Photo by Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images It has been 20 years since the Dallas Cowboys drafted DeMarcus Ware. April 23rd, 2025 officially marks 20 years since April 23rd, 2005. Something significant about this day in 2005 is that it is the day in which the Dallas Cowboys took a serious step forward after being in the wilderness for a decade (we thought that was rough!). If you are still confused, the 2005 NFL Draft took place 20 years ago today, and during it the Cowboys came away with DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears in the first round. Bill Parcells now had two cornerstones to build the defense around, a group that would help the team start to turn the tide over the next half decade. It is among the most important and influential drafts that Dallas has had throughout the era of The Drought™. Thanks to our friends at Crown Royal, I was able to speak to DeMarcus on the eve of the 20-year anniversary to talk about a variety of things. You can watch our conversation below. Among the non-draft things that we discussed was his presence at Tyron Smith’s retirement press conference last week. Like all of us, he cannot believe that Smith’s career has already flown by in totality. The passage of time relative to the Cowboys is represented well by Ware’s career. He had a Hall of Fame one, literally so, and had to leave the team in order to win the game’s ultimate prize as he was a part of the Denver Broncos group that won Super Bowl 50. Among the greats we have seen pass through this franchise, Smiths retirement serving as the latest example, Ware is the lone one to find the land of El Dorado that eluded them all together. This was something else that I asked Ware about, if there are any complicated emotions from having won the Super Bowl himself and seeing players like Smith (or Zack Martin or Tony Romo or Jason Witten, you get the picture) finish their careers without that particular piece. He noted that it is certainly difficult because he played with so many players who were deserving of lifting the Lombardi Trophy, but he shared that all of the people who he felt that way about texted him when he did so himself, and that he holds the fact that they did near and dear to his heart. As noted Ware joined us on behalf of Crown Royal and a special initiative they have going on throughout the NFL Draft. Recently he has teamed up with Crown Royal’s Hall of Heroes which is a new partnership between The Bob Woodruff Foundation, Crown Royal and the NFL’s Salute to Service Initiative. Before the first round of the NFL Draft, the Crown Royal Hall of Heroes will enshrine 32 extraordinary veterans in a special ceremony led by NFL legend DeMarcus Ware and Dave Woodruff, co-founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, at historic Lambeau Field. Following the ceremony, each of the veterans will enjoy a VIP experience at the Draft. It is wild to think that it has been 20 years since the Cowboys drafted DeMarcus Ware and everything that has happened in that time. Our thanks to him and to Crown Royal for the time he was made available to us.

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Here’s what our staff writers have to say about the Cowboys first three picks and ideal outcomes for them. The Dallas Cowboys are almost on the clock. Who they will select in the first round remains uncertain. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan has often been a fan favorite to be taken by Dallas in the first round and could very well be the pick. Still, it’s no longer a sure thing that he is even available at twelve, so where does that leave everyone else? Some of our BTB staff writers put together a list of who they believe the Cowboys would take with their first three picks of the draft. Brandon Loree: Round 1 (12): WR Matthew Golden, Texas Round 2 (44): CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina Round 3 (76): RB Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech Brandon’s analysis: Back in March, Stephen Jones said, “We’re still open to looking at a really explosive number two that could upgrade us.” Golden is one of the more explosive wide receivers in the draft after running a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Not only does he have the explosion to improve Dallas’ offense, but he also has the savvy route-running to open things up for CeeDee Lamb in the passing game. Shavon Revel is what’s known by fans as a “blue star special,” where a talented player falls to Dallas in the second round after his stock dropped due to injury. Not to mention, Dr. Dan Cooper, the Cowboys’ team doctor, did the surgery on Revel’s torn ACL. Tuten adds another level of explosion to Dallas’ running back room after averaging 6.3 yards per carry and could provide a similar skillset the Cowboys had in Tony Pollard. All three players had official visits with the team. Brian Martin: Round 1 (12): WR Matthew Golden, Texas Round 2 (44): RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State Round 3 (76): DT Shemar Turner, Texas A&M Brian’s analysis: All three of these players were 30 pre-draft visitors for the Cowboys and all fill immediate needs as upgrades to their given positions. Golden helps both CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott in the passing game with his speed and route-running ability and Judkins gives Dallas a physical, hard-nosed runner to be their new RB1. Turner is a relentless, disruptive DT with a nonstop motor who is equally effective against the run as he is as a pass rusher. Dan Rogers: Round 1 (12): WR Matthew Golden, Texas Round 2 (44): CB Trey Amos, Mississippi Round 3 (76): RB RJ Harvey, UCF Dan’s analysis: With seven picks on Day 3 and a lot of remaining talent in the trenches, I wanted to focus on this arrangement of players. I’m just not on the Tet train like many others and want to lay up safe with a more balanced receiver who will still spark the Cowboys’ passing game. Matthew Golden is a box-checker with good route-running, hands, and open field speed to be a home run threat. Round two is a great spot to land a starting corner, as someone good is likely to fall, and I have that someone being Trey Amos. He has the size the team looks for and would give the Cowboys some CB security moving forward. Running back is the position that is most likely to offer some quality choices this late in the draft, and the explosive RJ Harvey is one of my pet cats. His vision and quick acceleration find him in the second level often. David Howman Round 1 (12): WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona Round 2 (44): CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina Round 3 (76): OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia David’s analysis: Brian Schottenheimer recently spoke about how he prefers to build from the outside in, and this approach does that. The Cowboys need a receiver and a cornerback, and the duo of McMillan and Revel offer plenty of size and length there. I know everyone wants a running back on Day 2, but I can’t pass up the idea of Tate Ratledge sliding into that right guard spot. Plus, you can get a Tahj Brooks or LeQuint Allen on Day 3. One Cool Customer Round 1 (12): WR Matthew Golden, Texas Round 2 (44): iOL Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona Round 3 (76): DE Jordan Burch, Oregon OCC’s analysis: I haven’t spent any time watching this year’s draft prospects, I let others do that for me – and then use their data and insights to drive my opinion. ESPN for example has metric that sounds pretty cool: Their Pro Bowl Probability is based on grades from Scouts, Inc. and NFL Combine metrics and calculates the chance a given prospect becomes a Pro Bowler. My three picks all have Pro Bowl Probabilities at the very top of their position groups. Matthew Golden: 44.2%, No. 1 WR Jonah Savaiinaea: 50.6%, No. 2 OG Jordan Burch: 36.0%, No. 2 DE Matt Holleran Round 1 (12): WR Matthew Golden, Texas Round 2 (44): LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA Round 3 (76): RB Damien Martinez, Miami Matt’s analysis: If the Cowboys don’t make a move and stick at pick 12, I think there’s about a 95% chance they take a wide receiver. I think Tet McMillan would be their top preference, but I don’t see him making it to their selection. Instead, Dallas will opt to take a chance on Texas speedster Matthew Golden who will bring some much-needed explosiveness to their offense. In rounds two and three Dallas picks up linebacker Carson Schwesinger and running back Damien Martinez, two players they have plenty of reported interest in. Mike Poland Round 1 (12): WR Tet McMillan, Arizona Round 2 (44): CB Trey Amos, Mississippi Round 3 (76): RB RJ Harvey, UCF Mike’s analysis: This is the perfect one-two-three punch. It hits the most important positions of need with the highest value in all three rounds. The team needs a WR2 and in this wide receiver class the supply and

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images The dreaded R-word during every NFL draft season is “reach.” It’s a label that gets thrown around a lot, meaning a player was drafted well ahead of where analysts said he should go. Nobody wants to hear their favorite team’s picks criticized like this, but we also shouldn’t overreact if it happens. Just as every class has its busts, they also have so-called reaches who prove to be far better than expected. Draft analysis is the annual game of speculation and big statements about players’ NFL potential. Nobody actually dies on any hill in this activity; lots of back-patting when proven right, but rarely any mea culpas or getting called out for being wrong. Draft “experts” load up on predictions, quote their own wins on social media, and hope nobody takes a screenshot of the bad ones. Inevitably this week, a player will go a round or more ahead of where some thought he should and the pick will be called a reach. You’ll also have picks praised for their wisdom and bravery only for the player to wind up as a colossal bust. As we all know, college tape and combine numbers only tell part of the story. But just as many of the most-hyped draft prospects are complete flops in the pros, many who didn’t find that same momentum going into April will wind up as future Pro Bowlers and All-Pros. For the modern-era Cowboys, perhaps no player better exemplified this than Travis Frederick. Even as just the 31st overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Frederick was almost universally declared a reach by the mainstream “experts.” While generally seen as the best center prospect of the class, Frederick’s perceived talent and the position he played still made him a Day 2 pick to most. When Dallas made him their first-round pick, it was easy fodder for attention-seeking critics. In just his second season, Frederick went to his first Pro Bowl and was named a Second-Team All-Pro. He would become a fixture for both awards until the untimely end of his career due to a neurological disorder after 2019. But even without all the chapters he should’ve added, Frederick’s story was still good enough to be one of the elite players of his draft class. That 2013 pick went from a misdiagnosed reach to one of Dallas’ all-time best draft decisions. That year, the Cowboys were going to be back on the clock 16 picks later at #47. If they’d waited until then, maybe they could have snagged another stud like TE Zach Ertz (35th) or CB Darius Slay (36th) in the first and still landed Frederick in the second round. But after two years of Phil Costa’s work at center, Dallas wanted an immediate upgrade and wasn’t willing to chance it. Thankfully, Frederick was good enough to leave nobody with regrets. The decision to draft a player is based on a balancing of multiple factors. The key two are a prospect’s perceived talent and a team’s need at the position, but another big one is the window of opportunity from one pick to the next. The Cowboys didn’t gamble with Travis Frederick because they didn’t think he’d still be there by their second-round pick. Similarly, if you’re focused on needing a certain caliber of talent at a position, hoping someone falls to your next pick could leave you lacking. Think about Dallas’ undeniable need for a new starting WR from this draft. Many are hoping that Arizona’s Tet McMillan falls to the 12th pick, but let’s say he doesn’t. The consensus next three prospects of Matthew Golden, Emeka Egbuka, and Luther Burden have all been in the first-round conversation for most of the cycle. There’s a generally perceived dropoff from that group to the next tier of prospects like Tre Harris, Jaylin Noel, and Jayden Higgins. If the Cowboys end up with one from the lesser group in the second round, it won’t be seen as a win by the masses. So no, maybe you don’t see Golden, Egbuka, or Burden as a Top-15 overall prospect in this class. Some do have Golden equal with McMillan, and there’s a chance both could be off the board by then. But if the 12th pick is your opportunity to get a new starting WR and these are the only guys you believe can immediately offer that, then you may not want to gamble one of them falling into Friday. Of course, in this scenario, we’d love to see Dallas trade down for some additional picks and still get one of the upper-tier receivers. But that requires another team to want to move up and be willing to sacrifice the capital. If they can’t find any dance partners, the Cowboys may just have to suck it up and turn in a card. If the Cowboys draft Burden or Egbuka, perhaps even Golden at the 12th pick, then there will be critics painting the scarlet R on the decision. Maybe they’ll be right, or maybe that player will start putting out 1,000-yard seasons in short order. Rest assured, those naysayers will have little to say if it’s the latter. They’ll be on to the next draft class, loading up another cycle of speculation. We’ve all heard of Captain Hindsight, but draft season is the time for General Guess and Admiral Assume. That isn’t to say guys who dig into the draft and have their opinions aren’t good at what they do, but the true results of a draft aren’t known by Saturday night, or even by the end of the season. All the grades, good and bad, are ultimately meaningless until there’s evidence from players’ development and production. You take the good with the bad from every draft. Even in 2013, the Cowboys got a huge win with Travis Frederick but lost on TE Gavin Escobar with the next pick. Escobar was considered equal to, sometimes even greater than, Travis Kelce as a prospect that year. Again,

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Brian Schottenheimer’s culture is clearly taking hold. Brian Schottenheimer has carried himself rather well since becoming the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. It feels like most would agree that the issue with the his hire wasn’t so much about the person but about the process. That is and was obviously not Schottenheimer’s fault, but to his credit he has seemingly been working in overdrive to make the most out of his first opportunity to run an NFL team. In the few times that Schottenheimer has spoken publicly since taking over his new post he has done so with authority. Interestingly, shockingly even, the Cowboys front office has somewhat stepped out of the way and allowed him to serve as a front-man in ways that head coaches conventionally do across the NFL, but that has not necessarily been par for the course with this franchise. Actions speak louder than words though, and while this is still a words part of the offseason it appears that some action is working out already. Consider that Schottenheimer spoke at the recent NFL owner meetings about a big topic encircling his team in Micah Parsons and the contract negotiations he is in the process of with the team. Schottenheimer stood tall in saying that he expected Parsons to be at voluntary workouts and Parsons was there. Crediting it all to Schottenheimer might have been a leap, but it seems he deserves more than his fair share based on what Parsons said on Tuesday evening. Why was it important for Micah Parsons to show up at voluntary workouts? Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer played a huge role. @JoeJHoyt with the question. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/8nAZ6HNza3 — DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) April 23, 2025 “Just talking to Schotty and telling me the importance, how it is to come, be there… what he’s trying to prove… show to the team. I just thought it was important… one, for me and my relationship with our new head coach to understand where he’s coming from and to help him in any way I can to go on this run. That goes to show… Schotty shows up to my event. Schotty’s been around and is trying to build relationships so I feel like we’re at the point where if he asking for me to come in for a couple days to… for it’s important for the relationship aspect and be around for the guys… showcase… that’s something I wanna do for my coach.” It has seemed from the very beginning that Schottenheimer has wanted to focus on the relationships that he can cultivate with important players to the team. Parsons obviously falls well within that camp as the best one on the roster. Consider a story that Osa Odighizuwa shared while on Kay Adams’ show Up & Adams right after signing his new deal with the team. Odighizuwa noted that Schottenheimer found out where he and his group were celebrating his deal at dinner, and Schottenheimer had a bottle of wine sent over. These may seem like little things, and to be clear nobody is saying that these tactics will pay off in the Divisional Round of next season’s playoffs. Still, Schottenheimer deserves credit for beginning to cultivate a culture in which his players care for and trust him, so much so that they will do something that some would argue runs counter to their best interest like Parsons reporting for voluntary workouts amid contract negotiations.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The latest news around the Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones says Cowboys working on ‘pretty substantive trades’ – Todd Archer, ESPN.com The Dallas Cowboys have been active trading for players this offseason. Could they add more during draft weekend? Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said after Tuesday’s predraft news conference that the Cowboys are working on “pretty substantive trades” regarding players, although he offered no specifics other than saying they are taking calls with teams. The Cowboys have made trades for quarterback Trey Lance, wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore in recent years but have not made a blockbuster deal since the midseason addition of Amari Cooper at the trade deadline in 2018. Earlier this offseason the Cowboys made trades for linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. (Tennessee Titans) and cornerback Kaiir Elam (Buffalo Bills). The Cowboys have more than $37 million in salary cap space, according to NFLPA figures, although a chunk of that will go to draft picks, practice squad additions, injury settlements and incentives. Jones has long had a history of making draft-day trades. Since Jones took over the Cowboys in 1989, the team has made 72 trades. Their last trade involving a first-round pick came in 2021 when they moved down to No. 12 overall in a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles and still came away with Micah Parsons. The Cowboys and Parsons are working on a long-term extension that would make him potentially they highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Speaking at the annual league meeting last month, Jones said he and Parsons met for “five or six hours” and came to an agreement on the length of a deal, guaranteed money and overall money, but the finer details of the contract needed to be worked out between executive vice president Stephen Jones and Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta. Jerry Jones, Cowboys expect impact player at No. 12. If they hold onto the pick, that is – David Moore, The Dallas Morning News The Cowboys could look to trade back in the draft to pick up more draft capital. Picking in the top third of the draft, instead of the bottom third as the team has done the past three years, helps. Dallas was sitting at No. 10, poised to take a corner, in the ’21 draft, when the two players it targeted went off the board right ahead of them. The Cowboys moved back and took Parsons. One year earlier, Lamb unexpectedly fell to Dallas at No. 17. “At the end of the day, those things work themselves out,‘’ Stephen Jones said. “We never went into that draft, Micah’s draft, thinking we were going to take Micah and a pass rusher/linebacker. “The year CeeDee went, we were thinking pass rusher all the way and we wound up with a receiver.‘’ The key to staying put or moving back a few spots, as the Cowboys did to grab Parsons, depends on what players are available when the club is on the clock in the first round. Jerry Jones said the club had no intention of letting a great player slip through their hands at No. 12 to move back a few spots so they can add another draft pick to their haul. The Cowboys will be on the clock soon. There’s much to still discuss before that moment arrives. “I know one thing,‘’ Schottenheimer said. “Whoever we add on Thursday night, it will be through tremendous amounts of hard work from the top down. “It will be someone who will make the Cowboys fans proud.‘’ Free agent CB Stephon Gilmore visited Cowboys on Tuesday – Matt Lenix, Blogging the Boys It sounds like Stephon Gilmore’s visit to the facility was not football related, but depending on how the draft shakes out, maybe he ends up back in Dallas. The Dallas Cowboys are in a prime position to add an impact player with the 12th overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft. Wide receiver and running back have been at the forefront, but cornerback has been another position that’s been linked to Dallas in the first round. However, on Tuesday, an interesting development was reported by several people close to the team. Free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore was at The Star in Frisco. As the Cowboys front office conducts its pre-draft press conference, veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore just walked through the lobby on his way out of the building. — Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) April 22, 2025 Gilmore was with the Cowboys in 2023, and despite being long in the tooth, he had a very solid year as he logged a career-high 69 tackles and snagged two interceptions. Currently, the status of Trevon Diggs for the upcoming season is in question. Plus, veteran Jourdan Lewis is in Jacksonville, and 2024 rookie Caelen Carson didn’t get off to a good start with injuries and adjusting to the pro level. Gilmore is heading into his 14th season in the league. That means the financial compensation to get him won’t be huge, which is right up the Cowboys alley. If this situation were to materialize into a second stint for Gilmore in Dallas, it would push the cornerback position further down the priority list and allow the Cowboys to focus on some other key areas. Update: 2:35pm ET NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater both threw cold water on the idea of Gilmore at the moment. This is true. A source informed didn’t know why he was here BUT doesn’t mean that rules it out in the future I suppose. He was great for Diggs and locker room and and someone that seemingly matches what the staff is looking for. Just wasn’t a planned visit or an imminent signing… https://t.co/yF1crMnVYf — Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) April 22, 2025 Possible Pick: Matthew Golden is one of the draft’s biggest risers – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Matthew Golden could rise all the way to 12th overall to the Cowboys. Where He’s Projected: Golden’s stock has surged significantly since

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Jerry Jones noted that the Cowboys are still working the trade market. The NFL draft begins on Thursday, and to this point all talk about the Dallas area from a professional sports standpoint was centering on the Mavericks (bad!) and Stars (somewhat good!). Have no fear, Jerry Jones is here. The Cowboys held their annual pre-draft press conference on Tuesday and for the most part it was about as chalk as it could be. The front office said that they wanted to draft the best player available and noted that they believe in their process, all standard operating procedure type of stuff. Something interested emerged from the post-presser media quotes from Jerry Jones, though. Jerry threw some chum in the rumor waters and noted that the Cowboys are currently working on two different trades. He even called them substantial ones. Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones indicating that Dallas isn’t done in the trade market and outside deals are in the works: “We’re looking at two things that could happen before or after the draft. Two pretty substantive trades. Been working on today.” — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 22, 2025 For the record this is quite believable relative to this offseason specifically for the Cowboys. So far we have seen them execute three different trades for veterans Kaiir Elam (who was mentioned a lot during the presser), Kenneth Murray and Joe Milton. That Jerry noted the trades could occur after the draft suggests that they are related to other veterans as it is obviously known who is on what team at the moment, but perhaps it is a matter of waiting to see if certain teams end up fuller at certain positions through the draft. Jerry noted that the Cowboys were working on these trades on Tuesday which means that they were extraordinarily busy at The Star. In addition to the press conference they were (apparently) working on these trade ideas and had Stephon Gilmore stopping by. Who knows what comes of that. Maybe this is simply gamesmanship from the Cowboys and they have no plans on executing anymore trades.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Who do you not want to see the Eagles, Giants and Commanders draft this week? Giants Reportedly Expected to Draft Abdul Carter Despite Push for Shedeur Sanders – Adam Wells, Bleacher Report After offseason QB acquisitions, it seems New York will go with a defender in the draft. Amid a divide in the front office about what to do with the No. 3 overall pick, Abdul Carter remains the favorite to be selected by the New York Giants in the 2025 NFL draft. On the latest episode of The McShay Show (starts at 7:15 mark), Todd McShay said all of the intel right now points to Carter being the Giants’ pick despite some people in the building “pushing” for Shedeur Sanders at three. The Giants created intrigue after holding private workouts with Sanders, Jalen Milroe and Tyler Shough last week. While hosting workouts this late in the process is unusual, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini noted New York’s decision-makers wanted to be “prepared for as many situations that can happen” in the draft. One key member of the Giants who is reportedly not trying to influence things, at least right now, is owner John Mara. McShay said on Monday that Mara is “staying out of it so far,” while adding the coaching staff as a whole is “anti-taking Shedeur.” If this means the front office is more on the side of selecting Sanders, then Mara’s presence could become critical. In the past, he has been known to cast the tiebreaking vote if the head coach and general manager are split on what to do. Carter seems to be the consensus favorite to land with the Giants. B/R’s NFL scouting department projected the Penn State star to them in its latest mock draft. Sanders would give the Giants, who signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as free agents, a long-term option at quarterback if they want to go in that direction. Adding Carter to a defensive line that includes Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux would be very formidable, particularly in a division with Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels and Dak Prescott as the quarterbacks New York has to play six times every season. Why top draft analyst thinks Howie Roseman could trade up Thursday night – Dave Zangaro, NBC Sports Philadelphia Every team currently holds their own pick, but that could change. Last year was a bit unusual for Eagles GM Howie Roseman in the NFL Draft. Instead of making a trade, he sat patiently and drafted Quinyon Mitchell at No. 22 overall. But it’s a new year. And NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah thinks this could be a time for Roseman to move up in the draft, especially because the Eagles are projected to have 20 picks in the next two years. Jeremiah was on the latest Takeoff with John Clark to talk about what his former boss, Roseman, might do in the upcoming draft with all these picks in his pocket. “I think he’d move up,” Jeremiah said. “I think there’s so many people that want to get out in this draft, that are trading back. What has Howie done his entire career? He’s zigged when everyone else has zagged. And he’s going to be able to see if we have a premier player start to slip, man, they’re armed. They’re armed and ready to go. I’m sure we get to it because we always talk about what could happen there and what the predictions might be. “It’s impossible to make a prediction of who’s going to be there at 32 but I will make a prediction that if … for some reason people overthink Jalon Walker like they overthought Nolan Smith. ‘Oh, he’s not big enough and the size.’ If he starts to drift and drop, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, they could just go do the exact same thing all over again.’” Commanders Leadership Begins With Hall-of-Fame Linebacker – Nick Faria, Athlon Sports Stellar coaching and players like Bobby Wagner are effective leaders. The Washington Commanders already know how important their culture change was in turning around the season last year. Now, we know exactly the one move made that altered everything. When the Commanders signed linebacker Bobby Wagner to a free agent deal, they were bringing in a future Hall-of-Famer who understood how to play in Dan Quinn’s system. His work as a leader was incredibly important, though. Especially to former second overall pick Jayden Daniels. Speaking on the Gruden Goes Long podcast, the Commanders’ young franchise quarterback reflected on his early days in the NFL and credited Wagner with helping him navigate the league’s steep learning curve. “Man, like Bobby, you know, that’s my guy,” Daniels said. “He’s like a big brother, little brother dynamic. He took me under his wing and everything.” “I went in with an open mindset, like, ‘Man, I got so much to learn about this game. I don’t know anything about the NFL. I don’t know how the season’s gonna go. I’m gonna rely on the vets who’ve been through it multiple years—how they take care of their body, how they approach watching film and stuff like that.” Wagner’s leadership helped pave the way for Daniels to be successful in their first season together. With both being back this year, the hope is the improved culture will only enhance and develop everything in a way that will have the team fighting for a Super Bowl berth more than surprising people moving forward. And that’s all Quinn and the Commanders can ask for.

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Our latest Cowboys roundtable asking the team to give their final takes on this year’s NFL Draft. Every week, we gather the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Jess Haynie, David Howman, Tom Ryle, LP Cruz, and Brian Martin. Who do you want Dallas to take at pick 12, and who do you think Dallas will take at pick 12? The speculation is almost over on who the Cowboys will take at pick number 12 this Thursday. From Luther Burden, Tetairoa McMillan, Omarion Hampton and Matthew Golden, the speculation has been rife this year on who Jerry Jones will pick on Day 1. Jess: Of the realistic options, I want Tet McMillan. Hoping for a Year 4 leap from Jalen Tolbert is too scary for me and I don’t trust any second-tier WR to immediately challenge him. The CBs and RBs available further down the board are way more appealing than the receivers. As for what Dallas will do, that depends on 11 other teams. But I do think they’ll be prioritizing receiver. Brian: I really want the Cowboys to trade back, but if they stay at 12 I think they pick WR Matthew Golden. I think they view him as a better fit than Tetairoa McMillan. As to who I want them to draft, it’s whoever is the best player available (BPA). I personally like the idea of Mike Green paired with Micah Parsons rushing off the edge for the Cowboys. RJ: At this point I am well aboard the Tet McMillan train. This feels like the best utilization of the most premium resource that the team has had all offseason and it will significantly help the offense find their footing. CeeDee Lamb is remarkable, but he has not had a proper running-mate since Amari Cooper despite some solid moments from Brandin Cooks over the last few years. This checks that box. Howman: There’s a lot of guys I want the Cowboys to pick at 12, honestly. I’d be happy with McMillan but also really like the idea of Shemar Stewart. If McMillan is available, I do believe he’ll be the pick. If not, though, I have a hunch they pivot to Michigan CB Will Johnson. LP: You can’t teach speed. I’d go crazy if the Cowboys took Matthew Golden with the 12th pick. While Tetairoa McMillan is a better prospect, he won’t be there by 12 and the negative talk around him is a smokescreen. Dallas needs to stretch the field vertically and Golden has that ability. However, I feel that Dallas reaches for Michigan’s Will Johnson. Johnson’s still a great choice and addresses a big need for the Cowboys. If QB Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) becomes available at pick 12, should Dallas pull that trigger? Sanders has been quite the enigma in this year’s draft cycle. He was touted as the the best quarterback in this year’s class by some. For others (like PFF.com), Sanders doesn’t even break the top-30 of their rankings. This leaves the question on what happens if Sanders was available when Dallas comes to pick. Jess: If Sanders falls to #12 then that means some teams who need a QB way more than the Cowboys decided he wasn’t the right fit. Dallas needs a win-now player at that spot, and Sanders isn’t a good enough prospect that you just can’t afford to pass on him. There will be other, better QBs between now and when Prescott’s done. Brian: Sanders still being on the board at 12 could be the ideal scenario for them to trade back with a QB-needy team like the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cowboys already traded for their developmental QB and don’t need another one. Plus, I’m not too sure Sheduer Sanders is any better than Joe Milton. RJ: Like Jess and Brian, I would absolutely love for Sanders to fall this far to give the Cowboys a potential trade-back option. There is no logical reason why Dallas themselves should consider drafting him. It feels like everybody understands this. Howman: I don’t even have a first-round grade on Shedeur Sanders, but even if I did I wouldn’t want the Cowboys to draft him. It would obviously be great for the odds of trading back, but it would be a waste of draft capital to add Sanders when Dak Prescott is in place for the next few years, at least. LP: No. It wouldn’t make sense. Although I like Sanders more than most people and believe he’s easily a top-15 pick, the team has too many other area of improvement to make a luxury pick on Shedeur Sanders. Dak Prescott was just paid to large contract and Joe Milton is the backup plan. Adding Sanders would add more of a distraction for a player that there’s no plan or place to put him in action. Over or under on two running backs taken in the first round? This year’s running back draft class is well stacked with talent and with so much on offer it lowers the panic on supply and demand with the position. Some feel with that being the case we may only see one, maybe two, running backs going in the first round. Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton are the likely ones. But there is a chance we see three go if teams feel they won’t get their guy in Day 2 and miss on getting a high-caliber back by their second pick. That could see running backs TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, and Quinshon Judkins getting their name called on the first day. It seems unlikely, but there is a chance. Jess: I think it’s a push; two exactly with Jeanty and Hampton. But I’d lean closer to the under because it’s more likely Hampton falls to Day 2 than one of the other RB prospects moving up. Brian: I think I’ll take the

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys may or may not be working on bringing Stephon Gilmore back. The Dallas Cowboys are in a prime position to add an impact player with the 12th overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft. Wide receiver and running back have been at the forefront, but cornerback has been another position that’s been linked to Dallas in the first round. However, on Tuesday, an interesting development was reported by several people close to the team. Free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore was at The Star in Frisco. Former Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore is at The Star today — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 22, 2025 As the Cowboys front office conducts its pre-draft press conference, veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore just walked through the lobby on his way out of the building. — Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) April 22, 2025 Well that was interesting… Free agent CB Stephon Gilmore just walked by at The Star in Frisco during the #Cowboys pre-draft process… Gilmore played with the Cowboys in 2023. — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) April 22, 2025 Gilmore was with the Cowboys in 2023, and despite being long in the tooth, he had a very solid year as he logged a career-high 69 tackles and snagged two interceptions. Currently, the status of Trevon Diggs for the upcoming season is in question. Plus, veteran Jourdan Lewis is in Jacksonville, and 2024 rookie Caelen Carson didn’t get off to a good start with injuries and adjusting to the pro level. Gilmore is heading into his 14th season in the league. That means the financial compensation to get him won’t be huge, which is right up the Cowboys alley. If this situation were to materialize into a second stint for Gilmore in Dallas, it would push the cornerback position further down the priority list and allow the Cowboys to focus on some other key areas.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys will host their pre-draft press conference on Tuesday. The Dallas Cowboys are set to hold their annual pre-draft press conference on Tuesday at 12:30pm ET, and while the idea of any press conference holding legitimacy is surely annoying to some, the fact of the matter is that this one is important. Over the years the pre-draft press conference has served as an opportunity for the Cowboys to be, against better judgment, strangely honest and forward with their way of thinking relative to the upcoming NFL Draft. In past years they were fairly direct about players like Leighton Vander Esch and Mazi Smith, but they have grown wise and also like to throw people off of the scent, too. The Dallas Cowboys pre-draft presser will happen at 11:30 a.m. CT tomorrow with Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Will McClay and Brian Schottenheimer answering questions. — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 21, 2025 Consider that last year the Cowboys made mention of liking Texas running back Jonathan Brooks. Shortly after Brooks became the first running back off of the board, but he went to the Carolina Panthers and not to the Cowboys. Maybe that was purposeful gamesmanship from the Cowboys or perhaps they really wanted Brooks. But remember that they also talked a lot during last year’s presser about their affinity for Ezekiel Elliott and they brought him back at the break of dawn on the Monday after the draft. Again, they have a habit of saying something that will come to fruition. We will obviously keep you updated here at BTB as to what the Cowboys say, but just know that today they may very well drop something that is more than just random fodder.