world at large seems to agree that getting this thing done as soon as possible is the best way to go about it. Consider what last year’s comments by Jerry from the NFL Combine gave us. To be fair to the context, the infamous “all in” line was fresh and the headline grabber from every outlet, but Jerry Jones did his best to throw cold water on the fire that he started himself. It was noted last year by Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News (at the time) that the Cowboys had fewer meetings scheduled with NFL agents than they had in years past. Looking back at the offseason that followed, that tracked with their behavior that would follow. Here at combine, the Cowboys have fewer scheduled meetings with agents than in years past. There is no hint they’re on precipice of a high-priced, free-agency flurry that would resemble what most associate with the “all-in” buzzword. Seemed case from start.https://t.co/0bv3lJpqsf — Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 29, 2024 As far as what else Jerry said, it was a bunch of nothing as far as actions that would shortly follow. Jerry Jones said the Cowboys will begin work in near future on a Dak Prescott contract. “What we do there or don’t do, I couldn’t say at this time,” Jones said, “but the main thing is he’s going to be our quarterback.” — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 2, 2024 Without an extension before the start of 2025 league year, Prescott will hit the open market because the Cowboys can’t use the franchise tag. Does Jones fear the possibility of losing his QB? pic.twitter.com/RgRDyicZL7 — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 2, 2024 Consider the dates on those tweets. That was on March 1st of last year when the situation involving Dak Prescott was very well-known in terms of what the team needed to do and was up against. They decided to drag their feet and signed him over six months later, on the very day that the season began. This is important to remember ahead of this week when comments will come out relative to Micah Parsons and his contract extension. Like Prescott was last year, Parsons is currently set to play out the final year of his current contract with the Cowboys (although for Parsons it is the fifth-year option on his rookie deal). The variables are known. The market is on the verge of changing with players like Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson involved as well. All signs point to doing this as soon as possible if logic is the engine driving the machine. We will see if the words this week line up with that disposition.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. Cowboys taking huge risk with rumored Tyler Guyton plan after poor rookie year – Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat Dallas isn’t giving up yet. According to Cowboys writer Patrik Walker, Guyton will remain at left tackle next season working under new offensive line coach Conor Riley, who was hired from Kansas State. Well since you brought it up… Conor Riley has already been in contact with Tyler Guyton, who will remain at left tackle for the #Cowboys — Riley champing at the bit to get his hands on the former 1st-round pick. ⬇️ https://t.co/Qrwm6YU89g pic.twitter.com/yBH8SHXy2h — Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 18, 2025 While Guyton showed flashes of a Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle as a rookie, he really struggled with pre-snap penalties. Even though Guyton ranked 26th in snaps played at left tackle, he committed the second-most penalties at the position (18), per PFF (subscription required). Guyton’s penalties derailed a number of promising drives and Mike McCarthy responded by essentially benching the rookie, though not entirely. He only started 11 of the 15 games he played, but would check into those games after the first couple of possessions. It was a weird process that Cowboys fans could not wrap their mind around. Regardless, it is clear that Conor Riley thinks he can clean up Guyton’s game. Riley spoke to the Dallas media on Tuesday for the first time since he was hired as offensive line coach and had a lot of nice things to say about the 23-year-old tackle. Is trading CeeDee Lamb financially possible for Cowboys? Recent WR swap history – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire One potential option for Dallas. The first trade to look at already involves the Cowboys, who acquired Amari Cooper from the Raiders in a straight swap for Dallas’ 2019 first-round pick. As this was an in-season trade, there was no confirmed pick, but it ended up being the No. 19 overall selection. Cooper had a strong start to his career, but his numbers do not compare to Lamb’s production. During that offseason, the New York Giants traded star WR Odell Beckham to the Cleveland Browns. There were three starters thrown in as well, but the total compensation (No. 17 + No. 95) basically worked out to the No. 13 pick in the draft based on trade value chart points. Beckham, based on playing just 16 games over the prior two seasons, was no longer considered at the level Lamb currently exists. The following year saw the infamous Vikings-Bills trade that sent Stefon Diggs to New York State and saw Minnesota land Justin Jefferson. The actual trade was for four picks, which equated to be around the No. 19 pick in total value. At the time of the trade, Diggs had never made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team. Another exchange for a player slightly under Lamb’s level. 2022 saw a ton of WR movement. Tyreek Hill was sent from Kansas City to Miami for picks No. 29, 50 and 121, along with fourth and sixth rounders in the next year’s haul. All together, the compensation was worth around No. 12 in the first round. Hill is a great comparison to Lamb, as he was six-for-six in Pro Bowl appearances and three-time First-Team All-Pro. He’s the ceiling. Davante Adams was traded that year as well, for the No. 22 and No. 53 picks, which equate to the the value of No. 13 overall. Why are the Cowboys delaying a Micah Parsons extension?- Mark Heaney, Inside The Star A tale as old as time. The Big Problem: Front Office Failures There is an easy answer here, and it revolves around the Dallas front office. As NFL minds, not as businessmen, Jerry and Stephen Jones are simply ineffective. The pair have hurt the on-field product with off-field mistakes, specifically when it comes to contracts and trades. They complained that a lack of money held them back in free agency last year, when they chose not to create more cap space. Signing Prescott and Lamb before the start of the offseason in 2024 would have given Dallas a ton of cap space by pushing the big cap hit years down the road. Instead, they stalled, got stuck in a bad cap situation, and could only muster enough money to sign Ezekiel Elliott and Eric Kendricks. This is precisely what is unfolding again in 2025 with Micah Parsons. Whether or not you think Parsons should be extended or traded, a good, aggressive front office would have done it by now. Delaying the inevitable decision helps nobody, and certainly not the Cowboys. One free agent the Cowboys should consider to bolster secondary- Ali Jawad, Sports Illustrated Last season proved that Dallas needs to address the secondary this offseason. The Dallas Cowboys have an opportunity ahead. Not only will they evaluate and meet with top draft prospects at the Combine, but they’ll also have the chance to upgrade their roster through veteran free-agent acquisitions—decisions that could significantly influence their draft strategy. One name to watch in the open market is Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. fumbles the football after a tackle from Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Holland’s future in Miami is uncertain. NFL.com reporter Cameron Wolfe reported earlier this week, that the Dolphins won’t use the franchise tag on the star safety, meaning he’ll likely be searching for a new home in 2025 unless a long-term deal is reached. The former 2021 second-round pick also believes the Dolphins are ready to move on from him. “Transparently, seeing the Dolphins post things like the Valentine’s Day stuff or like any kind of edit and things like that,” Holland said on his podcast, “Breakin’ House Rules.” “You can see guys that may not be here next year or maybe somewhere else are just not in it. I’m following them on Instagram,

Chris Jones-Imagn Images The Cowboys have reportedly begun contract conversations with Osa Odighizuwa. It is officially NFL combine week. Get ready for some headlines. That is one of the biggest and most important parts of this week if we are being honest. While the goal of it is obviously to garner information about the upcoming NFL draft prospects, that so many coaches and front office figures speak and linger with one another provides plenty of pieces of valuable information. Before the week officially begins, that process has already begun for the Dallas Cowboys. Late Sunday night The Dallas Morning News published a story about a conversation they had with Stephen Jones and in it Jones noted that the Cowboys have begun contract negotiations with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. INDIANAPOLIS — The Cowboys have begun negotiations with free agent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. Talks of an extension for Micah Parsons will follow. Club officials hope to retain free agents Jourdan Lewis and Rico Dowdle while getting a feel for whether or not veteran defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence wants to continue his career. And outside free agents? The Cowboys intend to be more aggressive on that front than last off-season. Before the weekend began it was reported that Dallas had yet to begin contract negotiations with Micah Parsons. The report here regarding the Stephen conversation tracks with that as it appears that Dallas is focusing on Odighizuwa first. In terms of the variable of time, this thought process makes sense. Odighizuwa is set to become a free agent when the new league year begins where Parsons is under team control through the 2025 season as a result of the year being his fifth-year option campaign. Obviously Parsons was a first-round pick in 2021 and Odighizuwa went in the third which is where that difference ultimately comes from. It is encouraging to see that Dallas wants to keep Odighizuwa (consider that reports have him slated to make $21M per year on a new deal). The DMN put the subject in interesting terms in noting that he is the type of player who the Cowboys have let walk before in that he is good, but not great. Odighizuwa fits the template of a player the Cowboys have reluctantly let walk in free agency in recent years — one who is consistent, reliable and very good at his job but falls short of Pro Bowl status. But this is a team coming off a disappointing 7-10 season with only one other defensive tackle under contract (Mazi Smith) who has any meaningful minutes. “We have had negotiations with Osa,‘’ Jones said. “I just think Osa is a really good football player. “He’s an important piece.‘’ There is no question that Odighizuwa offers a lot to the Cowboys and keeping him would be a good thing for the group overall. Getting a deal done with Parsons (as well as Jourdan Lewis and Rico Dowdle to different degrees) should absolutely be the top priority for the offseason at large, and the most important aspect of it is to get it taken care of with enough time to be aggressive in free agency as Stephen seemed to be open to the idea of. The ultimate truth here is that the Cowboys have burned up the benefit of the doubt with their fans as far as decisions like these are concerned. They have a lot of trust to earn back and so these words all sound nice, but we are at a place where only actions can start to mend the fences. We will see how serious Stephen (and Co.) is about it all soon enough.

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images The Cowboys are going to have to get creative with ways to build their roster. It’s no secret that as good as the Dallas Cowboys defense was under former coordinator Dan Quinn, the defensive tackle position was always an area that they could have been better at, and that continued under Mike Zimmer. The guy that has saved the group has been veteran Osa Odighizuwa who has continued to raise his game every season. While that was good for the Cowboys on the field, it has also made the likelihood of Odighizuwa going elsewhere in free agency even higher, seeing as the team may get priced out. Dallas will look into filling the void in April when the NFL draft comes around. However, they don’t have to wait that long. If the Cowboys want to look at a veteran option when it comes to a trade, DeForest Buckner of the Indianapolis Colts is someone they should take a look at. Buckner is a former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers back in 2016. He racked up 28.5 sacks during his four seasons there, which included a Pro Bowl nod in 2018 (logged a career-high 12 sacks) and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2019. Buckner was then traded to the Colts in March of 2020, and he put up 58 tackles and 9.5 sacks, which led to him receiving first-team All-Pro honors. He produced seven sacks the next season before back-to-back years of amassing eight sacks, which also included a career-high 81 tackles in 2023. Last season, Buckner missed five games with a high ankle sprain. Despite this, he was still able to have a productive season with 61 tackles and 6.5 sacks. During his first nine seasons, Buckner has loved 453 pressures. In fact, the 2024 campaign was the first where he didn’t produce at least 48 over the course of an entire season (finished with 35 in 12 games). He also has 269 hurries, and there’s no better way to disrupt a quarterback than to attack him up the middle and force him to move around. This is something the Cowboys have needed on a consistent basis for ages. One key element that should make the Cowboys want to explore the possibility of trading for Buckner is his familiarity with their new defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus. He coached Buckner for two seasons when he was the defensive coordinator for the Colts, which included his first-team All-Pro campaign in 2020. Eberflus turned the Colts defensive completely around, and Buckner was a huge factor in that, so he already knows what he wants to do and how he wants to attack opposing offenses. Buckner would provide immediate impact for the Cowboys on the interior, which would help free up the nuclear missile that is All-Pro Micah Parsons. He has played in 141 out of a possible 148 games during his career with 136 starts, and there’s no substitute for availability. Buckner has two years left on his deal with a base salary of $13 million in each. That’s less than what the Cowboys would have to pay for a quality free agent. Dallas needs to go against their usual philosophy of sitting back and pick up the phone to see what it would take to get Buckner, and give Eberflus another key defender to build his new defense around.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Briain Schottenheimer has something about him that Mike McCarthy and Jason Garrett did not. After a disappointing year, the Dallas Cowboys hope to right some wrongs this offseason. Changes are upon us including hiring a new coaching staff, free agent acquisitions, and selecting new prospects at the NFL draft. The first part is completed with the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer and his entire coaching staff. It’s unclear what type of effect this changing of the guard will have, but it will at least look different from the last two fellas who held down the head coaching job. What should we expect with Big Schott Brian that we didn’t see with Redball or Magic Mike? Let’s take a look. JASON GARRETT – TRUST THE PROCESS Jason Garrett brought a great culture to Dallas. He was adamant about building the team the right way, including a collection of players who were the “right kind of guys” who could maximize their potential by approaching their jobs. Garrett instilled in his players that it was an honor to play for the Cowboys and expected them to take that responsibility seriously. That’s why players like Terrell Owens and eventually, Dez Bryant, wore out their welcome under Garrett’s watch. As successful as he was during his time with the Cowboys, his process was flawed. Far too often things had to work perfectly for the team to win. He had this unwavering faith that everyone could do their job, however, when certain elements didn’t work, the process broke down. Most of the time, it worked, but his teams struggled to make a deep run in the playoffs. When coaching, scheme, and the little intricacies of executing plays mattered the most, the Cowboys always fell short. MIKE MCCARTHY – TRUST THE QUARTERBACK It’s no secret that Mike McCarthy puts a lot of faith in his quarterbacks. Years of coaching Aaron Rodgers will do that. During his time in Green Bay, there were many instances where the Packers lived and died by the arm of Rodgers. Fortunately for them, Rodgers was a Hall of Fame quarterback and pulled off some crazy stuff, but rarely did you see a Packers team take on an identity that wasn’t centered around their quarterback. Oddly enough, both the McCarthy and Rodgers era in the NFL appears to have ended and people will always be left wondering why they didn’t have more success together. It didn’t take long for McCarthy to put that same trust in Dak Prescott. In his first full season under McCarthy, Prescott set a franchise record with 37 touchdown passes. That year the offense also had Amari Cooper at wide receiver and Kellen Moore calling the plays. Eventually, those pieces were removed and things got a little more difficult. Prescott led the league in interceptions the following season when his receivers struggled to separate and he forced too many tight window throws. And in the absence of a rushing attack this past season, never was McCarthy bothered because somehow it was expected that Prescott would make it all work. The Dakarthy experience was an up-and-down ride with good things and bad things. Between the extra responsibility of calling out the protection pre-snap, playing behind the chains, and executing perfectly timed throws in tight seams, a lot was always expected from Prescott. BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER – KNOW THE PROCESS Weirdly, the Cowboys reset their coaching staff without it being a huge shake-up. The decision to promote Brian Schottenheimer was about as low-key as you could get. The front office was familiar with the type of person he was and didn’t feel compelled to make a drastic change. Even their likely next favorite choice, Kellen Moore, was a familiar face. For the Cowboys, they felt content with what they were doing and only desired small tweaks. With Schottenheimer, the Cowboys are looking for clarity. They want everyone on the same page with an understanding of what is expected. The buzz from Schottenheimer’s coaching staff is that his vision is clear. The former consultant/offensive coordinator is an over-communicator. What that translates to on the field remains to be seen, but there should be no mystery about their objectives. Schottenheimer will beat his message into the ground and at the very least we should see a more disciplined and unified team.

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images Mazi Smith is the only known entity signed to play DT for the Cowboys in 2025. That’s a problem. While they have plenty of work to do across the roster this offseason, the Dallas Cowboys will need to give defensive tackle a sizeable amount of attention. Arguably their top 2025 free agent comes from the position, and others with expiring contracts would wipe out its depth without good replacements. We’ll talk about the big men in the middle of the defense in this offseason preview. Under Contract Mazi Smith, Justin Rogers, Denzel DaxonEarnest Brown Potential Departures Osa Odighizuwa, Linval Joseph, Carlos Watkins While he’s not as well-known a name around the NFL as the likes of Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, Eric Kendricks, or even Linval Joseph at his own position, Osa Odighizuwa is Dallas’ premier free agent this year. Unlike the now-retired Martin or those veterans, Odighizuwa is just beginning his NFL prime as his rookie deal expires. With career highs across the board in 2024, and having never missed a game in his four seasons, Odighizuwa approaches free agency with momentum and an assumed strong market for his services. Because he hasn’t yet been recognized as an All-Pro or Pro Bowler, Odighizuwa’s stock isn’t as high as it could be. It’s also why the Cowboys might not want to use the franchise tag, estimated at around $24-$25 million for DTs this year, to keep him. Dallas would likely pursue a long-term deal that allows for much more maneuvering of the salary cap hits, assuming they’re going to try to bring him back at all. Mentioned earlier, Linval Joseph and Carlos Watkins are also free agents this March. They were the core depth behind Odighizuwa and Mazi Smith last year and their departures would only exacerbate DT as an offseason concern. Joseph feels unlikely to return given Mike Zimmer’s exit, who was a key reason he signed last year. Watkins, for whom 2024 was actually his second stop in Dallas, could be back on a minimal deal. Right now, Smith is the only real asset signed up for next season. That’s a loaded statement given his debatable value, having yet to show up as a former first-round pick. This is just his third season, though, so there’s still plenty of room for hope in his development. This will also be his third defensive coordinator and DL coach in as many years, though, so that could stunt growth. The other DTs under contract are all little-known project players. Justin Rogers was a seventh-round pick last year who signed with the Bengals practice squad after Dallas released him in August. The Cowboys poached him last December to get him back in the family. Denzel Daxon spent last year on Dallas’ practice squad as an undrafted rookie. Earnest Brown was a 2021 fifth-round pick who’s bounced around the league and was just added to Dallas’ roster last month. Free Agency If the Cowboys are going to do something big here in free agency, it’s probably re-signing Odighizuwa over signing someone new. He’s generally considered one of the options on the market, with only Philadelphia’s Milton Williams consistently ranked above him. Coincidentally, Williams was taken just two spots ahead of Odighizuwa in the third round of the 2021 draft. Dallas doesn’t want to go into next season with Mazi Smith as the best DT on the roster, so they should be highly motivated to make a big move here. While we’d love to see them go after a top WR, they already have one with CeeDee Lamb. They even have a potential WR2 in Jalen Tolbert. While they’ll be hurting for running backs this offseason, you feel a lot better about plugging a rookie into that spot than at defensive tackle. So that’s why if the Cowboys are going to spend big somewhere, it’s probably here. The one big move aside, Dallas will likely also bring in a couple of veterans for depth and competition. Carlos Watkins could easily be re-signed, but Matt Eberflus’ arrival as DC could also put some new options on the team’s radar. One guy to look out for is Byron Cowart, who started seven games for the Bears last year and could be a solid rotation piece. 2025 NFL Draft If Dallas does hold back in free agency, it may be because there’s a loaded DT group in this year’s draft class. At any point in the first few rounds, the Cowboys should have someone worthy of the pick among the upper-tier prospects. Mason Graham probably isn’t falling to #12, but the next group features multiple options like Derrick Harmon, Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen, and Tyleik Williams. The Cowboys might trade down to snag one of those guys and some additional draft capital, or wait to see which of them probably falls to the 44th pick. Dallas could easily take two DTs in this draft, one early to replace Odighizuwa and another in the fifth round for depth. We’ll have a better sense of their need after prime free agency. If they only franchise Odighizuwa without designs on a long-term deal, they could still be looking to draft a DT high to either replace him or Mazi Smith in 2026. Final Thoughts Clearly, defensive tackle has to be one of the Cowboys’ top offseason priorities. We’ve seen how all of the flashy sacks and turnovers can be neutered by the inability to hold up in the middle. Even if Smith has a breakout season, you still need someone to play next to him. Either retaining or replacing Odighizuwa is arguably Dallas’ biggest offseason task. In fairness, there are better DTs out there than Odighizuwa. He’s very good on the scale of who’s come through Dallas over the last 20 years, but it’s been a long time since the days of Jay Ratliff or La’Roi Glover. The Cowboys generally don’t like paying market value, let alone overpaying, and they might feel that way quickly