Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Which five Cowboys do you think are facing a critical season? Nearly every NFL player reaches a crossroad at some point in their career. The Dallas Cowboys have several players who have reached that juncture and are facing a make or break 2025 season with the organization. Below are the ones we believe have the most to prove this year one way or another. DT Mazi Smith Anyone else surprised to see Mazi Smith make this list? Probably not. Sadly, Dallas’ 2023 first-round pick as of yet hasn’t lived up to his draft status. Playing for different defensive coordinators in each of his first two seasons with the Cowboys probably didn’t help his development, which puts into question how he’ll perform with his third DC in three years (Matt Eberflus). If he doesn’t take a significant jump during his ever important Year 3, he could be playing elsewhere as soon as next season. TE Luke Schoonmaker With Jake Ferguson entering the final year of his contract and with Brevyn Spann-Ford possibly pushing for the TE2 job, Luke Schoonmaker’s future with the Cowboys currently stands on shaky ground. While he’s shown flashes of starting material, he’s lacked consistency. Because of that, he could need a big 2025 season to stick around. If Ferguson is retained, he remains buried on the depth chart. But, if Ferguson exits in free agency, he could be competing with Spann-Ford and another draft pick for the TE1 job. CB Trevon Diggs Unless Trevon Diggs has a huge bounce-back season in 2025 he could be playing elsewhere next season. Injuries and regression over the past couple years could make him a salary-cap casualty after the completion of the 2025 season. The Cowboys can save more than $12.25 million by releasing him in the offseason and carry a dead cap hit of just under $6 million. They could also designate him a post-June 1 release and save $15.5 million and spread the dead cap over the 2026 and 2027 seasons at just under $3 million per year.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Do you feel like the Cowboys trades this offseason have been fair? The Dallas Cowboys are not big spenders in free agency. This has been something we have grown accustomed to for quite some time now. But while they shy away from that part of roster building, they have been quite active in making trades. Going back to the last three seasons, here are the players they have acquired (taking out the late-round pick swaps/additions). 2023 Stephon Gilmore – 5th round pick (2023)Brandin Cooks – 5th round pick (2023) + 6th round pick (2024)Trey Lance – 4th round pick (2024) 2024 Jonathan Mingo – 4th round pick (2025)Jordan Phillips – 6th round pick (2026) 2025 George Pickens – 3rd round pick (2026) + 5th round pick (2027)Joe Milton – 5th round pick (2025)Kenneth Murray – 6th round pick (2025)Kaiir Elam – 5th round pick (2025) + 7th round pick (2026) The team has also done a couple of player swaps, who coincidentally were cornerbacks, by trading Nahshon Wright for Andrew Booth last year and Kelvin Joseph for Noah Igbinoghene the year before that. When it comes to trading picks for players, that’s nine different players the Cowboys have acquired over the past three seasons. That’s a lot, especially considering they only made one trade (Johnathan Hankins) over the previous two seasons. Some of these were trades that fans applauded. There are three trades listed above that feature late-round draft capital for a former first-round pick (Gilmore, Cooks, and Murray). Their draft costs were lower because the bigger part of the cost is reflected in the salary they also had to absorb, a la Amari Cooper. But some of these trades were not so well received. Spending a fourth-round pick on Trey Lance was a clear mistake in hindsight, and many feel the team turned around and did it again when they traded another fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo last year. Even as much as most fans love having George Pickens on the team, a third-round pick isn’t chump change. That’s an expensive price for a team that relies so heavily on its draft to replenish its roster. One thing we must consider about many of the deals the Cowboys have made to acquire these “change of scenery players” is that the team is using future picks to get them, and future picks come with a one-round discount. What a draft pick is worth today is not the same as what that same pick is worth next year. The reason is obvious, as one team gets immediate dividends while the other team must wait. We see trades like this happen all the time. If a team wants to jump back in the draft to take a player they absolutely love, but they don’t have enough draft capital left to do it, they’ll deal away future picks to get him. The Cowboys did this in 2017 to get Xavier Woods and again in 2023 to get Eric Scott Jr., where in both cases they traded a future fifth-rounder for a sixth-round pick that year. Since draft capital now requires a more expensive pick later, the reverse is also true. If the Cowboys are getting a player now for a draft pick the following year, they’re really getting them for a one-round discount. When you apply the Jerry Jones promo code to some of these recent trades, they look like this: George Pickens = 4th-round pick (one-round discount)Jonathan Mingo = 5th-round pick (one-round discount)Trey Lance = 5th-round pick (one-round discount)Joe Milton = 5th-round pickKenneth Murray = 6th-round pickKaiir Elam = 6th-round pick (kickback refund) The Pickens, Mingo, and Lance trades all come with a one-year discount, while the Elam price drops because the Cowboys also got a kickback draft pick in return (we explained that in more detail a couple of months ago). When you look at it this way, the Cowboys are giving up far less draft capital to acquire these players. Does that change your perspective on things? Obviously, what the team gets out of these players on Sundays will sway the public opinion of these deals, but when you consider that most of these trades are later-round flyers, it’s really not that bad of an investment either way. Draft picks that late don’t typically come with much expectation, so it wouldn’t take much for the Cowboys to come out ahead. Players like Gilmore, Cooks, and Hankins have already outperformed their draft price, and there’s a good chance that at least one of these newer players will do the same. When you evaluate the Cowboys’ trades, their costs don’t end up being as high as they seemed initially.

Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images Do you root for Cowboys players when they leave the team? Are there certain exceptions? If you are reading this then there is a strong chance that you root for the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously we have the random Eagles fans who are obsessed with the team who stop by, but you get the point. While we all root for the team we sometimes have differing opinions on things relative to what they are doing or their roster or any other sort of thing. One issue that divides people at times is the approach to rooting for players when they leave the Cowboys for another NFL squad. For our Monday discussion we want to know… do you root for Cowboys players when they leave for another team whether by way of trade or free agency? Obviously all circumstances are different and players leave on different types of terms, and it goes without saying that if they play for a division rival that this may not be possible. But if a Cowboys player leaves for say the Miami Dolphins? This is what we are talking about. Let us know in the comments down below!

Chris Jones-Imagn Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. Cowboys Tyler Booker can’t even turn off the aggression during youth camp – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated Dallas got a competitor. Since his selection, the 6-foot-5, 321-pounder has won fans over. His aggressive style of play has them excited, as does his claim that he makes “guys not love football.” Booker’s claim that he plays with unrelenting aggression isn’t just talk either. He proved as much by sharing a video from his youth football camp this weekend. Booker was running drills with one of the participants and playfully shoved him. He then shared the video with the caption, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” How you do anything is how you do everything pic.twitter.com/GkxmD4SWS6 — Tyler Booker (@iamtylerbooker) June 22, 2025 Booker is committed to giving back to the youth, saying the kids remind them of himself when he was young. He added that he wouldn’t be who he was without the community, and wants to be someone these kids can look up to. Booker joins an offensive line that has two other first-round picks in Tyler Smith (2022) and Tyler Guyton (2023). They’re trying to rebuild the dominance up front Dallas was once known for, with Booker being added as a key building block this offseason. Cowboys fiercest camp battle will be at position they only invested $8 million in – Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire Who will be a member of the committee in 2025? The Cowboys haven’t invested much in the position financially, around $8 million, which means there isn’t much holding them back from an open competition. In years past, money has played a role in who saw snaps, but that won’t likely be the case in 2025. Javonte Williams was one of the first players the team targeted in free agency, signing a one-year, $3 million deal. He is a young back who had an excellent rookie season with the Denver Broncos, but hasn’t been the same since he tore his ACL in 2022. New head coach and play caller Brian Schottenheimer has routinely spoken about wanting backs who are a threat in the passing game, and Williams does that. He is also a solid pass protector, which a team with questions at offensive tackle could desperately use. The way the team approached him in free agency, his fit with what the new play caller wants from the position, and his youth make him the likely top candidate to begin the year as the starter. Jaydon Blue is another player who appears to have a guaranteed roster spot as a fifth-round pick who brings explosive playmaking out of the backfield. He never reached 200 touches in a single season in his college career, so he has fresh legs. A receiving weapon out of the backfielwith 42 receptions for 368 yards and six scores in 2024 , he also averaged over five yards a jaunt in his final year in Austin, combining for 1,098 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cowboys’ biggest need in 2026 is already obvious (and won’t be an easy fix) – Marcus Mosher, The Landry Hat Never too early to start looking ahead. Cowboys will need a wide receiver once again going into 2026 Here is what Sikkema had to say about the position going into the year: “The Cowboys recently traded for George Pickens, who will be their WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb for the upcoming season. But he is in the final year of his rookie deal, and if his performance doesn’t warrant an extension, then things get very thin in Dallas at that position. Special-teams ace KaVontae Turpin was the only other Cowboys receiver to earn a PFF receiving grade above 70.0 in 2024, and that includes tight ends and running backs.” Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus It’s also worth mentioning that Jalen Tolbert is also scheduled to become a free agent after the 2025 season and he is coming off the best year of his career. Losing Pickens and Tolbert in the same offseason could significantly hurt their depth, especially if players like Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flournoy don’t step up. The best-case scenario would be for Pickens to have a monster season and for the Cowboys to find a way to retain him. But it sure feels like Dallas is viewing this as a rental season with the idea that they could gain a future compensatory pick by Pickens leaving in 2026. 3 players the Cowboys could trade before the season- LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys It’s not too late to make a move. Jalen Brooks Since adding George Pickens in a trade, the Cowboys have two excellent wide receivers who can stretch the field and make circus catches. Jalen Tolbert also has improved steadily over the last few seasons and made a few big-time plays, like his game-winning touchdown catch versus the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. While this is good for the Cowboys, this leaves Jalen Brooks in a precarious spot. At one time, he was vying for a chance as the team’s third or fourth receiver. Now, he’s seeing stiff competition to keep his place on the roster. Ryan Flournoy and Jonathan Mingo have flashed throughout OTAs and minicamp. Also, Brooks made some critical errors in the playing time he received. Despite being 25 years old, Brooks needs more time to develop. Unfortunately, time may be running out in Dallas. If he’s not a top-five receiver on the roster, he becomes disposable. Maybe a team that needs a fourth receiver like Brooks would like to make a deal.

Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 74) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 74. Bob Breunig Born: July 4, 1953. Inglewood, CaliforniaPosition: LinebackerDallas Cowboys: 1975-1984Awards: Super Bowl champion- XIIAll-Pro- 1980Pro Bowl– 1979, 1980, 1982 Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images Bob Breunig played linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1984 after being drafted in the third round out of Arizona State. Taking over for Hall of Famer Lee Roy Jordan, Breunig became the heart of the Cowboys’ defense throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. Known for his intelligence, tackling ability, and leadership, he was a three-time Pro Bowler and team captain. Breunig started in two Super Bowls (X and XII), helping Dallas win the championship in Super Bowl XII as part of the famed “Doomsday Defense.” He would hold the team record for most tackles in a season (167), and lead the team in tackles for six seasons. Bob Breunig, known for his formidable presence as a linebacker for @ASUFootball, was a player who struck fear into his opponents! #CFBHALL #ForksUp #ActivateTheValley #CollegeFootball pic.twitter.com/NlbHp8e3Qm — College Football Hall of Fame (@cfbhall) July 15, 2024 Best known for:Breunig was best known for being the Cowboys’ defensive signal-caller and a steady, high-IQ presence at middle linebacker, succeeding a legend and becoming one of the franchise’s all-time leading tacklers. Lesser known fact:Breunig was a standout student and Academic All-American in college, and after retiring from football, he went on to have a successful career in business, turning down coaching opportunities to focus on family and entrepreneurship. ✭ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ✭ With 100 days to go until the #Cowboys kickoff the season against the #Eagles, we are counting down with a @BloggingTheBoys Top-100 consensus ranking. We asked staffers to give in their top-100, here is: DAY 74Bob Breunig #DallasCowboys… pic.twitter.com/RQO5TzQYZV — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 22, 2025

Brett Davis-Imagn Images These Cowboys could make history in 2025. 2025 will mark the Dallas Cowboys’ 66th NFL season. Love them or hate them, the Cowboys are easily one of the most influential and recognizable brands in all of sports. While the current generation of Cowboys have big shoes to fill, some have already made their mark and are closing in on some of the more prominent records in the team’s history. A few of the Cowboys’ longstanding records could be broken this season, including some possible single-season records. Here are three Cowboys that could break team records this season. Dak Prescott All-time franchise passing record Since emerging from seemingly nowhere in 2016 and claiming Rookie of the Year honors, Dak Prescott has been a staple of the franchise as its quarterback. Now entering his tenth season as the team’s starting quarterback, Prescott seeks to break the records of the quarterback he replaced, Tony Romo. Prescott might have broken the franchise’s passing records last year, but he was sidelined by a hamstring injury that prematurely ended his 2024 campaign. Now healthy, that record is very much in reach this season. Romo stands as the franchise leader with 34,183 passing yards. Meanwhile, Prescott is only 2,746 yards behind Romo. Provided Prescott remains healthy, that record will easily be broken. All-time franchise passing touchdowns record The record for passing touchdowns in a single season was set by Romo (36 touchdowns in 2007) only to be broken by Prescott who eclipsed the mark in 2021 with 37 passing touchdowns (he also threw for 36 touchdowns in 2023). We bring this up because Prescott is only 35 passing TDs away from Romo’s all-time passing TD mark of 248. If Prescott ahs a big year, he could tie or surpass Romo. Although the Cowboys have intimated a renewed focus on physicality and running the football, the Cowboys have a mixture of inexperience at running back and should have grounded expectations for the veterans they signed this offseason. The Cowboys also have several red zone veterans to choose from including newcomer George Pickens. If Prescott is dialed in, he could catch Romo by season’s end. Micah Parsons Most sacks in the first five years as a Dallas Cowboy Entering the final year of his contract, there’s not much else Micah Parsons needs to prove as a premier talent. He’s been to the Pro Bowl in each of his four NFL seasons and has been named to the All-Pro team on different occasions. Outside of winning a Super Bowl and Defensive Player of the Year, Parsons hasn’t much else left to achieve individually. However, he could set two more records. Demarcus Ware is arguably the greatest pass rusher in the history of the Cowboys. Parsons is at 52.5 in his first four seasons and if Parsons gets 13 sacks this year, he would edge Ware’s 64.5 sacks in five seasons. Cowboys single-season sack record In a much loftier ambition, Parsons could also attack Ware’s 20 sack single-season record that he recorded in 2008. As of now, Parsons’ career-high in sacks is 14. Yet, with more help along the defensive line and a 17-game schedule, Parsons only needs to average 1.2 sacks per game to break Ware’s record. Brain Schottenheimer Most wins by a Cowboys rookie head coach It’s surprising it has taken Brian Schottenheimer this long to get a chance being a head coach. Brian, the son of Marty Schottenheimer, has almost 30 years of coaching experience and has worked with the likes of Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers, Russell Wilson, and most recently, Dak Prescott. Since being named the head coach, there’s been a different optimism around the team. Schottenheimer carries himself with an infectious personality that the players have responded well to. Could Schottenheimer break the franchise record for most wins by a rookie head coach? He’ll have a high bar to climb. Barry Switzer won 12 games in his first year as coach of the Cowboys in 1994 before eventually winning the Super Bowl. The odds are stacked against it with the Cowboys playing in a fiercely competitive division that features the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles and upstart Washington Commanders. That said, Schottenheimer has a lot to work with in first year as an NFL coach: An offensive line that is quickly developing Dak Prescott two years removed from an All-Pro season CeeDee Lamb KaVontae Turpin who is a star return specialist Brandon Aubrey is near automatic and can probably make a 70-yard field goal Micah Parsons 13 wins would surprise many but if the coaching chops don’t fall far from the family tree, Schottenheimer could win that many games, leaving him one win shy of his father’s most wins in a season as well.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images These players could be sent packing before the season opener. With training camp on the horizon, the Dallas Cowboys are making preparations for another summer in Oxnard, CA. Since minicamp, the Cowboys have made alterations to their roster adding some pieces. That said, the Cowboys still have holes to fill and it’s not too early to think of the future. The Cowboys have several important contracts to attend to after this season and many players up for a new contract will not be extended. It would be in Dallas’ best interest to acquire as many assets as possible either in draft capital or players that help them. Before the Boys of Summer touchdown in sunny California, here are three players the Cowboys could part with via trade over the next few months. Deuce Vaughn Deuce Vaughn finds himself in a suddenly crowded running back room. Vaughn has failed to land a spot in the regular rotation of running backs. Vaughn has had his moments in the preseason, but it hasn’t translated to the regular season. He has only produced 70 rushing yards in two professional seasons. If he’s not involved in the offense, it’s hard to find a place for him. KaVontae Turpin is a special teams maven, so despite being a decent returner, Vaughn won’t get a chance to contribute in that aspect. Rookie running back Jaydon Blue fills a similar role to Vaughn except he has more explosive straight-line speed. Also, Vaughn is a smaller player at 5’6”, 176 lbs. and pass protection has proven challenging for him. That said, somebody else could see value in what he could bring, especially in the special teams return department. At best, he would net no more than a late-round pick or at worst, a conditional one. Jalen Brooks Since adding George Pickens in a trade, the Cowboys have two excellent wide receivers who can stretch the field and make circus catches. Jalen Tolbert also has improved steadily over the last few seasons and made a few big-time plays, like his game-winning touchdown catch versus the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. While this is good for the Cowboys, this leaves Jalen Brooks in a precarious spot. At one time, he was vying for a chance as the team’s third or fourth receiver. Now, he’s seeing stiff competition to keep his place on the roster. Ryan Flournoy and Jonathan Mingo have flashed throughout OTAs and minicamp. Also, Brooks made some critical errors in the playing time he received. Despite being 25 years old, Brooks needs more time to develop. Unfortunately, time may be running out in Dallas. If he’s not a top-five receiver on the roster, he becomes disposable. Maybe a team that needs a fourth receiver like Brooks would like to make a deal. Mazi Smith To whom much is given, much is expected. Sadly, for Mazi Smith, he hasn’t lived up to expectations since being drafted in the first round by the team. The Cowboys still struggle to contain the run up the middle despite Smith’s presence and it’s disappointing given how well Smith anchored the run defense as a collegiate athlete at Michigan. To make matters worse, Smith doesn’t offer much upside as a pass rusher. The Cowboys they have tried to add more defensive tackles to the roster with Jay Toia, Tommy Akingbestoe, and most recently Perrion Winfrey, in an attempt to solve a longstanding problem. Dallas would be wise to try to recoup some value from Smith before his value decreases further. If Smith has a poor training camp in preseason, a trade could be on the table.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys have added numerous new players to their roster this season. Between another draft, a few trades, and a free agency that was a little more active than years past, there are going to be several new players to root for this season. With so many players to keep our interest, it’s easy to forget about some of the lesser-known fellas on the roster. But every year, guys emerge from the woodwork to be key contributors on the team. Who will be the player who does that this season? A few years ago, we mentioned that Jayron Kearse was the one player on the roster that everyone is forgetting about. His skills against the run and in coverage were something the team had been lacking at the safety position. Kearse took full advantage, starting 15 games and leading the team in tackles. He also tacked on 10 pass-breakups and two interceptions. He emerged as a key defensive player, earning him a second contract with the team. A couple of years ago, we discussed how Brock Hoffman was the one player who could make the Cowboys have second thoughts about extending Tyler Biadasz. A practice squad player the year prior, Hoffman was poised to show that he had more to offer if given a chance. And sure enough, his progression continued, and the team let Biadasz walk in free agency, leaving Hoffman with an opportunity to take over as the starting center. Ultimately, the team drafted Cooper Beebe last season, but Hoffman still made his presence felt, starting seven games last year, mostly filling in for the injured Zack Martin. Last year, the player we labeled as the guy everyone had completely forgotten about was Chauncey Golston. A third-round pick, Golston had always been a solid player, but he’d been buried on the depth chart, so his chances had been limited. And with fans more interested in the rookie Marshawn Kneeland and third-year player Sam Williams, Golston was an afterthought. But he made the list because the Cowboys had lost two of their defensive ends in free agency, Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler. All it would take is some bad luck in the health department, and Golston’s number would be called. Sadly, the team’s defensive end group was beat up last year, with several players missing multiple games. Golston got his chance, starting 13 games where he finished with 5.5 sacks and even had an interception, earning himself a nice reward in free agency with the New York Giants. When you look at these players, they all have multiple things in common. First, the talent was there. They had already provided a glimpse of playmaking ability, which is why the team was interested in them in the first place. Second, they were in the right place at the right time. Due to the team’s depth at their respective positions, opportunities arose, and they capitalized. With that in mind, what player might fit that description this season? This year’s nominee is former fifth-round pick Asim Richards. From the moment he was drafted, it looked as if the team had found a late-round gem. He was an experienced player coming out of college with good traits. His hands, his knee bend, and his ability to turn his hips all made him an intriguing run-blocker. He’s a cerebral player, always quick to his spot to seal off his man. He’s got length, he’s got strength, and he’s quick enough to climb into the second level. The skills are there. What Richards has been lacking is opportunity. In his rookie season, the Cowboys were surprisingly healthy at the tackle position. Terence Steele had returned from injury and logged the most snaps of any offensive player, and Tyron Smith played 847 snaps, the only time he has done that over his last five seasons. Last year, Smith was gone, and Richards got more chances, including his first-ever start, but most of the reps were taken by rookie Tyler Guyton and veteran free agent Chuma Edoga. Edoga is now gone, and the Cowboys don’t really have a swing tackle candidate ahead of Richards this season. It should be his job to lose. But more than that, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has made it clear that he’s playing his best five offensive linemen. While the expectations are that Guyton takes a nice year two jump this season, nothing is promised. Any struggle this year could open the door for Richards to slide in. Obviously, we’re rooting for the team’s former first-round pick to turn a corner because the upside is more favorable, but don’t sleep on Richards. He could also challenge Steele on the other side if the veteran starts to slip. And there is always the possibility of injury. Richards has been a solid player who continues to develop, and if given the opportunity, he could end up a sneaky-good under-the-radar player for the Cowboys this season.

Chris Jones-Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news. Can the Cowboys’ defense trust Kenneth Murray? – Inside the Star, Shane Taylor Under a new defensive coordinator, how much faith should the Cowboys have in newcomer Kenneth Murray? One important piece to new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ defense is going to be the man wearing the green dot, and as you look at his career thus far, it makes you wonder can this team trust Kenneth Murray? Dallas traded for former first-round pick Murray, who has racked up 416 tackles and 8.5 sacks in five years. This past season, he gave the Tennessee Titans 95 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one pick. Still, he’s not seen as a difference-maker, which is how the Cowboys landed him for a low price. Defensive Outlook Under new DC Eberflus (a notable linebacker whisperer), either one of them – or both – are expected to be in the starting lineup to start this season with DeMarvion Overshown still recovering from injury. Marist Liufau and Damone Clark are other candidates to start as returners from last year. In his first year with the Titans last year, Murray earned captain status on the defense and finished with 95 tackles and 3.5 sacks, as I noted above. He started in every game he played in and has two more years of NFL experience than Sanborn. That is why he will be the one wearing the green dot, having direct communication with the coaching staff. “I think it’s a great fit,” Murray said, via Clarence Hill of All City DLLS. “I’ve been enjoying myself, obviously transitioning over from being traded and getting up to speed and stuff like that. Lot of things work to my strengths, coming down hill, playing the coverage, stuff like that. It’s been good. It’s been great being here during the offseason program, getting around the guys and just trying to come in and establish a culture and get better every day.” Passing on name CBs shows Cowboys still haven’t shaken their cheap, bargain-shopping ways – Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire The Cowboys did a lot this offseason, but there are calls for more. The Dallas Cowboys made two moves this week, signing defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey and cornerback Robert Rochell as they continue to churn the bottom of the roster. While both additions were at positions of need, it’s the signing of Rochell that continues to demonstrate how cheap the organization has become. Adding Rochell shows the Cowboys understood they need help at CB, but instead of signing a quality player, they once again went bargain basement shopping. There were numerous free agent signings the team could’ve made at the position, with Rochell likely being the least expensive option. That point was hammered home when prior to the Cowboys signing Rochell, the Baltimore Ravens added free agent CB Jaire Alexander. The timing of both signings, hours apart, made Jerry and Stephen Jones look even cheaper, and proved how differently organizations pursue the Super Bowl. The Cowboys didn’t need to sign Alexander, and it’s probably smart they stayed away. Dallas’ CB room has enough injury questions, but they could’ve signed someone who has shown more ability than Rochell. Among the CBs still available are Asante Samuel, Mike Hilton and Stephon Gilmore, all of whom are more accomplished than Rochell. This isn’t about the player they didn’t sign, it’s about the Cowboys’ approach. The Ravens already had one of the best secondaries in the league, boasting an All-Pro CB and safety in Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton, respectively. They also have two of the game’s best young secondary pieces in second-year CB Nate Wiggins and rookie first-round pick safety Malaki Starks, so it was a stacked group that didn’t necessarily need an upgrade. Dak Prescott warned he could repeat Cowboys fans’ biggest heartbreak (but worse) – Jared A’Latorre, The Landry Hat Dak Prescott is trying to change the narrative. In what will be a historic result of the 2025 NBA Finals, sports talk shows are still finding themselves talking about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s legacy. Prescott made headlines this week when he was asked about his own legacy. He explained he doesn’t really care about how people see him, but for his own sanity, he wants to win a Super Bowl. The hardcore faithful of America’s Team has been waiting three decades to get back to the NFC Championship game, and Prescott might be the last hope to get them there before they have to reboot with another QB. David Helman of Fox Sports claims that if Prescott doesn’t win a Super Bowl it will actually be more embarrassing than not completing the same goal as his predecessor and former teammate, Tony Romo. Dak Prescott not winning a Super Bowl would potentially put him below Romo in Cowboys legacy Helman’s comments are bold if we’re being honest.. The barbershop dialogue always go back to the QBs that have won a Super Bowl. While Prescott has said that doesn’t care about his legacy, Helman says that he has to win a Super Bowl, or else, Cowboys fans will always mirror him back to Romo, or even worse. “People have warmed to Romo’s legacy over time, and most acknowledge now that he was a far better player than he often got credit for when he was trying to shoulder the hopes and dreams of America’s Team…The best way to secure (Prescott’s) legacy, or to silence the debate about it, would be to win the championship that’s eluded the Cowboys for so long.” David Helman A pair of Cowboys players are projected to make the 2025 NFL All-Rookie team-Brian Martin, Blogging the Boys Two Cowboys rookies enter the year with big expectations. Gennaro Filice for NFL.com recently projected who he believes will make the 2025 NFL All-Rookie team, and guess what, a pair of Dallas Cowboys players made his cut, one on offense and one on defense. That’s right, a team that will be relying heavily on several of

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Questions are going to linger at linebacker for a little bit. Last year was a tough season for the Dallas Cowboys. They were losing games, injuries were piling up, and it became very evident early in the season that this team wasn’t going anywhere. That’s not a common thing for this organization. The team experienced a similar ordeal in 2020, but outside of that, lost seasons have not really been a thing for the Cowboys. With all the bad things that went wrong last year, there might not have been a worse event than the DeMarvion Overshown injury. Yes, many players got hurt, and yes, one of them was a season-ending hamstring injury to the team’s franchise quarterback, Dak Prescott. But for many of the hurt players, we knew they would heal up and be ready to go next year. That’s not the case for Overshown. A third-round pick in 2023, Overshown has been a player the team has loved from the beginning. A celebrating war room on draft day served as a testament to what they felt they got. Sadly, his rookie season was taken away from him after he suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game. Last season, he returned, healthy as an ox, but fast as a gazelle. Overshown gave us a dose of his athleticism as he was all over the field. His length and great closing speed made him one of the defense’s top players. His playmaking ability made him worth the wait, but sadly, an injury struck again. In Week 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Overshown injured his knee again, but this time it was much worse. He tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL, bringing a dark cloud over the career of the team’s young defensive superstar. According to reports, Overshown’s rehab is progressing nicely, and there is some optimism that a mid-season return could happen. When he returns and what he’s able to do this soon are big mysteries, and it’s reasonable to lower our expectations for the upcoming season. When you look at the range of outcomes, the likelihood of him either missing the entire year or coming back late and having a limited impact seems rather large. Only time will tell. Overshown had a great debut season. Despite missing the last quarter of the season, he still finished second on the team with 90 tackles. He also finished tied for third with five sacks and had the team’s most spectacular defensive play when he tipped the ball to himself and returned an interception for a touchdown. Before his injury, he was a star in the making, but now there is this great uncertainty about what type of player he can be. This is something the Cowboys will need to figure out sooner rather than later. With little information likely to work with from the upcoming season, the team will have a big decision to make. They can extend him next offseason before he enters the final year of his rookie contract, or they can wait and see and take their chances in free agency. This is a decision that is a lot tougher than it sounds. The Cowboys have rolled the dice on some red flag injury risks before. Both Jaylon Smith and Terence Steele received contract extensions before the existing deals expired. Each situation was different, but in both cases, the team ultimately felt they were getting a good value on a player who was still trending upward. They guessed wrong with Smith and Steele remains a TBD who is off to a slow start. The team also believed Michael Gallup would return to his 1,000-yard ways after his knee injury, but alas, it was not to be. The team was left with an underperforming receiver who was expected to fill the void of Amari Cooper at a discounted price. The Overshown situation will be a huge dilemma for the Cowboys. In a perfect world, it would be nice to wait and out and see how well he does once he’s at full strength, and who is to say if that will even come while he’s still on his rookie deal. Suffice to say, if he returns to form in 2026, he’s going to elevate his market value. The agent of Agent 0 will do everything they can to preserve his financial well-being. The front office is often criticized for waiting too long to get deals done, but one could criticize them just as much for the times they try to be proactive. How they decide to handle this situation is something that will garner a lot of attention the closer we get to his contract being up, and this one has a good chance of being a real conundrum for the Cowboys.