Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images ‘The Beast’ could help shine light on the Cowboys potential draft targets. Christmas came early for many of us when Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his 2025 NFL Draft guide, “The Beast”. This source of information is arguably the most thorough and in-depth draft guide available and is an essential tool for the biggest event of the offseason, which is now just a little over a week away (April 24-26). How could it apply to the Dallas Cowboys? While Dallas’ draft rankings may vary from “The Beast” to some degree, it’s safe to assume they’ll both be pretty similar. Here are some takeaways from the guide as it relates to Dallas. First-round grades According to Dane Brugler, only 13 players have a first-round grade for him in the 2025 draft class. That seems to be the consensus conclusion for many scouts and other personal people around the league, emphasizing the lack of top-level talent available this year. Brugler also assigned an additional 22 players with a 1st/2nd-round grade, bringing the total to 35 who could be first-round draft picks. With the 12th overall pick in the first round, it’s reasonable to believe the Cowboys will draft one of those first-round graded players. Cowboys targets at No. 12 Barring a surprise trade, staying put at No. 12 is looking more and more likely. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for the Cowboys. Several of Brugler’s first-round graded players should still be on the board. CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State DT Mason Graham, Michigan EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia OT Will Campbell, LSU OT Armand Membou, Missouri TE Tyler Warren, Penn State EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M EDGE Mike Green, Marshall TE Colston Loveland, Michigan WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona QB Cam Ward, Miami Of these 13, it’s safe to assume Cam Ward isn’t of interest to them and Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter will also more than likely be gone by the time Dallas is on the clock. And, given the nature/value of the QB position, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sheduer Sanders and possibly Jaxson Dart as Top 10 picks, pushing some of this talent further in Dallas’ lap. Top 100 The Cowboys currently hold three picks in the Top 100 (12, 44, 76). About the only position we can probably rule out in the first three rounds is quarterback. Dak Prescott is the unquestioned QB1 with the Will Grier and Joe Milton, who they recently traded for, competing to be his backup. Every other position is probably in play to some degree. Let’s take a look at potential targets by position according to “The Beast”. Running back Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders were added to the roster in free agency, but neither is really considered RB1 material at this point in their careers. While this is a deep RB draft class, drafting one in the first three rounds seems highly likely for the Cowboys. Dane Brugler has a total of nine RBs in his Top 100, headlined by Ashton Jeanty (3), who may or may not still be there for Dallas at No. 12. After that, keep an eye on Omarion Hampton (29), Kaleb Johnson (44), TreVeyon Henderson (46), Quinson Judkins (60), Dylan Samson (74), Jordan James (77), RJ Harvey (93), and Trevor Etienne (95) for the Cowboys. Wide receiver Finding a WR2 to pair with CeeDee Lamb and to give Dak Prescott another reliable target in the passing game looks to be a priority. They traded a 2025 fourth-round pick last year for WR Jonathan Mingo and added Paris Campbell via free agency, but neither look to be a clear upgrade over Brandin Cooks so far in Dallas. “The Beast” has a total of 12 WRs in the Top 100 who could be of interest to Dallas. Tetairoa McMillan (12), Matthew Golden (15), Luther Burden (27), and Emeka Egbuka (28) could be first-round targets. Jaylin Noel (42), Jayden Higgins (45) make sense in the second round and Jalen Royals (63), Tre Harris (65), Jack Bech (72), Isaiah Bond (88), Elic Ayomanor (90), and Kyle Williams (91) in the third round. Tight end Although the Cowboys look to be in good shape at TE right now, we can’t completely rule out them drafting one in the Top 100. Jake Ferguson is coming off a down season and entering the final year of his rookie contract and Luke Schoonmaker has yet to live up to his second-round draft status. If Dallas does draft a TE, Tyler Warren (8) and Colston Loveland (11) makes a little bit of sense at No. 12 if they are the top-ranked players on the board. After that Mason Taylor (33), Elijah Arroyo (41), Terrance Ferguson (75), Harold Fannin (82), and Gunnar Helm (97) rounds out the TEs Dane Brugler has ranked in the Top 100. Offensive line Due to Zack Martin’s retirement and the uneven play of Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele last year, both of which are projected to start in 2025, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cowboys decided to try to upgrade the offensive line by using one of their three picks in the Top 100. Brugler has a total of 17 offensive lineman in his Top 100 rankings. He has nine tackles, six guards, and two centers ranked in that range. However, several of those players have the versatility to play different positions that he has them listed at. Whether it’s an OT or iOL, there should be several options for Dallas to select from if they so choose. EDGE Defensive end may be an underrated roster “need” for the Cowboys. Micah Parsons’ future still hangs in limbo until Dallas signs him to a contract extension, Marshawn Kneeland is still a bit of an unknown, and Sam Williams is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Drafting a DE early is very much in play. “The Beast” has a surprising amount of EDGE rushers

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images The Cowboys need to add a wide receiver talent in this draft, but how they go about it is important. The Dallas Cowboys must come out of the 2025 NFL draft with a good wide receiver. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to convince you that the team spun its wheels when trying to find a quality complementary receiver for CeeDee Lamb. In recent years, the team has used the draft, free agency, and even trades to find the missing piece, but each time, they have come up short. If you looked back over the last several years, you might be surprised to see just how much the Cowboys have struggled with this. In each of the last eight seasons, the team has had a completely different player finish as the WR2. Not one duplicate! YEAR WR2 YARDS ALPHA 2024 Jalen Tolbert 610 CeeDee Lamb 2023 Brandin Cooks 657 CeeDee Lamb 2022 Noah Brown 555 CeeDee Lamb 2021 Amari Cooper 865 CeeDee Lamb 2020 CeeDee Lamb 935 Amari Cooper 2019 Michael Gallup 1,107 Amari Cooper 2018 Cole Beasley 672 Amari Cooper 2017 Terrance Williams 568 Dez Bryant What is interesting about the above list is that it highlights how ineffective the team has been at assembling their WR group during this span. Even the three years of quality WR2 play depict multiple circumstances when the team was clearly caught off guard. Released Dez Bryant in 2018, left undermanned, traded for Amari Cooper CeeDee Lamb fell into their lap in 2020, and suddenly they have two alpha’s Released Cooper in 2022, left undermanned once again The Cowboys have a star receiver in Lamb. He’s locked up for the next four years and should continue to produce at a high level. But as the last few seasons have shown us, Lamb is not enough. The team must have a secondary receiver who can pose some level of threat for the defense. The team has Jalen Tolbert on the roster, who is entering the last year of his rookie deal. He is coming off a much-improved season, but his time in Dallas is likely coming to an end soon. The front office also acquired Jonathan Mingo at the trade deadline last year, but like Tolbert, he’s been essentially invisible in his first two years in the league. There is nothing about either of these guys that would lead anyone to believe that they can be a quality WR2. So, for the Cowboys to find answers, they must look to the draft. That appears to be their focus. If you look at their pre-draft visitors thus far, four of their top ten ranked players are wide receivers. Not only does it appear they are looking at receivers, but they are doing so early as the players on this list are all first-round candidates. If the team is serious about upgrading wide receiver, there’s a good chance we see them select a pass-catcher on Day 1. But then the question is, which one? Pick 12 – TMac or the Golden boy? Tetrairoa McMillan The Arizona star has been lighting up the stat sheet over the past couple of seasons. He’s a playmaker who has a lengthy frame, wide catch radius, and outstanding ball skills. And when he gets the ball in his hands, he has a knack for getting away. But he’s also a basic route runner who lacks a physical presence or break-away speed. He’ll dazzle with some impressive catches, but is he a game-changing player, or does he even need to be? Matthew Golden Moving on to another type of receiver, Texas’ Matthew Golden is another playmaker, but he goes about it a little differently. His route running is much more refined as he plays with both a purpose and the athleticism to create separation. His body tracking and hands rival Tet, and similarly, he’s a threat after the catch. Golden doesn’t have great size, but he’s a burner who will threaten opposing defenses. Trade back – lower the risk with an extra pick Emeka Egbuka In each of the last three drafts, Ohio State has produced four, count them, four wide receivers selected in the first round – Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Marvin Harrison. This year, the Buckeye factory of pass-catchers will produce Emeka Egbuka, who had the privilege of playing with all four of those guys his freshmen season. As you might expect, he checks off all the boxes from size, speed, ball-tracking, to overall football intelligence. He’s just really good at a lot of things. Luther Burden There might not be a more exciting player to watch on tape than Missouri’s Luther Burden. Athletically, he comes with all the bells and whistles. He has a good combination of size and speed and is the most make-you-miss-after-the-catch receiver in this draft class. He shows great quickness to elude and nice focus to come away with the ball in traffic. His underwhelming production last year and questionable mental makeup has some raising eyebrows, but talent alone, he’ll be as splashy as they come. I am not a draft scientist, but there are two things in my notes about this year’s first round WRs: 1. All WRs are outside my top 10 players.2. WR1 and WR4 aren’t that far apart. If I’m the Cowboys, and I’m committed to WR on Day 1, I’m looking to trade back. pic.twitter.com/K5bOXSGYFG — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) April 13, 2025

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The first round, in all likelihood, seems like it will go well for the Cowboys. This is our last week without the NFL draft which means that it is either going to be quite dull or insanely entertaining. Let’s hope for the latter. NFL teams are putting the final touches on their plans for next week’s events and it stands to reason that the Dallas Cowboys feel pretty comfortable with theirs. They better, at least. Something that feels like it has become obvious over the last couple of months as we have gotten closer and closer to the draft is that it is hard to envision a scenario in which we are not relatively pleased with the result of the first round for the Cowboys. Obviously it is possible in a literal sense, but if we assume things go at least relatively chalk then I imagine an overwhelming majority of the fanbase will wake up next Friday morning refreshed, pleased and ready to go again. Maybe my read on the situation is wrong. Perhaps you believe there are a lot of lurking landmines for the Cowboys in the first round specifically. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Think you can figure out which Cowboys player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game! Hey Cowboys fans! We’re back for another day of the Blogging The Boys in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form. If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article. Previous games Sunday, April 13, 2025Saturday, April 12, 2025Friday, April 11, 2025 Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games NFL in-5MLB in-5MMA in-5 Blogging The Boys in-5 instructions The goal of the game is to guess the correct Cowboys player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form. Enjoy!

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images If the Cowboys don’t land a wide receiver in the first round, they might find their answer one of these two midwest pass catchers. The Dallas Cowboys need to come out of the 2025 NFL Draft with a new wide receiver to pair alongside CeeDee Lamb. Failure to do so will mean another season of aggravation as we’ll spend way too much time complaining about the disappointment of Jalen Tolbert or how silly the front office was for giving up a draft pick to trade for Jonathan Mingo. Nobody wants that. While all eyes are on the coveted 12th overall pick as the draft resource that lands the Cowboys a new wideout, there are no guarantees it will happen. There may be a “blinking light” talent not named Tetairoa McMillan or Matthew Golden that the team absolutely must have in the first round. If that happens, that puts a lot of pressure on round two to come away with a good receiver, as things get riskier the longer they wait. Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are two players expected to be taken in the second round. While they are different types of receivers, there are similarities as they’re competitiveness and high-character nature make them a plus for any team. And only 11 yards separated these two last year, so both are appealing options and could be in the mix for the Cowboys if they target a receiver in round two. Jayden Higgins Measureables: Age = 22 years, Height = 6’4”, Weight = 214 pounds, Speed = 4.47 Higgins is one of college football’s best-kept secrets. His journey started at the FCS level, playing for Eastern Kentucky his first two years. His talent was evident, and he moved up to the FBS level, joining Iowa State for his final two years. He got better each year, finishing his final season with 87 catches for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cyclones. With prototypical size and speed, Higgins is one of those box-checkers who isn’t exceptional at any one thing but good at so many things. As a former basketball star, he possesses nice athleticism. While his route-work is unrefined, he does display nice footwork and does a good job in and out of his release. Higgins’ pass-catching is a strength as he’s an excellent ball tracker with soft hands. If you throw it his way, he usually comes down with it. He’s not a big YAC guy, but he does have a little wiggle to him to extend plays. He’s a savvy receiver who does a good job of finding creases and quickly turns around to look for the ball. He plays with a purpose and is a guy who wants to make all the plays. Jayden Higgins is a safe pick with untapped upside. He’s smooth, he’s savvy, and he’s an excellent ball tracker. He might be one of the quietest Day 2 values of this WR draft class.pic.twitter.com/MeKe25mZLG — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) April 12, 2025 Where he fits with the Cowboys: Higgins is one of the safest receiver picks in the draft. While his ceiling might be questioned, he has all the physical tools and mental makeup to be an effective contributor to any offense. Similar to Lamb, Higgins is a versatile player who can line up anywhere, giving the Cowboys a lot of options. Dak Prescott loves guys who go where they’re supposed to go and who can haul down contested passes, and Higgins can do both of those things. Consensus Board Rank: 49 Dane Brugler Big Board Rank: 45 Jaylin Noel Measureables: Age = 22 years, Height = 5’10”, Weight = 194 pounds, Speed = 4.39 Noel’s journey at Iowa State started sooner than Higgins as he’s been there all four years of college. He was even there during Brock Purdy’s final season in college, although his production, some might say, was irrelevant as he only had 269 yards and never found the end zone. Higgin’s improved each of his next three seasons, culminating an impressive final year where he finished with 80 catches, 1,184 yards, and eight touchdowns. While Higgins projects as a well-rounded jack-of-all-trades receiver, Noel is mostly viewed as a slot specialist. He’s undersized at just 5’10”, but he doesn’t play like it as his strength and body control allow him to be a legit fighter for the ball. Like Higgins, Noel is a cerebral player, will attack defenders, and uses his quickness and sharp route-running to create separation. But the big reward with Noel is his explosiveness. His 4.39 speed makes him dangerous in the open field, and he will annihilate defenders if he gets a chance. Jaylin Noel is an explosive slot guy who will run away from defenders, but he has some sneaky good physicality to his play. Don’t let his size fool you. pic.twitter.com/hpgLsyVJm4 — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) April 12, 2025 Where he fits with the Cowboys: While Noel does offer some ability to play on the outside, his strength is in the slot, and this is where he’ll be used the most. There’s enough flexibility to do a little mix-and-match to keep defenses guessing, but he’s more likely to fill into a complementary role whose explosiveness will provide big rewards from time to time. Consensus Board Rank: 64 Dane Brugler Big Board Rank: 42

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Rory McIlroy just achieved the career grand slam… here is what the Dallas Cowboys looked like last time someone did. Rory McIlroy is at long last a Masters Champion. It took forever, but it finally happened. Some are saying that if Rory can win a green jacket that the Dallas Cowboys can even win the Super Bowl. Whether or not that’s true certainly remains to be seen. Maybe you have no idea what I am talking about. If you do not follow golf I imagine that you are at least somewhat familiar with The Masters, the most prestigious tournament that the game has to offer. Rory McIlroy has been among golf’s greatest and most successful stars for a decade and a half and prior to Sunday it had eluded him. That is no longer the case. Beyond winning the coveted green jacket, McIlroy put himself in a different kind of sports immortality as The Masters was the last of golf’s four major championships that he had yet to win. Golf also offers the U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship. McIlroy won each of them early in his career and even won the PGA twice. McIlroy’s most recent major championship was his second PGA which occurred in August of 2014. For some Dallas Cowboys perspective consider that Zack Martin was barely a rookie for the team and that he just recently officially retired. McIlroy joined the most elite fraternity that the game of golf has to offer in terms of players who have won all four majors in their career, a feat that is often referred to as winning the career grand slam. Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods now have a sixth player in their club in McIlroy, although it had been a quarter century since the last addition was made. Tiger Woods was the most recent player to accomplish the career grand slam and did so in 2000. With McIlroy doing so on Sunday we thought it would be fun to take a look at what the Cowboys looked like the last time golf saw this particular accomplishment in its sport. Here is what the Dallas Cowboys looked like the last time someone completed golf’s career grand slam before Sunday The final major championship that Woods won to complete his career grand slam was the Open Championship in 2000. To be more specific, it took place in July of that year. The Dallas Cowboys were running on fumes at that time relative to their 1990s dynasty and in fact it was their first season of play without Michael Irvin on the roster since before it began. Deion Sanders and Daryl Johnston also did not return. It would wind up being Troy Aikman’s last one to boot. With Irvin no longer present Jerry Jones was trying to extend the window of success that the Cowboys were getting far away from (imagine only being five years removed from a title game appearance!) and earned the wildcatter reputation that some still hold him to as he traded the team’s first-round pick (and the following year’s) to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Joey Galloway. Needless to say that did not work out well. Tennessee cornerback Dwayne Goodrich was the team’s first draft selection and was taken in the second round what with the Galloway trade costing the team their first-round pick. While the NFL has become quite popular on an international level nowadays that was hardly the case in 2000, but the Cowboys did play a preseason game in Tokyo. It was a different time. All told the Cowboys would only win six games across the 2000 season and saw it end on Christmas Day against the reigning AFC Champions in the Tennessee Titans (again, this was a long time ago). As far as the division was concerned the New York Giants won the NFC East and even reached the Super Bowl themselves, although they lost to Brian Billick’s Baltimore Ravens. Like I said… this was a very, very long time ago. This was actually so long ago that the Giants won an NFC East that still featured the Arizona Cardinals as the league’s divisional alignment that we know today took place in 2002 when the Houston Texans joined. There had been no career grand slam in golf since prior to their existence! As far as potential for future career grand slams the closest possible opportunity now officially belongs to Dallas Cowboys fan Jordan Spieth. All he lacks to this point is the PGA Championship, but his game has not necessarily been in a place as of late that would suggest this will happen anytime soon. Whatever the case Rory McIlroy is part of the club himself now. Congratulations to him.

Set Number: X21913 TK1 R18 F6 Asking for your take on these Cowboys’ draft scenarios This week, we present five newly crafted draft-related questions, all obviously focused on the Dallas Cowboys. Cast your vote on each and leave your opinions in the comment section. Ignoring BPA, what’s the biggest position of need to address in the first round? Many people believe wide receiver is the obvious answer here. The team needs a WR2 and this year’s wide receiver class isn’t the deepest we’re normally accustomed to. Cornerback is also a big need and has very little depth in this year’s draft class. Some will say offensive line is a first round need given last year’s complications, or even defensive tackle given the talent at the position in the first round and that it’s a huge need for Dallas. Would you be happy with WR Matthew Golden at pick 12 for Dallas? There’s a lot of momentum on the “Matthew Golden to Dallas” talk at the moment. Most consider him a slam-dunk first-round selection, and his speed is exactly what Dallas needs. The team lost Brandin Cooks in free agency and have a great collection of WR3/4’s on the roster. Golden went blazing in the combine and blew up an impressive 4.29s in the 40-yard dash. He featured heavily in the Longhorns offense last season after transferring from Houston and started all 16 games in 2024. He led Texas with 987 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns, doing it from all three receiver positions. The issues are he never had a 1,000 yard season in college, has struggled a lot with drops, and contested catches have been a big problem for him, especially last year. CB Trevon Diggs looks as though he will start the season on PUP, does this put cornerback as the team’s biggest weakness? Jourdan Lewis had a great 2024 season and Dallas could no longer afford his services and he has since signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Josh Butler showed promise last season in the couple of games he featured in, but he went down injured and will miss a large portion of the 2025 season. Some people inside The Star believe the situation with Diggs is far greater than some are letting on, and even speculate he could miss the start of the season. This means he will start the season on PUP and leaves only DaRon Bland as a sure thing among the team’s starting cornerbacks. Which player would you say has been the team’s biggest bust? With the draft around the corner it’s a good time to look back at some of the team’s big time busts. Most fans will remember Taco Carlton as he’s the most recent. The team missed on T.J. Watt and went for the Michigan defensive end, only to watch Charlton struggle and be dropped from the team two years later. There is also cornerback Morris Claiborne. He was taken sixth overall by Dallas after the team traded up to get him. Claiborne was hindered in Dallas by a series of injuries and never lived up to the hype. Quincy Carter will still give some Cowboys fans shivers, and of course Rod Hill is still considered one of the team’s worst busts by Tom Landry back in the 80’s. Leave any names you consider a bust in the comments section. Which defensive linemen has been the best historically? This year sees the 50th Anniversary of the great 1975 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys that was nicknamed “The Dirty Dozen”. The draft class set the Dallas on a path to Super Bowl greatness and would dominate the mid to late 1970’s. Spearheading the draft was the great and powerful, Randy White (aka The Manster). The rookie class would end up with just a Hall of Famer but four other Pro Bowlers, and even included wide receiver Percy Howard, who would become the second rookie in NFL history to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl.

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Who exactly is Trey Amos? We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at cornerback Trey Amos out of Ole Miss. Height: 6-foot-1Weight: 195-lbsArm Length: 31 1/4”Hand Size: 9” Strengths: + Pairs impressive size with high end athletic traits + Long speed to carry receivers deep is all over the tape + Can mirror receivers well off the line and out of breaks + Showed impressive instincts and breaks on the ball in off-coverage + Improved ball skill concerns over the course of the 2024 season + Scheme versatile player that can fit into any defensive system + Sound tackler on the boundary + Battles fearlessly through receivers hands to break up passes late Weaknesses: – Lack of ball skills were noticeable in prior seasons – Would like to see him continue to add strength to his frame to help play more physical in the run game – Has very limited experience playing in the slot over his college career – Strike placement in press can improve to impact receivers releases off the ball – Not always the most aggressive pursuit in run support – Can be labeled a bit of a “guesser”, leading to a handful of reps where he gets put in a spin cycle Round Grade: 2nd Overall Summary: In a weaker cornerback class, Trey Amos should stand out due to his impressive tape, testing, and clean injury history. Amos has a shot to go at the back end of the first round, but would be an excellent fit for the Cowboys in the second round due to his coverage skills and athleticism and the strides he made taking the football away in 2024. RAS Card: Trey Amos is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.37 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 450 out of 2752 CB from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/0R3gGWhfQI pic.twitter.com/iqKerXOXKC — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 3, 2025

Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images There are still free agents who the Cowboys could look to add before the NFL Draft. Things have been quiet on the Cowboys front the last few weeks. Despite talks of exchanged contractual figures between the Dallas Cowboys and Micah Parsons, nothing materialized into a contract, and it appears that both sides are focusing on the next stage of the offseason. The Cowboys’ front office is full steam ahead toward the NFL draft. Commendably, the Cowboys have been busier in the offseason than in past years, as you can never have enough help. However, as usual, the Cowboys didn’t break the bank on any premier free agents and opted to fill their roster with mostly depth pieces as they prepare for the draft that is just under two weeks away. If the Cowboys decided to do some last-minute shopping before the draft to fill their roster and give themselves more freedom with their draft picks, here are five free agents to consider. Keenan Allen Throughout his NFL career, Keenan Allen has been one of the game’s best route runners, with a craftiness to shake defenders in tight spaces to gain separation. Even though he doesn’t have elite speed which limits his vertical threat, his ability to get open is a coveted characteristic. His skills would blend beautifully with the type of wide receiver that would fit in nicely with quarterback Dak Prescott. Allen would also play well off of CeeDee Lamb and allow Lamb to move to different alignments on the field. Allen is a reliable third-down receiver who makes plays when you need him to. However, he has struggled to stay on the field because of injuries recently. Yet, that can be advantageous to the Cowboys. His cost should be much lower because of his advanced age, and adding Allen would allow Dallas to bring in a draft pick wherever they like without Allen being a progress stopper. Asante Samuel Jr. Cowboys fans would remember Samuel as a pre-draft favorite leading up to the draft in 2021. The Cowboys had the opportunity to draft Samuel with the 44th pick that year but instead opted for Kelvin Joseph, who the team traded to the Miami Dolphins after two seasons. As for Samuels, he fared slightly better with the Los Angeles Chargers. Samuels has six career interceptions over his first four seasons in the NFL, including his first interception against the Dallas Cowboys. Since the departure of Jourdan Lewis in free agency, the Cowboys need to get a slot cornerback. Samuel fits the role perfectly. His quickness and instincts to play the ball on underneath routes are ideal for the Cowboys. There are concerns about his injury history, which is why his market has been cool. Yet, last year was the only season he missed extensive time. If both parties are willing to commit to a one-year contract, it will benefit Samuel to rebuild his market for next season and give the Cowboys an adequate slot cornerback with the flexibility to draft one later in the draft. Joseph Noteboom Noteboom, a native of Texas who played high school football in Plano and an alum of TCU, has the experience to give the Dallas offensive line much-needed depth. Noteboom has played in 71 NFL games, starting 35 of them. He was also a member of the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl championship team in 2022. Noteboom has experience playing left guard and left tackle. Think of the Chuma Edoga signing from a few years ago but much more experience. Should something happen to Tyler Guyton or Tyler Smith, Noteboom can step in and play at either spot. Cody Whitehair Cody Whitehair is a player familiar with the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus, who has coached Whitehair for two seasons. Whitehair has played 136 career games and has started 121 of them. The former Pro Bowler is certainly in his twilight years as an NFL player. Whitehair will come with great value if he wants to join the Cowboys to reunite with Eberflus. Whitehair has terrific versatility and has played center and guard. If Whitehair intends to come to a more stable situation than he was in Chicago and Las Vegas last year, Dallas would be a good landing spot. Jonathan Hankins Yes, Hankins would be a retread. However, Dallas needs to shore up the run defense, and it starts with having a nose tackle to plug the run. It’s been a problem for the Cowboys for years of needing big bodies inside, so a reunion with Hankins shouldn’t sound farfetched. As quick as Osa Odighizuwa is, he needs someone next to him to occupy blockers and give him favorable matchups. Mazi Smith, thus far, hasn’t fit the bill in that department, leaving a substantial need the team has to address. The linebackers could also use a space-eater to keep the linemen from getting to the second level and keep them clean. Dallas could also add a defensive tackle prospect in the draft, but Hankins would be good insurance.

Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news. Group Chat: Interior O-line saw addition and subtraction – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys need to replace a legend. What’s Up: Replacing Martin is certainly going to be a task and for now, it looks as if it’s the only one of the three interior positions with a question mark. At left guard, Tyler Smith has become one of the NFL’s best guard – earning two straight Pro Bowl selections. The next question for him will be “how much” the Cowboys pay him as he is now eligible for a new contract and Smith will likely be one of the next players on the roster to get an extension. At center, Cooper Beebe is coming off a solid rookie season and from the sounds of things, Schottenheimer and the coaching staff are looking to keep him at center and build off of last year’s success. So that leaves right guard up in the air. Jones, Charles and the combination of players such as Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass will all get the chance to compete for the job. What’s Next: One way to try and replace one of the best guards of all time – a guard that was drafted 16th overall in the first round back in 2014 – is to repeat the process. The Cowboys have the 12th overall pick in the upcoming draft and offensive line could be an option yet again. The Cowboys drafted Tyler Guyton last year in the first round for an offensive tackle option but could go down that route again. There are plenty of options for college tackles that could actually slide inside to guard such as LSU’s Will Campbell, Missouri’s Armand Membou and Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. Just like Martin did back in 2014, these college tackles might convert better to the guard spot in the NFL. Maybe the Cowboys go down that route in the first round, or choose later rounds to add depth there. But the later they go in the draft to take a guard, the closer it could be talent-wise to the depth they already have. If they one an immediate impact and replacement for Martin, getting him at No. 12 or even at No. 44 in the second round could be the best option. See which team former Cowboy Zack Martin hated the most – Staff, DMN The Force remains strong in Zack Martin. The recently retired All-Pro guard for the Dallas Cowboys appeared on Chris Long’s podcast ‘Green Light’ where he began by answering Long’s question about who his most hated team was throughout his career. “Philly by far. Not even close,” Martin said. When Long asked him why, Martin gave a caveat. “I hate them, by far my least favorite team, but I also loved playing Philly. I loved playing in Philly, it’s my favorite away stadium by far, not even close. Great grass. And every time we played there it was a Sunday night or a primetime Sunday afternoon game. So, it was always a great atmosphere, we always had good games. When I was in Dallas that was by far our biggest rivalry,” Martin said. He added that the thing that made him the angriest about the Eagles was that they had two Super Bowl wins during his time, yet Martin felt like they had Cowboys teams that were just as good. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott expects to be ‘involved’ in OTAs, could ‘play game today’ – Nick Harris, Star-Telegram The Cowboys – including Prescott – will report for in-house meetings on Monday before hitting the field for organized team activities (OTAs) in May. “If I had to play a game today, I definitely could do that,” he said. “It’s about moving forward healthy to make sure I can play 17-20 times when the time is right.” After two leg injuries, an outside dialogue has started about whether he will continue to be as mobile as he’s been throughout his career with his legs. For him, the rehab process is about making sure he can return to full mobility, where he sees his game at its peak. “When I’m playing my best, I’m mobile,” Prescott said. “Whether it’s actually running past the line of scrimmage or scrambling and making plays with my arm, that’s vital for me and it’s a big part of this. I’ve been running more, obviously that’s part of it when you’re rehabbing a hamstring. I just want to stay on that trend of just getting better, staying mobile and doing it while getting healthy.” Cowboys options at No. 12 – Saad Yousuf, The Athletic Yousouf takes a deep look the top 12 players in Dane Brugler’s Draft Guide (aka “The Beast”) to figure out what the Cowboys could do with their No. 12 pick. Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado Abdul Carter, edge, Penn State Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Mason Graham, DT, Michigan Jalon Walker, edge, Georgia Will Campbell, OT, LSU Armand Membou, OT, Missouri Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Shemar Stewart, edge, Texas A&M Mike Green, edge, Marshall Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona Under the assumption that [QB Cam] Ward, goes in the top 11 and that Carter and Hunter are elite talents who have virtually no chance of slipping out of the top five, let’s look at how things may shake out from there, leading to the Cowboys’ selection. The next five players — Jeanty, Graham, Walker, Campbell and Membou — are most likely to be selected in the top 10. There’s always a chance for a dark horse pick, but even after leaving a couple slots open for something weird, those eight players would be considered long shots for Dallas at No. 12. If that’s the case, there will be five first-round graded players left with three selections before the Cowboys go on the clock. Two of those five players are tight ends, which is not a big need, and at least one of