Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news Cowboys’ schedule does 1st-round pick no favors in opening weeks, scheme must support him – Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire Out of the frying pan, and into the fire. Cowboys Tyler Booker, will be challenged by stiff competition to begin his career. Booker, drafted with the No. 12 overall pick, is the Cowboys top prize this draft cycle. The Alabama guard is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the field. He’s a born leader who figures to be a cornerstone in Dallas for years to come. He just has to survive the first two weeks of the season. The Cowboys have had the unfortunate luck to draw two of their most hated rivals right out of the gate in 2025. Philadelphia and New York are at opposite ends of the NFC East spectrum, but they both bring equally nasty challenges to the Cowboys’ top rookie. Jalen Carter and Dexter Lawrence are two of the best, if not THE best, defensive tackles the NFL has to offer. They are physically imposing in strength, quickness and technique and can routinely get the best of even the most polished and proven guards the NFL has to offer. To think a rookie, making the first two starts of his career, has to face off against these superstars is concerning to say the least. New Cowboys teammates CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens teaming up tonight in Arizona at Kyler Murray’s Charity Softball game pic.twitter.com/Q9T9nNbLtH — DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) May 18, 2025 Key NFL players set to storm back from injury in 2025 season: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott ready to rebound? Cody Benjamin, CBSSports. All eyes on No. 4 It’s bad enough that Prescott missed nine games — roughly half the Dallas Cowboys’ season — in 2024. The fact he’s now missed extensive time in three of his last five seasons means there’s even more pressure on the 31-year-old to stay upright. Still, with Tyler Booker plugged in up front and George Pickens now opposite CeeDee Lamb out wide, Prescott should have the support to flirt with the playoffs again. The real question is whether he can carve out the defining January run his resume still lacks. Jaydon Blue drips out in Dallas Cowboy threads at NFLPA event – Hayden Victoria, Longhorns Wire Jaydon Blue stood out in Cowboys blue at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue was among the select group of NFL newcomers featured at the 2025 NFLPA Rookie Premiere, an annual event introducing the league’s most marketable first-year players to the business side of professional football. Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas, was the only member of the Cowboys’ 2025 draft class invited to the prestigious event, which ran May 14-17 in Los Angeles. His selection for the Rookie Premiere shows his profile as one of the most promising Day 3 picks in the 2025 draft, and the Cowboys’ hope that Blue’s explosiveness can translate to the next level. As the only Dallas rookie at the event, Blue’s presence also shows the franchises belief in his potential impact both on and off the field. Translating from the elite Longhorn culture to the elite Dallas culture should come easy for Blue. Most underrated Cowboys player ahead of the 2025 season – Jonathon Macri, PFF Malik Hooker gets the nod for Dallas. Hooker took over as a starting safety in 2022 and never looked back, playing nearly 3,000 defensive snaps over that span. He has earned a top-10 PFF run-defense grade (89.3) and a top-20 PFF overall grade (78.8) at the position since 2022. Hooker is once again set to be the Cowboys’ reliable deep safety in Matt Eberflus’ defense in 2025 and should continue to provide a solid return on the team’s investment in him. #Cowboys Michael Irvin predicts the team’s win-loss record for the 2025 season: I for one am shocked at his prediction. ( : @RichEisenShow on IG) pic.twitter.com/gsJ2H2D0S5 — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) May 17, 2025 Zero to 100: A numerical look at the Cowboys’ 2025 schedule – Tommy Yarish, dallascowboys.com Breaking down the Cowboys season by the numbers. Let’s take a deeper dive into the numbers behind the Cowboys’ schedule and what makes it unique compared to years past: 0: The Cowboys currently have zero regular-season games ever played in the city of Las Vegas. The team did play in the preseason last season but will make their first official trip to the Sin City for the Nov. 17 game against the Raiders on Monday Night Football. 4: The Cowboys will play on Thursday night four times in 2025, the most times a team has played on Thursday in NFL history. Week 1 against the Eagles, Week 13 against the Chiefs, Week 14 against Detroit and Week 17 against the Commanders all come on Thursday nights. The good news for Dallas is that they’ll only have a short week in two of those instances, going into the game against Kansas City on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day against the Commanders. 6: For the second year in a row, the Cowboys will play in six primetime games in the 2025 season. In 2024, they went a split 3-3 with wins over the Giants, Steelers and Buccaneers and losses coming to the 49ers, Texans and Bengals. This season, they’ll play at night against the Eagles in Week 1, Packers in Week 4, Cardinals in Week 9, Raiders in Week 11, Lions in Week 14, and Vikings in Week 15. 7: 2025 will be the seventh time in the Cowboys’ history that they’ll play both teams that played in the year prior’s Super Bowl matchup during the regular season. The Eagles are a given with them and the Cowboys both being in the NFC East, but Dallas will also host the Chiefs, who lost Super LIX to Philadelphia 40-22, on Thanksgiving. In fact, they’ll actually play both teams

John Jones-Imagn Images The NFC East is going to be very interesting in 2025. Jaxson Dart in good hands with Brian Daboll, New York Giants — renowned QB coach – Ed Valentine, BigBlueView.com Maybe Daboll’s magic with Josh Allen will transfer to Jaxson Dart. Quarterback coach Jordan Palmer has never worked with or met Jaxson Dart. Palmer and I had never met, either. When I reached out to Palmer’s reps about having him on my podcast to talk about Dart and quarterback development, though, Palmer couldn’t wait to make it happen. “I’m happy to talk about him because I’ve got a lot of good things to say,” Palmer told me. “If I didn’t have anything good to say I wouldn’t have said anything at all. “I don’t do a ton of interviews but when this was set up I was like ‘I’d love to talk about Jaxson Dart.’ I literally don’t know him. I’ve watched almost every snap he’s played, I know everybody who trains him, guys who played with him. I have two clients who backed him up last year. I got to know a lot about this kid.” Palmer’s list of quarterback clients includes Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix and Josh Allen. His work with Allen, of course, makes him intimately familiar with Giants head coach Brian Daboll works with quarterbacks. “I genuinely feel like it’s a great fit,” Palmer said. “I’ve got a couple buddies that are diehard Giants fans. You guys should have something to be excited about right now, for sure.” Palmer has referred to Allen as “the best athlete to ever play that position” of quarterback. So, let’s dispense with the idea that Daboll can or will turn Dart into Allen. That is not realistic. Palmer, though, does believe Dart is in good hands. “I really like this marriage between Jaxson and Brian Daboll and his staff because I do see a lot of things in Jaxson’s game,” Palmer said. “I don’t work with Jaxson, but I certainly look at the game differently. I break down every single guy in the draft. I do my own draft grades. “I’ve been right a lot more than I’ve been wrong, and I was really high on Jaxson.” Eagles’ Saquon Barkley Has Message For Ravens’ Derrick Henry – Patrick McAvoy, Sports Illustrated Star running backs support star running backs that get new contracts. It’s no secret that the running back position has had an odd few years in the National Football League. The running back position as a whole likely has been underpaid and unappreciated. This is something that has been specifically shown in free agency. But, times are starting to change. Philadelphia Eagles superstar Saquon Barkley has helped to break the mold. Last year, he signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles after the New York Giants refused to pay him what he’s worth. Barkley responded by having one of the best season by a running back in National Football League history. He racked up over 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season and over 2,500 yards overall including the playoffs. Barkley landed a new two-year, $41.2 million extension this offseason with Philadelphia. The running back position is starting to at least see the beginning of a sort of renaissance and another guy who has helped with this fact is Baltimore Ravens superstar Derrick Henry. He somehow only landed a two-year, $16 million deal last year with the Ravens but after yet another great campaign landed a two-year, $30 million extension on Wednesday. Barkley had a brief message for his fellow superstar. @KingHenry_2 yesssirr ✊ ✊ https://t.co/LhxFv07TGp — Saquon Barkley (@saquon) May 15, 2025 Times are changing and these two are leading the charge. The running back position is starting to get the respect it deserves and the performance of generational stars like Barkley and Henry will significantly help those that will come next. Commanders will face four opponents coming off byes in 2025 – Michael David Smith, NBC Sports Washington’s opponents will have plenty of rest this season. The Commanders will play some well-rested opponents this season. The NFL schedule makers gave Washington four games against teams coming off their bye weeks, which is the most of any team in the NFL this season. The Commanders will see the Bears in Week Six, Seahawks in Week Nine, Broncos in Week 13, and Giants in Week 15, all coming off their byes. The Commanders’ bye is in Week 12 at the same time as the Broncos, so Washington does not get to play a less-rested team after its own bye week. According to Seth Walder of ESPN, only 10 teams since 2002 have had to play four different opponents coming off their byes. The good news for the Commanders is that bye weeks have become less important in recent years, and last year teams coming off their byes actually had a losing record. So the extra rest may not help the Commanders’ opponents all that much.

Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Here is our report on cornerback Bruce Harmon We finish looking into this year’s undrafted free agent signings made by the Dallas Cowboys with a scouting report on cornerback Bruce Harmon from Stephen F. Austin. Bruce Harmon CBStephen F. Austin LumberjacksSenior2-star recruit 6’0”200 lbs History Bruce Harmon, a redshirt senior cornerback for the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, hails from Rockwall, Texas, where he attended Rockwall-Heath High School. During his high school career, Harmon showcased his athleticism and football IQ, earning attention from several collegiate programs. He received offers from Air Force, Incarnate Word, Missouri State, and Division II Henderson State before committing to Stephen F. Austin. Rated a two-star recruit, Harmon brought a competitive edge and versatility to the Lumberjacks’ secondary. In 2019, Harmon saw limited action, appearing in four games. He recorded just one total tackle and gained initial experience at the collegiate level. In a season shortened by the pandemic in 2020, Harmon played in seven games. He led the team with three interceptions and contributed four pass breakups. His standout performance included a season-high five tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup against Angelo State. He also notched two interceptions against Abilene Christian the following week. The next year, Harmon played in all 12 games, amassing 27 total tackles, including two tackles for loss. He tied for third on the team with two interceptions and six pass breakups. Additionally, he recorded one blocked kick, demonstrating his special teams prowess. Continuing his consistent play, Harmon appeared in all 11 games in 2022. He tallied 24 total tackles and one tackle for loss. He added seven pass breakups and two interceptions to his stat line, earning a spot on the All-WAC Third Team for his contributions. In 2023, Harmon maintained his role as a key defensive back, playing in ten games for SFA. He recorded 20 total tackles and made nine pass breakups. He also secured one interception, continuing to be a reliable presence in the secondary. In the 2024 season, Harmon concluded his collegiate career at Stephen F. Austin with a strong performance as a redshirt senior cornerback. He played in ten games, recording 15 solo tackles and six assists. He also added one pass breakup and added one interception to his stat line. Notably, he was named to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist, highlighting his status as a good FCS defensive back prospect. 2024 Statistics 416 Defensive Snaps231 Coverage Snaps21 Total Tackles1 INT3 Pass Breakups71.3 Passer Rating Allowed 46% Completion Rate Allowed0 Penalties NFL Combine/Pro Day N/A Awards All-WAC Third Team (2023) Scorecard Speed- 71Acceleration- 77Agility- 67Strength- 68Tackling- 59Run Defense- 66Zone Coverage- 65Man Coverage- 60Press- 67Discipline- 80 THE GOOD Times his jumps for pass breakups effectively. Six-year collegiate career with plenty of experience on defense and special teams. Shows strong awareness in zone and understanding of route combinations. Plays with strength and control, especially against mid-sized and bigger targets. Comfortable in both man and zone schemes. Doesn’t shy away from contact in run support. Reliable open-field tackler. THE BAD Lacks top-end speed for the position. Will struggle with NFL-level burners on deep routes. Not overly twitchy, has average recovery speed when initially beaten. Struggles against sharp route runners in off-man coverage. Can get a bit stiff in the hips when flipping to run vertically. Footwork can occasionally lag against sudden double moves. Played in the WAC against FCS opponents; step up to NFL talent will be significant. UDFA HIGHLIGHTS Bruce HarmonCBStephen F. Austin#DallasCowboys #Cowboys #NFLDraft2025 #Lumberjacks pic.twitter.com/FndHFhPvm4 — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) May 13, 2025 THE FIT Bruce Harmon is a seasoned, instinctive cornerback who brings physicality and ball production to the secondary. Over his six-year collegiate career at Stephen F. Austin, he consistently demonstrated sharp instincts in coverage. His size allows him to match up well against bigger receivers, and he excels in press coverage where his strength and hand placement are assets. Harmon’s tackling is reliable, especially in open space, and he brings a high football IQ thanks to his extensive experience. He’s also contributed on special teams, adding value beyond defense. While Harmon is technically sound and physical, he lacks elite athletic traits that may limit his upside at the next level. His top-end speed and burst are average, making him susceptible to separation from faster receivers on deep routes. He doesn’t have the kind of twitch or fluid hips seen in high-end man coverage corners, which could be exposed against polished NFL route runners. Having played six years in college, his developmental window is narrower than younger prospects, and his transition from FCS to the NFL will require an extremely steep learning curve. Given the current roster dynamics, Harmon’s projection leans towards securing a spot on the practice squad, but for a player like Harmon this is a monumental task and will require some serious standout performances at training camp. His time in Oxnard will be crucial in determining his place within the Cowboys’ defensive plans, but a lot of focus will be on Shavon Revel Jr. and the health of Trevor Diggs. COMPARISON: Chris Westry, Dallas Cowboys BTB GRADE: N/A CONSENSUS RANKING: N/A(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)

Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images Which of this year’s Day 3 draft picks are you most excited about? It’s been a while since the Cowboys found a starter, or even a key role player, with one of their sixth- or seventh-round draft picks. This didn’t used to be so unusual in Dallas, but lately, it’s been a dry spell. Hopefully, one of their 2025 late-round rookies will end the drought. You can quickly get into a semantics argument about the term “late-round pick,” with some arguing that fifth-rounders or even all Day 3 picks qualify. And even if we did include fifth-round picks, you wouldn’t have much to show from recent history beyond CB DaRon Bland. The jury’s still out on guys like Asim Richards and Caelen Carson. But for today, we’re focusing on those final two rounds. When the Cowboys go to training camp this year, only Donovan Wilson and Israel Mukuamu will be late-round guys who aren’t still on their original contracts. And from that latter group, there’s nobody left from 2022 and only Deuce Vaughn and Jalen Brooks from 2023. Ryan Flournoy and Nathan Thomas are still here from last year’s draft. So is Justin Rogers, but only after not making it past final cuts, spending most of last year on the Bengals’ practice squad, and getting poached by Dallas in late December. Obviously, none of these guys outside of Wilson is a starter or even expected to play a major role this season. Right now, most of them are on the roster bubble at best. This isn’t a surprise for most late-round picks, but it’s unfortunate that the Cowboys haven’t found more from their McCarthy-era drafts. Before 2020, we generally came away with a least one useful player from the sixth and seventh rounds. The most notable during Jason Garrett’s tenure was CB Anthony Brown in 2016, who stuck around for seven years and started 69 games. We also got S Kavon Frazier that year, who played out his rookie deal in a backup role. 2017 brought S Xavier Woods, who started nearly every game during his four years. Special teams ace Dwayne Harris came in 2011, as did memorable offensive role players like Geoff Swaim (2015) and James Hanna (2012) at tight end and Noah Brown (2017) and Cedrick Wilson (2018) at receiver. Even guys who didn’t stick long in Dallas, like CB Terrance Mitchell (2014) and DT Sean Lissemore (2010), found traction with other teams after leaving. If not for back and neck injuries which cut his career short, 2013 sixth-round pick DeVonte Holloman might have been the best of the bunch. He looked like a budding playmaker at linebacker when he did get on the field as a rookie, but a preseason neck injury in 2014 led to his early retirement and one of the sadder “we’ll never know” stories. So yeah, we either used to be better at finding late-round talent or at least had better luck with them. Either way, it’d be nice to get back to it with these 2025 picks. Several are poised to play significant roles, perhaps even as rookies, if they can hit the ground running. Take sixth-round OL Ajani Cornelius. While we’re not looking for him to challenge Tyler Guyton or Terence Steele for their starting jobs, could he make a push for swing tackle? Asim Richards has the job right now by default, and it’d be nice to more competitive there. If Cornelius can provide versatile depth at tackle and guard, that can help Dallas with its roster decisions come August. Many are excited about seventh-round RB Phil Mafah’s potential as the thunder to Jaydon Blue’s lightning. Outside of FB Hunter Luepke, whose value as a ball carrier is still questionable, no other current option has a real power game. Mafah could be very important in certain game situations, rounding out the depth chart with his strengths. DT Jay Toia could be Dallas’ leading nose tackle right out of the gate. Mazi Smith will still have a say in that, but Toia comes out of college with more experience and natural fitness for the role. If Smith gets recast in Matt Eberflus’ scheme, or perhaps falls out of favor completely, Toia could be asked to handle some heavy burdens early. His fellow seventh-rounder, Tommy Akingbesote, could also be competitive at what’s currently a thin DT depth chart. Even before the last five years, there were plenty of late-round picks who we saw little to nothing from. For every good name we mentioned before there were even more like Jalen Jelks, Mike Weber, Markques White, Darius Jackson, Rico Gathers, Mark Nzeocha, Ben Gardner, Caleb McSurdy, and others who came and went. That’s the norm for sixth- and seventh-rounders, but at least with all those misses we usually had at least one hit every year or two. Hopefully, this 2025 group will help get our batting average back up.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Here is a look at the state of the Cowboys receiver group. In 2024, the Dallas Cowboys offense never seem to get going like we had previously seen it. Then there was the season-ending injury to Dak Prescott. While there were occasionally bright spots occasionally, it illuminated the glaring need to find another wide receiver to take the pressure off CeeDee Lamb. With Prescott out of the lineup, a limited offense was now crippled. The Cowboys weren’t deep enough at wide receiver to alleviate the issues of a backup quarterback. However, this year is sure to be different thanks to a renewed focus on the running game, and one big acquisition. Let’s check on the wide receiver room for 2025. CeeDee Lamb Likely the best part about the George Pickens trade is that it allows Lamb to play freely anywhere along the formation. Lamb is equally as potent in the slot as he is an outside receiver, but the threat of Pickens will divert the eyes of the defense away and should give Lamb more space to operate with. You give Lamb quality targets and good things are going to happen. He has already set franchise records in yards and receptions in a season, he is just that good. Lamb’s numbers have proven he has the goods to get it done. This year, facing more single coverage than he has in a long time, Lamb may eclipse career bests in terms of efficiency. George Pickens Dallas sent their 2026 third-round and 2027 fifth-round picks to the Pittsburgh Steelers for George Pickens and Pittsburgh’s 2027 sixth-round pick. The trade is exactly what the Cowboys needed. A secondary receiver who can win on the outside, make difficult contested catches, and has enough of an edge to elevate the toughness of the team. Pickens is a big play threat, with terrific body control to make circus catches and elite hand/eye coordination. In his first three seasons as a pro, Pickens has compiled 174 receptions, 2,841 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. Pickens is in a contract year so you should expect the best is yet to come. If Dallas signs Pickens to a new contract, great. If not, that also shouldn’t be a problem. Dallas likely would net a high compensation pick for Pickens if he signs with a new team next offseason, therefore rental may not cost much. Jalen Tolbert The Pickens trade has a trickle-down effect for everyone and for Jalen Tolbert it is addition by subtraction for him. You feel infinitely better about Tolbert’s prospects if he’s not being counted as the team’s number two receiver. That’s not to write off Tolbert entirely. He’s deceptively good at tracking the ball downfield and making contested catches. He could also stand to improve on separation from defenders while running his routes, but overall it’s adequate for what you’re asking from your third receiver. Ultimately, it’s an ideal situation for the offense and Tolbert as he plays out the final year of his contract and again, because of Pickens’ presence, he will see more favorable coverages. Jonathan Mingo Jonathan Mingo may become a forgotten guy now relegated to no better than the fourth receiver, but that’s not a bad thing although it cost the Cowboys a fourth-round pick to trade for him. The Cowboys gave themselves a chance with a player they coveted as a collegiate prospect and have him under contract for the next two seasons. Mingo should have plenty of opportunities to cement himself on the depth chart with a strong training camp and preseason. There will be competition behind him though. Jalen Brooks and Jalen Cropper had a nice offseason last year and are still in the fold. All Mingo has to do is hold steady and his place on the team should be firm. KaVontae Turpin KaVontae Turpin is the fifth wide receiver for the team but he can do so much more than play receiver. Turpin enters his fourth year with the Cowboys and is fresh off his first All-Pro selection as a return specialist. Turpin will be in the fold for the future after the club rewarded him with a three-year, $13.5M contract. His uncanny speed has to be utilized more within the offensive gameplan by getting him touches through whatever means possible. As a returner, he’s among the best and led the NFL with 33.5 yards per kickoff return last season. While the Cowboys have invested in running backs this offseason, it would be beneficial to craft a few running plays designed to get Turpin the ball in space against the defense. The Rest Jalen BrooksRyan FlournoyParris CampbellJalen CropperKelvin Harmon

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys should really consider giving George Pickens an extension now. The dust has firmly settled on the Dallas Cowboys trading for wide receiver George Pickens and it feels fair to say that we have all moved on to the point of excitement for what he can offer this football team. Pickens will hopefully serve as a rising tide to lift the boats of CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, whoever the starting or most-used running back winds up being, and obviously of Dak Prescott. That he is only 24 years old, as of just two months ago, suggests that this can be the case for the foreseeable future as well. This is likely part of the logic that led the Cowboys to calling the Pittsburgh Steelers and agreeing to give up their third-round pick (in terms of the major asset spent). It stands to reason that the Cowboys made the move with the assumption that they and Pickens would be working together for a long time. So they should pay him now. The Cowboys should give George Pickens an extension now One of the cons, if you will, to spending a third-round pick on Pickens is that 2025 is the final year of his rookie contract. You are giving away a top 100 selection for a player who, if he is in fact going to be around past this season, you now have to pay top dollar for. This is a conundrum that would exist for any NFL team to be clear, but it isn’t picking on the Cowboys to say that they have handled this exact type of situation poorly in recent history. Look at CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott (multiple times), Micah Parsons currently or anybody else who you want to name as examples. Proactivity is not something that Dallas prioritizes relative to contract extensions for their players. When we have conversations around those types of things the word leverage often comes up. Players obtain more leverage against the Cowboys because the team allows them to get so close to free agency and the players can then weaponize that in the name of getting the best deal possible for them. Tale as old as time. Examining the spirit of leverage when it comes to George Pickens, the Cowboys have already given him and his representation a lot. They spent a third-round pick to get him as he enters a contract year, which as we spent some time discussing up top, suggests that they have no plans of him leaving elsewhere. So why not nip that in the bud right now? From a logistical standpoint the Pickens trade has reminded me, and many others, of the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring A.J. Brown when the 2021 NFL Draft began. Philly spent a first-rounder to land Brown and clearly the move has worked out for them. But what is notable about that whole sequence is that the first thing the Eagles did was give Brown an extension to tie him to their organization for the future. They did this before he ever played a down for them. Why? Because you don’t trade a premium pick for someone who you don’t plan on being around and the earlier you pay, the better the rate you get. Is there a situation that you can conceive where all of these things come to pass? Pickens has an exceptional season for the Cowboys The team has incredible success, largely because of this He signs a deal with the team in the offseason (weeks before entering the open market) that is beneficial to the team from a financial standpoint The answer to the question is no. These things cannot coexist with one another. If the first two things happen, which is our collective hope by the way, then the team will be kicking themselves for not getting ahead of the curve on an extension (another tale as old as time). For context, I would not have made the Pickens trade but am obviously rooting for it to succeed. Given that the trade is complete, the immediate thought was that an extension makes sense. Not getting it done feels like wandering down the same path that we have been yelling at the front office to avoid. When sharing those thoughts, one popular response is that Dallas could get a third-round compensatory pick for Pickens if he walks so an extension isn’t anything to worry about. While this is certainly possible in a literal sense, it is important to also contextualize that possibility. In order for Dallas to get a third-round comp pick for Pickens the following things would all have to (generally speaking) happen as well. Pickens would have to play moderately to very well Dallas would have to let him walk in free agency Team X would have to pay him something substantial (which would suggest he did in fact play very well) The Cowboys would have to sit idly by in free agency (which we don’t want) Even if all of these things happened, the comp pick in question would not come until 2027. By that point in time the Cowboys could have benefited from another season of Pickens’ play if it is to the level that we are all hoping and predicting. This feels like a mirage of a carrot. Ultimately this all comes down to whether or not the Cowboys believe Pickens to be a player worth having around at a serious price. They have already signaled that to a serious degree by trading for him with the price they paid on top of the contract situation he is currently in.

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images It is incredible how popular the Dallas Cowboys remain. Even coming off a 7-10 record, combined with hiring an unproven head coach, cannot keep the Dallas Cowboys out of primetime. When the schedule was released on Wednesday evening, Dallas was given eight standalone matchups, which is tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the most. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated talked with Onnie Bose, the NFL’s vice president of broadcasting, about why the Cowboys are still at the top of primetime matchups no matter where they finish in the standings. “Look, the Cowboys are always a draw, the fan base is there, the interest is there,” Bose said. “Yes, they were 7–10 last year, but they had 12–5 seasons the three previous years, Dak [Prescott] was hurt. Where will they be this year, 12–5 or 7–10? Well, they’re in one of the most competitive divisions, they have a track record, you have CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons. This wasn’t going to be the year the Cowboys were only going to get two prime-time games.” Bose laid it out well. Ultimately, the interest will always be in Dallas, whether they win or lose. Fans love them, and fans love to hate them, which does well with ratings. The Cowboys also continue to have “star power.” Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and eventually Micah Parsons are among the highest-paid players at their positions. Even if 2025 was not the year for Dallas to step back in primetime slots, Breer asks the question of whether that time will ever come, or if the name will carry them whenever the talent dwindles. When deciding who would play on Thanksgiving, Bose stuck to their original goal for the 2025 season of going “big in the big windows” and landed on the Chiefs taking on the Cowboys. “Thanksgiving has our most viewed games, people are together, they’re watching before or after dinner,” said Bose. “So, again, thanks to the depth of the schedule we had, there was the opportunity to go big. And that Dallas game is usually our most viewed game of the year, so why not bring the two biggest brands, and get that much more attention on it? A lot of people are going to have that game on.” There’s little doubt that the NFL acknowledged the potential viewership a Kansas City versus Dallas matchup could generate from a ratings standpoint on Thanksgiving. The numbers from this game may be as untouchable as Emmitt Smith’s all-time rushing record. With the Cowboys playing on two major holidays this year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, there was also consideration given “to the fan bases and stadium workers.” This is why no team (Cowboys, Lions, Chiefs) will host two holiday home games and why Dallas is on the road in Washington on Dec 25. While some fans may dislike that the Cowboys are the spotlight and headline primetime games, this is simply how business operates in the NFL. Dallas consistently generates more interest than nearly all other teams in the league, so until the day comes when they are no longer America’s Team, they will be the center of attention.

The Dallas Cowboys have their first bulletin board item of the 2025 season, the first for new head coach Brian Schottenheimer as the replacement to Mike McCarthy. They will open their season in primetime, on the road, against the defending Super Bowl champions that hail from their very own division, the Philadelphia Eagles. There is no shortage of storylines whenever these teams get together, and Dallas trying to snap a three-game losing streak in Philadelphia against all odds, and start 2025 with a winning record after finishing 7-10 for their first losing season since 2020 a year ago is just one place to start. An Eagles win in front of their home crowd on the night they raise their second championship banner would actually give them their first three-game win streak in this rivalry since week 14 of 2003, Week 10 of 2004, and Week 15 of that same season. The pressure is on early for Schottenheimer to establish himself against last year’s division winner, and will only continue one way or the other as the Cowboys will continue division play in the next week against the New York Giants. Schottenheimer has not backed down one bit in his remarks so far to the media when it comes to holding himself to a championship standard, having an unquestionable work ethic, and being successful as a first-time head coach because of these things. For this success to start on opening night, Schottenheimer will have to do something his predecessor Mike McCarthy never did, and something that is of heightened importance considering Schottenheimer is also directly replacing McCarthy’s role as offensive play-caller after being his offensive coordinator. The Cowboys will have to beat Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who just won his first Super Bowl by beating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs 40-22. The Eagles defensive performance in the Super Bowl, given the circumstance of the offense they played against, was nothing short of epic as they didn’t allow a touchdown until the third quarter with a 34-0 lead and provided six points themselves with an interception return for touchdown. The very next QB to get a crack at this defense, which was bolstered by the Eagles spending their first five picks in April’s draft all on defense, will be the league’s highest paid in Dak Prescott. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys will be out to prove early that on the laundry list of things that went wrong as a team last season, missing Prescott for at least five games for the second time in three seasons belongs squarely at the top. To do so, they will still need Prescott to elevate the entirety of the offense around him in a way Dallas unfairly asked him to do at the start of last season given the lack of run game options, offensive line depth, or receiving threats beyond CeeDee Lamb. While it’s true the Cowboys have been mostly applauded for their activity in all phases of player acquisition to address these areas, trading for Miles Sanders, signing Javonte Williams, drafting Javonte Blue and Phil Mafa, drafting Tyler Booker 12th overall, and trading for George Pickens, there is still a way the Cowboys can help Prescott make it all work that remains the biggest question going into year one of Schottenheimer. With his hiring being yet another close to the vest move by the Jones family, does it mean the offense will remain in the same image it has from even before the McCarthy era, or is Schottenheimer finally the right hire alongside new OC Klayton Adams to move it forward schematically? Putting this ultimate question to the test right out of the gate, against a defensive coordinator in Fangio who’s had every answer to the Cowboys predictability on offense for a long time now, is great early-season theater for the NFL between two teams they’ll highlight plenty all year long. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Fangio was the head coach for the Denver Broncos in 2021 when his team came to AT&T Stadium and beat Prescott and the Cowboys 30-16. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Cowboys, as they were held to the second fewest yards of the season with 290. It was also Prescott’s lowest completion percentage of the season, with the fewest first downs by the team all year as well. The next season is when Fangio would first join the Eagles, but it is something of a wash when it comes to the relevant history on topic here. Fangio served as just a consultant to DC Jonathan Gannon. The Eagles defense still got the better of the Cowboys on home field, but it was in a primetime game started by Cooper Rush, his first loss of the season. The Cowboys bounced back to win the home rematch later in the season, with Prescott this time, but it was the Eagles down to a backup quarterback in that matchup with Gardner Minshew (who surprisingly gave Dan Quinn’s defense trouble in a 40-34 Dallas shootout win). Picking back up with 2023, Fangio was in his only season as defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins. The Cowboys played on the road there in Week 16, fresh off of road loss to another AFC East opponent in the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys offense was again stymied by Fangio in a 22-20 losing effort, cementing a pair of losses that proved very telling about the form Dallas took into the playoffs leading to a swift Wild Card round exit versus the Packers. Fangio returned to Philadelphia as DC last season, and as if he needed any more help beating Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys, got both of his matchups against Cooper Rush again. The Eagles beat the Cowboys in Arlington 34-6, again putting up their fewest yards and first downs of the season against this defense, and 41-7 at home in a game Dallas was already eliminated from playoff contention. Taking it for what it’s worth, there was nothing

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The only thing left for the Cowboys to do this offseason is take care of the Micah Parsons extension. For all intents and purposes the offseason is now over for the Dallas Cowboys and NFL at large. This is obviously not literally true. It is barely the middle of May. But all significant activity is now complete with the league’s schedule releasing on Wednesday. That is done, the NFL draft is complete and free agency was opened long, long ago. We are left at this point the worst part of the offseason as there is just a lot of sitting and waiting between now and when teams report to training camp. There are around 100 days to go so I hope that you have made proper summer plans. Hopefully the Cowboys have one item left on their agenda to take care of before going on vacation themselves, and if we are allowed to hope it will be an extension for Micah Parsons. Stephen Jones spoke to the matter on Thursday, for what it’s worth. Stephen Jones wouldn’t comment state of Micah Parsons’ talks other than to say “When the right things come together and everybody is ready to do a deal then it happens. Certainly, we want Micah here and he knows we want him here. And I think ultimately, we’ll get something done.” — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) May 15, 2025 There remains no excuse why Parsons wasn’t taken care of last offseason by the Cowboys, but water under the bridge and all of that. It is fair to note that they had their hands full up to this point in the offseason, but as noted there is nothing holding them back from getting this done now. For our Friday discussion we want to know what you think – will the Cowboys have this taken care of before leaving for training camp? Let us know in the comments below.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys news is delivered. 2025 NFL schedule release: Judging overreactions to matchups – Dan Graziano, ESPN The back half of the Cowboys schedule is a gauntlet of tough teams. The Cowboys could have a very unhappy holiday season Dallas has a Week 10 bye, which is just about the ideal time to have one. The Cowboys also come out of it to play on a Monday night (in Las Vegas). So, the Cowboys will have 13 days off before starting the second half of their season. They’d better rest up … After the Raiders game, the Cowboys have a home matchup against the Eagles on short rest then a Thanksgiving Day game against the visiting Chiefs on even shorter rest. So after nearly two weeks without playing, they’ll have three games in 11 days, with two of those coming against last season’s Super Bowl teams. Then they’re at Detroit the following Thursday before home games against the Vikings and Chargers in Weeks 15 and 16. Dallas is then at Washington on Christmas Day on another Sunday-to-Thursday turnaround before finishing with a likely layup against the Giants in New Jersey. Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION I mean, even acknowledging the fact that all the same teams that were good last season aren’t sure to be good again this season, that is a rough stretch. Three short-week games in the final six weeks of the season is no team’s idea of a good time. All four of the Cowboys’ post-bye road games are in different time zones than the one they play in. And all four of their post-bye home games are against teams that made the playoffs last season. If the Cowboys want to take their turn in the annual flip-flopping of the NFC East title between them and Philadelphia, they might have to build up a big pre-bye division lead. Stephen Jones: I think ultimately we’ll get something done with Micah Parsons – Charean Williams, PFT The contract that hangs over the offseason. There is nothing new to report and not much new to say about where talks between the Cowboys and Micah Parsons stand. Parsons wants a long-term extension, and the Cowboys are dragging their feet as they have on signing their big-name players to deals. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones commented on Parsons on Thursday, using different words to say the same thing: They want a deal with the edge rusher, and eventually they will get a deal with him. “When the right things come together, and everybody’s ready to do a deal, then it happens,” Jones told Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. “We want Micah here. He knows we want him here. I think ultimately we’ll get something done.” Depth Chart: Can Cowboys safeties stay consistent? – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys safety group has received little attention recently. Battle to Watch: Can one of the two undrafted free agents crack the roster? Syracuse’s Alijah Clark and Eastern Kentucky’s Mike Smith have an interesting challenge in front of them and will likely have to beat the other out to earn a roster spot. With a likely early emphasis on how they can help on special teams, both have the ability to develop into players that can eventually contribute on defensive snaps. Clark is younger at 21 years old compared to Smith’s 23 years of age, but Smith is heavier in his frame at 209 pounds to Clark’s 188. The two were two of the three highest paid UDFA’s in the Cowboys’ class this year, meaning they believe enough in what they have to offer to give them a chance. Time is Now: Juanyeh Thomas was one of three exclusive rights free agents that the Cowboys signed for the 2025 season, giving him another year to prove himself for Dallas. Thomas has been a contributor on special teams throughout his two NFL seasons thus far and didn’t play as many defensive snaps last year as he did in his 2023 season. Can he earn more snaps in 2025 and solidify a spot in the secondary going forward? He’ll need a good camp to do so, and already has set himself up nicely as a special teams contributor. […] Don’t Forget About … Malik Hooker has been so consistent along the Cowboys’ secondary that it feels like at times, he’s forgotten about. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because it means he isn’t getting completely picked on, and has been relatively healthy during the course of his time with the Cowboys. Now, he reunites with his former defensive coordinator in Indianapolis Matt Eberflus, who coached him for his final three seasons in Indianapolis. He’s had at least one interception in seven of his eight NFL seasons and for the most part, has been a reliable coverage safety for the Cowboys in his four years in Dallas. Dallas Cowboys 2025 schedule: An early peek at what to watch in all 17 games – Nick Harris, Star-Telegram A look at each game on the schedule. The Dallas Cowboys are heading into their first season with head coach Brian Schottenheimer, as they look to rebound from a 7-10 season in 2024. While the team’s opponents were known back in January, the official 2025 schedule was released by the NFL on Wednesday night. Here is the full 17-game slate with notes on each game. Week 1: Cowboys at Eagles (Thurs., Sept. 4 at 7:20 p.m. CST on NBC) The Cowboys will open the season on the road in the first game of the NFL season, as the Eagles will hang their Super Bowl banner from last season’s success. It will mark the official beginning of the Brian Schottenheimer era in Dallas and the first regular season game for new addition George Pickens. Week 2: Giants at Cowboys (Sun., Sept. 14 at 12 p.m. CST on FOX) The team’s home opener will feature the New York Giants coming into town for the first time with