Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The latest news from around the division. Saints finalizing deal with Eagles OC Kellen Moore to become new head coach – Grant Gordon, NFL.com The coordinator finally gets his chance to run the whole show. Kellen Moore is sticking around in New Orleans. Moore, as expected, is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday. The Insiders added that Saints general manager Mickey Loomis called other head coaching candidates to deliver the news of Moore’s hiring. Just two days after helping the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX win at the Caesars Superdome in NOLA, the Philly offensive coordinator will be staying in the city for the long haul. The 35-year-old Moore is on the move to a different job for the fourth straight season, but this will be his first head coaching job in the NFL. He was with the Dallas Cowboys from 2018-2022 (the last four as their OC) and the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 before his one year in Philly. Prior to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ three-touchdown Super Bowl MVP performance in Philadelphia’s 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, it was reported that the plan was for Moore and the Saints to finalize a deal. Now, Moore will officially succeed Dennis Allen, who was fired amid a 5-12 2024 season. In his one season with Philadelphia, Moore piloted the Eagles offense to top-eight rankings in points scored and total yards, which included Saquon Barkley becoming the ninth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history. Commanders’ Dante Fowler Jr. among best free agent pass rushers – Jeremy Brener, Sports Illustrated From one ex-Cowboy (Kellen Moore) to another, Dante Fowler Jr. had a productive 2024 and it may pay off big time. The Washington Commanders saw Dante Fowler Jr. experience a renaissance in his first season with the team. Fowler was arguably the team’s best pass rusher, logging 10.5 sacks, the most he’s had in a single season since 2019 when he was with the Los Angeles Rams. The 33rd Team writer Dan Pizzuta listed Fowler as the No. 52 free agent in this spring’s class. Will Commanders re-sign Fowler? “There was a ton of explosiveness in Dante Fowler Jr.’s game during his season in Washington. He was 21st in pressure rate and eighth among edge rushers in pass rush win rate. Fowler did run hot, converting 87.5 percent of his hits into sacks (the league average is around 42 percent), but the constant pressure is something to believe in,” Pizzuta writes. There’s no guarantee that Fowler will have the kind of year he had in 2024 next season, but the Commanders need a high-level pass rusher, and Fowler is currently the likeliest person to fill that role out of anyone possible for Washington in 2025. Cover 3: Prospects to keep in mind in Round 2 – John Schmeelk, Dan Salomone & Matt Citak, Giants.com Possible Day 2 draft picks for the G-men. John Schmeelk: The Giants need to find a good starter with their pick at the top of the second round and a player like that is going to be available. If the Giants are looking for a secondary piece, could Shavon Revel drop into their laps since he is recovering from a season ending knee surgery? Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas or Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos could be a cornerback pick, or maybe the Giants value a safety like Nick Emmanwori or Malaki Starks if he falls. Dan Salomone: How many Ohio State players can I list here? But seriously, top of the second round is the sweet spot for the national champions. Like the overall draft class, there is probably more depth than perceived high-end talent. In Daniel Jeremiah’s initial top 50, you have wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (No. 25), tackle Josh Simmons (No. 30), versatile offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (No. 31), running backs Quinshon Judkins (No. 34) and TreVeyon Henderson (No. 36), and captain Jack Sawyer (No. 40). Then there is defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, edge defender JT Tuimoloau, safety Lathan Ransom, linebacker Cody Simon, and of course, quarterback Will Howard. I can feel Citak’s and Schmeelk’s eyes rolling because, sure, it might not be prudent to limit your draft pool to one school. But you won’t regret any of those guys. Matt Citak: With Greg Van Roten set to hit free agency, the Giants will have to address their interior offensive line in some capacity this offseason. Every year, the top of the second round seems to be a sweet spot for those guys up front. Following a dominant performance at Senior Bowl practices, one player I’ll be keeping a close eye on these next few months is North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel. The former Bison started 41 games over five seasons, with games at both tackle and guard positions. While in Mobile, Zabel split his time between guard and center, adding even more versatility to his belt. Zabel was one of the most impressive players at the Senior Bowl, as he was named the Overall Practice Player of the Week by NFL talent evaluators. His performance in Mobile likely catapulted his draft stock up to early Day 2, and there’s even a chance he could sneak into the end of the first round. But if he’s there at 34, Zabel could provide a big boost to the Giants’ protection up front.

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images Here is our scouting report on Will Johnson from Michigan We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at cornerback Will Johnson from Michigan. Will Johnson CBMichigan Wolverines Junior4-star recruit 6’2”202 lbs Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images History Will Johnson was born on March 29, 2003, in Detroit, Michigan. His father, Deon Johnson, was also a cornerback for Michigan in the 1990s. Johnson attended Grosse Pointe South High School in Michigan, where he was a four-year varsity starter. As a senior, he was an All-State selection, amassing 45 tackles, a sack, an interception, and 12 pass breakups on defense. He also contributed significantly on offense with 42 catches for 667 yards and six touchdowns among other contributions, totalling 1,302 all-purpose yards. He was a highly-rated recruit, with a four-star rating from 247Sports, and in 2022 he joined Michigan. Johnson made an immediate impact for the Wolverines in his freshman year, becoming a starter and playing in all 14 games. He recorded 27 total tackles, two tackles for loss, three pass breakups and three interceptions. In his sophomore year, Johnson was named a First-Team All-American, contributing significantly to Michigan’s national championship win. His performance included key interceptions, notably one in the national championship game against Washington, earning him the Defensive MVP award. He ended the season with 27 tackles, four pass breakups, four interceptions, and a pick-six against Minnesota that he made in the first 15-seconds of the game. Johnson’s junior year was riddled with injury which hindered his production. Despite missing half the season with lower leg injuries, he still managed two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns which led the nation, and one tackle for loss. 2024 Statistics 279 Defensive Snaps14 Total Tackles1 Tackle for Loss3 Pass Breakups 22 Defensive Stops5 Pass Breakups2 INT2 INT-TD2 Penalties NFL Combine/Pro Day TBC Awards All-American (2024)Second-team All-Big Ten (2024)CFP National Championship Game Defensive MVP (2024)All-American (2023)First-team All-Big Ten (2023) Scorecard Overall- 88.9Speed- 90Acceleration- 89Agility- 90Strength- 80Tackling- 77Zone Coverage- 88Man Coverage- 80Press- 85Discipline- 98 THE GOOD: Johnson possesses the perfect frame for an NFL cornerback, with excellent length and a filled-out build. He shows good versatility playing press, off-man, or zone coverage. Plays with a patient and controlled backpedal, which allows him to stay balanced and ready to break on the ball. He shows an exceptional ability to read plays, especially in zone coverage where his instincts and vision shine. Demonstrates an elite level of ability to locate and make plays on the ball. Effectively jams receivers at the line of scrimmage and uses his size to box out opponents. A willing tackler in run support, showing physicality when engaging ball carriers. His ability to blitz off the edge adds another layer to his game. TAPE TIME CB Will Johnson Michigan ✅ THE GOOD✅#scouting #NFLDraft #michiganwolverines #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/bKVrwXIy4R — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 10, 2025 THE BAD: There are concerns regarding his durability due to injuries. He needs to refine his technique in man coverage, particularly in terms of change of direction. Will take unnecessary gambles. There have been instances where his tackling form could be more consistent. Will play overly aggressive which takes him out the play. Needs to be more consistent with pursuit angles. TAPE TIME CB Will Johnson Michigan ❌THE BAD❌#scouting #NFLDraft #michiganwolverines #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/kDxBpk0Vdp — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 10, 2025 THE FIT There are some red flags with Will Johnson but his production speaks for itself, and in three seasons at Michigan, he accumulated 68 tackles, nine interceptions (including a school-record three pick-sixes), and 17 pass breakups. Regardless, his elite talents and skills project him as a high first-round pick, with some mock drafts even considering him in the top 10. His combination of size, speed, physicality, and football IQ suggests he could be an immediate impact player and potentially a franchise cornerstone at cornerback. His game tape paints the picture of a highly talented, versatile, and impactful cornerback prospect, but his main challenges will be maintaining health and refining some technical aspects of his game for the professional level. During the combine and team interviews his medical review will play a crucial part in how teams view him. Johnson’s ability to excel in both coverage schemes would make him a seamless fit for Dallas. Johnson’s size, length, and physicality at the line of scrimmage would be a huge asset, effectively disrupting routes at the snap, providing the Cowboys with a physical presence on the outside. The Cowboys have had issues with consistency and injuries at the cornerback position in recent years and this upcoming season other cornerbacks are set to hit free agency. With players like Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, adding Johnson would not only bolster the starting lineup but also provide much-needed depth and competition. Johnson could be seen as a long-term solution or complement to Diggs, whose aggressive style leads to big plays COMPARISON Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos BTB GRADE 11th CONSENSUS RANKING 8th(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)

Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire It’s mock draft season! Watching the Philadelphia Eagles completely dominate the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl hopefully lit a fire under the Dallas Cowboys brass to change their philosophical approach to the offseason. This team currently has a lot of roster “needs” and will need to take full advantage of both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft to build/upgrade their roster. While being more active in free agency to bring in known and established players to be starters or add depth is something we highly encourage for the Cowboys, even though we all know they prefer to build their roster through the draft. They’ve been one of the better drafting teams in the league, but have struggled to find impact players recently. Today, with the use of Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator, we attempt to predict how the Cowboys could use their picks in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. We approached this with the mindset of committing to the running game, getting Dak Prescott another receiving weapon, and adding depth to the defensive line. TRADE Cowboys send 1.12 to Cardinals for 1.16, 3.78 1.16 (from Arizona) – OL Armand Membou, Missouri Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images This pick is all about committing to the running game and protecting the highest-paid player in the league, QB Dak Prescott. Armand Membou has experience playing both RG and RT during his time at Missouri and is expected to bring that position flex to the NFL as well, something we all know the Cowboys place a high value on. At 6’3″, 315-pounds with 34 inch arms, Membou would give the Cowboys another versatile offensive lineman similar to that of Tyler Smith. His ability to start at RG or RT would give Dallas the option to replace Terence Steele, making him a salary-cap casualty, or slide him into Zack Martin’s vacant RG position. He could be an invaluable piece moving forward. 2.44 – RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images Again, this pick is all about committing/upgrading the running game. While it’s true the 2025 RB draft class is a deep one, without a fourth-round pick the Cowboys would be wise to strike early to upgrade their rushing attack and Kaleb Johnson has the ability to do just that. He checks all of the boxes NFL teams look for in a starting running back. At 6’0″, 225-pounds, the former Iowa Hawkeyes RB has the prototypical size the Cowboys look for in their RB1 and the ability to be a complete three-down back. He has a rare blend of physicality, speed, and elusiveness, but it’s his vision and patience as a runner sets him apart from a lot of the RB draft class. He has big-play potential at the next level as a starter. 3.76 – WR Isaiah Bond, Texas Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It wasn’t long ago Isaiah Bond was considered a surefire first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a down season last year at Texas negatively impacted his draft stock. For a team like the Cowboys who are in desperate need of adding more weapons to their aerial attack to help both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, this could be an absolute steal. At 5’11”, 180-pounds and still just 20 years old, Bond has the talent to be an impact weapon in the passing game despite a down year in 2024. He has the tools needed to be a three-level threat as well as the speed, explosiveness, and flexibility to be a YAC demon. With little more development, he could be one of the best WRs from this draft class. 3.78 (from Arizona) – DT Darius Alexander, Toledo Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Forget about the small school mantra, Darius Alexander was not only hard to handle throughout his career at Toledo, but backed up his play against some of the best offensive lineman in the country at the Senior Bowl. He could be someone Dallas’ new DC could pound the table for to upgrade and add some much-needed depth to the defensive line. Matt Eberflus likes his defensive lineman to be big, long, and fast. That makes Darius Alexander an ideal prospect. At 6’3″, 310-pounds with 34 inch arms and a wingspan of 82 inches, the former Toledo DT definitely checks all the boxes. If that wasn’t enough, he’s capable of starting as a rookie as either a one- or three-technique in Eberflus’ 4-3 scheme.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys have a lot of work to do if they want to catch the Eagles. It’s time for the Dallas Cowboys to get back to work. After the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, the book is finally closed on the 2024 NFL season. The Eagles dominated the Chiefs in every facet of the game, looking like the superior team at nearly every position all night. If the Cowboys want any shot of getting their moment of glory, they will need to chase down the ultra-talented Eagles, who aren’t going anywhere any time soon. If the Cowboys want to do just that and dethrone the current Super Bowl champs next year, here are three moves they must make this offseason. Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images 1) Add a legit number two wide receiver If the Cowboys are smart, their number one priority this offseason should be adding a capable wide receiver to pair with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. Dallas’ offense lacked firepower last season, which was evident even when Dak Prescott and most of the team were healthy. Outside of Lamb, it’s clear no one on the Cowboys’ current roster is capable of being a legit number two receiver at this point in time. Jalen Tolbert has shown flashes of potential but has been far too inconsistent to rely on to fulfill that role. Dallas’ other wideouts on the roster, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo, and Jalen Brooks, are all more of a fourth or fifth receiver rather than a top target on an offense. No matter how they have to do it, the Cowboys need to come out of this offseason with a talented wideout that can help bring some much-needed explosiveness to their offense. If the Cowboys look to the draft to accomplish this task, they could spend their first-round selection on a wide receiver like Tetairoa McMillan or Emeka Egbuka. Both would be significant upgrades to Dallas’ offense. The draft isn’t the only place the Cowboys could find themselves a new offensive weapon. If Dallas decides to realize free agency actually does exist and finally commits to spending on some outside free agents, there will be a couple of difference-making wide receivers in this year’s free agent class. The Cowboys could target someone like Marquise Brown, who is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Chiefs, and give him a high-paying one-year deal to prove his value and hit the market again next spring. Overall, the Cowboys need to do whatever it takes to add another talented receiver to their offense in the coming months. Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images 2) Re-sign impending free agents Jourdan Lewis and Osa Odighizuwa The Cowboys have plenty of key players set to hit free agency this March, but Jourdan Lewis and Osa Odighizuwa both had career years last season and were clearly two of the five best-performing players on Dallas’ entire roster. Dallas cannot afford to lose either player, mainly due to the state of the position group on the current roster. At cornerback, Dallas has three players, DaRon Bland, Calen Carson, and Trevon Diggs, under contract for the 2025 season. Diggs’ late-season injury will likely force him to miss at least the first half of the regular season, making it imperative that Dallas retains veteran Lewis to give them another reliable option in their secondary. At defensive tackle, if the Cowboys were to let Odighizuwa walk, they would instantly become arguably the weakest single position group in the entire NFL. Outside of Mazi Smith, who has been a big disappointment to this point of his career, the Cowboys don’t have a single other defensive tackle on their roster who is capable of being a starter. It may be costly, but the Cowboys need to do whatever it takes to ensure Lewis and Odighizuwa are still wearing a star on their helmet next fall. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images 3) Find affordable depth options in free agency One thing that became very clear during the 2024 season was that the Cowboys’ lack of roster depth ended up being a huge issue. While Dallas may have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, one to ten, they lack depth down the line that is needed if a team wants to win a Super Bowl. If you look at the Eagles’ 2024 roster, they are by far the deepest team in the league. Philadelphia had at least 2-3 quality players at nearly every position group. The Cowboys don’t have that, and they’ll need to find some affordable depth options in free agency this spring if they want to be taken as a serious contender. Last offseason, the Cowboys signed veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year, $3M deal. That turned out to be a great signing as the 32-year-old turned out to be a productive player on Dallas’ defense. Deals like that one are what Dallas will need to pursue this spring. It does not have to be signing a big-name free agent to a huge contract, but the Cowboys absolutely must be more active in free agency, mainly focusing on finding affordable depth pieces to fill out the bottom half of their roster.

Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Who would the Cowboys have drafted over the last decade if they listened to Mel Kiper and Daniel Jeremiah? We have the answers. ESPN’s Mel Kiper and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah are two of the biggest names in the mock draft business and have been for years. So today we ask ourselves what would have happened if the Cowboys had followed the pair’s mock draft suggestions in the first round of the last 10 drafts, and how that compares to what the Cowboys actually did – something we’ve done intermittently here on Blogging The Boys over the last decade or so, albeit Daniel Jeremiah now takes the place of Todd McShay, who’s out of the mock draft business for now. In the mock draft world, there’s only one mock that ultimately counts: the final mock draft published before the actual draft. That doesn’t stop mock drafters from creating countless mocks before that final one, but most of those are entertainment for a long offseason. Which is why today we’ll only look at Kiper’s and Jeremiah’s final mock drafts from 2015 through 2024. Before we check out the two draft experts, here is a summary of the Cowboys’ first-round picks in the last 10 drafts, along with some metrics we’ll use to evaluate the picks. Year Player POS AllPro ProBowls StarterSeasons GamesStarted wAV 2015 Byron Jones S — 1 7 103 38 2016 Ezekiel Elliott RB 1 3 7 109 68 2017 Taco Charlton DE — — — 13 9 2018 Leighton Vander Esch LB — 1 5 65 35 2019 Pick traded for Amari Cooper 2020 CeeDee Lamb WR 1 4 5 76 57 2021 Micah Parsons DE 2 4 4 63 56 2022 Tyler Smith OG — 2 3 47 25 2023 Mazi Smith DT — — 1 20 9 2024 Tyler Guyton OT — — 1 11 4 Total 4 15 33 407 301 Why the cutoff at 10 years? Simply because it’s a nice round number. At 11 years, we’d have included Zack Martin, which would have made the Cowboys look a lot better. At 12 years, Travis Frederick would have been a strong add to the list, at 13 we’d have included Morris Claiborne, not a great look for the Cowboys. 14 years? Tyron Smith, plus-good. 15 years? Dez Bryant, double-plus-good. And that’s a bit of an issue for the Cowboys’ draft record. That five-year stretch between 2010 and 2014 outperforms the next 10 years in every single metric on the table above: 11 All-Pro seasons, 25 Pro Bowl seasons, 40 starter seasons, 602 games started, and a strong Weighted Career Approximate Value (wAV) of 340. Like many things in the Cowboys universe, the Cowboys’ draft record lives mostly on past glories, and I shudder to think what that record would look like had the team not lucked into Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb, or had gotten its hands on Paxton Lynch in 2016. Dallas is not the Pro Bowl factory it once was. Here’s how the Cowboys’ draft record over the last 10 years compares to the rest of the league in terms of wAV. First-round AV points by team, 2015-2024 Rank Team wAV Picks Rank Team wAV Picks Rank Team wAV Picks 1 BAL 433 13 12 DAL 301 9 23 ARI 231 10 2 LAC 371 11 13 NOR 299 12 24 PHI 229 10 3 CLE 365 10 14 ATL 292 11 25 CIN 219 10 4 JAX 359 13 15 WAS 289 11 T26 DEN 200 8 5 DET 354 12 16 TAM 284 9 T26 IND 200 7 6 NYJ 342 13 17 TEN 278 11 28 HOU 195 8 7 NYG 338 13 18 PIT 262 9 29 MIN 175 11 8 MIA 327 11 19 LVR 252 12 30 LAR 160 3 9 BUF 319 8 20 CHI 250 8 31 SEA 155 8 10 SFO 315 11 T21 KAN 246 7 32 NWE 152 8 11 CAR 305 10 T21 GNB 237 11 Overall, the table establishes that the Cowboys have been a middling drafting team over the last 10 years, ranking close to average with their first-round picks. Of course, the numbers would be better without Taco Charlton, but every team whiffs on a first-rounder at some point. And yes, had they not traded away their 2019 first-rounder, they’d probably also look better. But it is what it is. With that, let’s turn to Kiper and Jeremiah to see how their picks for the Cowboys hold up in this comparison. But before we do that, we have to recognize that this is not of course an apples-to-apples comparison. Kiper and McShay have to make assumptions about all the picks ahead of the Cowboys in their mock drafts, and then have to assign one of the remaining players to the Cowboys based on a first-round mock that is bound to be imperfect. We do not know which player each draftnik would have picked if he had been in charge of the Cowboys draft on draft night, and going back and following their draft-night commentary to figure out who they suggested when the Cowboys were on the clock is just not feasible. However, in some drafts, one or both draftniks have offered picks for the Cowboys where the players or positions selected were in the pre-draft favorites pool, so they at least partly reflect popular sentiment at the time. Mel Kiper Here are the players Mel Kiper had the Cowboys picking in his final mock drafts of each of the last 10 years: Year Player Pos AllPro ProBowls StarterSeasons GamesStarted wAV 2015 Preston Smith DE — — 9 138 55 2016 Ezekiel Elliott RB 1 3 7 109 68 2017 Marlon Humphrey CB 2 4 7 98 58 2018 Courtland Sutton WR — 1 6 82 30 2019 Pick traded for Amari Cooper 2020 Xavier McKinney S 1 1 4 63 31 2021 Patrick Surtain CB 2 3 4 65

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images All the Dallas Cowboys news that’s fit to print. 2025 NFL free agency: Six franchises with the toughest tasks this offseason – Matt Okada, NFL.com The Cowboys have a lot of holes to fill, and not much suggesting they’ll be aggressive beyond the draft. After signing Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to massive contract extensions last fall, the Cowboys got seven wins and another disappointing season out of it. Now they’re sitting roughly even on cap space, coming off their first losing record since 2020 and staring at a potential Micah Parsons extension that should make him the highest-paid defender in football. With the meteoric rise of Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, they’re also suddenly competing in a division featuring NFC runner-up Washington and the Super Bowl-champion Eagles. Meanwhile, defensive vets Demarcus Lawrence, Eric Kendricks, Jourdan Lewis and Osa Odighizuwa are all due to hit free agency this spring, as is offensive line mainstay Zack Martin (who could hang the cleats up for good). They’ve also struggled to find a reliable run game — missing out on the Derrick Henry sweepstakes last free agency period — or a secondary receiver behind Lamb, with Brandin Cooks also on the list of impending departures. With things as they are, it looks like there is a very tall task facing the front office and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer in 2025. 3 things the Dallas Cowboys must do to become Super Bowl contenders – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News The Cowboys will have to deal with the defending champions in their division if they hope to at least get back to the playoffs in 2025. Find a playmaker Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel are on the trade market, but the resources needed to acquire one of them could be too steep for the Cowboys. But if you’re trying to win now, which is something Jerry Jones said last week from the Super Bowl, then swing for the fences here. The draft is another way to find a playmaker. Selecting a dynamic running back or a wide receiver in one of the first two rounds is ideal. Re-sign Odighizuwa Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa had his best season, and it came in a contract year. The defensive tackle position has been a weakness the past few seasons for this franchise. Odighizuwa’s best came at the right time for him, but will it generate a new deal from Dallas? There are seven interior defensive linemen averaging $21 million per season. Odighizuwa should average less than that. Maybe he comes in at $10 million to $15 million per season. Is he worth it? Don’t let Jerry Jones fool you, the Dallas Cowboys could make this work – Shane Taylor, Inside The Star The Cowboys dependency on only using the draft to improve the roster is catching up to them, with no end in sight this offseason. Every offseason we listen to Jerry talk about how they don’t have the money and can’t spend and everything else, yet the Eagles have 8 guys playing on a contract that’s worth $50 million or more in total. Yes, you read that correctly. They have six guys making an average annual salary of $20 million or more, so keep this in mind the next time Jerry Jones comes out and says that the team is on a budget, don’t buy it. The other problem is just the way the Cowboys front office does stuff. They waited way to long to sign CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott last season, they never do these deals early enough and beat other teams to save some money. This team has over 20 pending free agents, and if we thought this season was bad, next year is going to be even worse. Only three other NFL teams have a longer shot than Dallas to win the Super Bowl in 2026. The Giants, Saints and Panthers. How embarrassing is that? The Eagles won a Super Bowl, tore it all the way down, went back to the Super Bowl TWICE and now have won it AGAIN! Cowboys expected to hire former Bills and Browns OC Ken Dorsey – Connor Livesay, Blogging The Boys Brian Schottenheimer has added even more experience to the offensive side of his coaching staff with Ken Dorsey. Dorsey, 43, has spent time as quarterbacks coach with the Carolina Panthers (2013-2017), Buffalo Bills (2019-2021), and was promoted to offensive coordinator for the Bills in 2022. Dorsey was fired mid-year in 2023, which was met with much criticism around the league. In his full season with the Bills, Dorsey led the Bills to the second-overall EPA/play and second-overall success rate. Dorsey’s role in Dallas is yet to be defined, but we can add him to the list as another coach who has had previous success who should help bolster the offensive coaching staff that has already received rave reviews. As it stands today, there has yet to be a quarterback’s coach named in Brian Schottenheimer’s staff, so that is a position to keep an eye on as things develop. 5 Most Important Moves Brian Schottenheimer Must Make in 1st Year as Cowboys Coach – Brad Gagnon, Bleacher Report For a team that seems hellbent on running the football again, who exactly will be carrying the rock next season is a mystery. Go Get a Running Back A great run-oriented playbook and a top-notch run-focused play-caller only gets you so far if your running backs lack talent. And with Tony Pollard gone and Ezekiel Elliott far beyond his prime, that was often the case as the Cowboys ranked 30th with 4.0 yards per carry while scoring a league-low six rushing touchdowns in 2024. Now, with Rico Dowdle hitting free agency, Schottenheimer has a chance to go out and land a back of his choosing. That could mean former Boise State star Ashton Jeanty in the first round of the draft, but a back that early is questionable when you have

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys fill an important position coach opening on offense The Dallas Cowboys filled out the offensive side of their coaching staff on Monday, keeping continuity and the goal of getting the best football out of quarterback Dak Prescott in mind through the entire process. The decision as to who will actually be in the quarterbacks room with Prescott comes after Dallas already added former Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey as an analyst. Instead of Dorsey, it will be an internal promotion for current analyst Steve Shimko. Steve Shimko will become the Cowboys’ QBs coach, according to a source. He was an offensive assistant last year but replaces Scott Tolzien now. He worked with Brian Schottenheimer for two years in Seattle. He was the OC at Boston College in 2023. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) February 11, 2025 Shimko replaces a carryover from Mike McCarthy’s staff who also worked his way up from offensive assistant to quarterbacks coach in Scott Tolzien. The former Packers QB was Prescott’s QB coach over the last two seasons. Clearly, the Cowboys value closeness and familiarity as things Prescott has highlighted as important himself, yet still allowed new head coach Brian Schottenheimer to have his say in promoting a coach with ties to his days in Seattle. In Schottenheimer’s first season as offensive coordinator for the Seahawks in 2018, Shimko was a first time NFL coach as an analyst. That Seahawks team went 10-6 and lost in the Wild Card round to the Cowboys, Prescott’s first career playoff victory. Shimko entered the ranks of professional football after lower level stops at Rutgers, Western Michigan, and JUCO Garden City, but did have a stop in the SEC at Georgia as a graduate assistant in 2015. Shimko served as assistant quarterbacks coach in his second season with the Seahawks, seeing the benefit of staying at a stop long enough to be promoted. Current Panthers head coach Dave Canales was the QB coach he worked under. Shimko returned to college after the 2019 season, and again stuck at Boston College long enough to go from tight ends coach to quarterbacks in 2022 and offensive coordinator/quarterback coach in 2023. Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The BC Eagles ranked top 15 in the country in rushing attempts and yards per game in 2023 with Shimko as OC and QB coach. His résumé checks all of the boxes of being a scheme and philosophy fit in what the Cowboys under Schottenheimer are looking to accomplish. The overall youth of the Cowboys new staff has been pointed out by many as a potential positive when it comes to not only introducing new ideas, but helping this team create a new culture and identity where everything is earned. The Cowboys must find ways to show any complacency that led to a 7-10 regression out of the playoffs is on its way out of The Star. Brian Schottenheimer’s first staff as head coach of the Cowboys has come together quickly, and for now shows a level of coherency on the football side of things this franchise has been lacking. As for how it will translate into on-field success, the best that can be said here is that all 32 fanbases are now playing the same waiting game Dallas is following the Eagles Super Bowl win.