Handout Photo-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys secondary has a lot riding on it. There are several reasons to be optimistic about the upcoming season of the Dallas Cowboys, and many of them stem from the changes within the coaching staff. There’s already a lot of excitement building up around new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. And the same is also true for both of the team’s new coordinators, Matt Eberflus and Klayton Adams. But not all changes carry the same level of enthusiasm. For example, the team lost their defensive backs coach, Al Harris, who joined Ben Johnson’s new coaching staff in Chicago. Harris had coached with Johnson during their time together with the Miami Dolphins in 2012. He’s now the Bears’ new passing game coordinator, a promotion well deserved after an impressive tenure as the Cowboys’ defensive backs coach. Before Harris arrived in Dallas, the Cowboys’ secondary was often a hot mess. It shouldn’t be too hard to remember when it seemed like the defense getting an interception was such a rare occasion. That’s because it was. During the five seasons before Harris showed up, the Cowboys’ defense never eclipsed double-digit interceptions. And right before Harris joined the coaching staff, the Cowboys only had seven interceptions, finishing third-worst in the league in 2019. But those problems went away. In all five of his seasons with the Cowboys, the defense reached double-digit interceptions. They had a three-year stretch (2021-2023) where they finished in the top eight in picks, including a league-leading 26 interceptions in 2021. The work Harris did in transforming Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland into ball-hawking studs was quite impressive, but it wasn’t just about what he did with the talented fellas. During Harris’ first three seasons with the Cowboys, Anthony Brown was a starting outside corner. And nobody should forget the disaster the team dealt with last year due to injuries, which saw seven corners play at least 100 snaps on defense. Players like Amani Oruwariye, Josh Butler, Caelen Carson, and Andrew Booth were called into action quite a bit last year. In what ended up being a job swap, the Cowboys’ new defensive backs coach is former Bears’ defensive backs coach, David Overstreet II. He has gone where Eberflus has gone, first with the Indianapolis Colts, then to Chicago, and now to Dallas. He doesn’t come with the same track record as Harris, but in all fairness, the Bears’ defense has not had the same level of talent. Chicago finished dead last in 2021, allowing 7.4 yards per pass attempt, and finished second-worst last year, allowing 6.8 yards per attempt. On the flip side, the Bears led the league in interceptions in 2023 with 22 picks, and his Colts team finished third with 19 interceptions in 2021. So, there are some good things and some not-so-good things. Of course, those numbers are a compilation of many factors. Roster talent plays a huge role, not only in the secondary, but who they have lining up on the defensive line. Harris benefited from a strong pass rush during most of his time with Dallas. Overstreet will inherit a pretty formidable group as well as the team has an assortment of talent along the defensive line. The same threat is not exactly present at the cornerback position. While there are some talented pieces, the Cowboys have several players recovering from injuries. What the position group will look like this year is a big unknown. Under Harris, the defense was a high-risk/high-reward unit. At times, it was spectacular, but other times it was cringy. What will they look like under Overstreet? Can he make things work, or will it be revealed that Harris’ teachings are sorely missed? Only time will tell, but this could be something to keep an eye on this year.

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images The Cowboys cornerback room underwent an interesting makeover across the offseason. The Dallas Cowboys entered this offseason with questions at the cornerback position. Jourdan Lewis got a well-deserved bag from the Jaguars in free agency, leaving a hole in the slot in Dallas. That, combined with Trevon Diggs’ unclear timeline for recovery from a season-ending knee injury, left the Cowboys needing to find potentially two starters for Week 1 at least. In a reversal of their usual tactics, Dallas was aggressive in trying to fill the void. They traded for Kaiir Elam, a former first-round pick of the Bills, and re-signed Israel Mukuamu, a college corner who has mostly played safety with the Cowboys. Then they drafted Shavon Revel Jr., who likely would’ve been a first-round pick if not for tearing his ACL at the start of last season. On top of those three additions, the Cowboys still have Caelen Carson, Andrew Booth Jr., Josh Butler (injury recovery), Kemon Hall, and Troy Pride as well. Carson flashed last preseason but struggled in the regular season, similar to Booth. Butler had a successful stint playing until he had his own ACL injury. Hall showed some flash in preseason and Pride is a former standout at Notre Dame who once was a starter for the Panthers before an injury derailed his career. In short, the Cowboys have options, though none could be considered overwhelmingly obvious answers. That’s why some have connected the dots on potential interest in veteran cornerbacks like Jalen Ramsey, Jaire Alexander, and others. However, with mandatory minicamp now in the books, any conversation of going after other players should be put on hold until further notice. That’s largely due to the way these defensive backs, notably Elam and Mukuamu, have looked so far. Elam, whose skillset always felt like a better fit for the schemes Matt Eberflus runs, seemingly turned heads every day of minicamp. According to those who have been in attendance for all the practices open to the media, Elam has consistently been working with the first team defense and has come away with at least one pass breakup every day. ** CB Kaiir Elam dropped an interception of a seam ball from Dak Prescott to KaVontae Turpin, but Prescott had a free play with a defender jumping offside. Still, Elam, did some pushups as a penalty. Elam has had a good offseason. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 10, 2025 Elam has also demonstrated the right kind of mentality in his interviews with the media. In a recent interview, he made some statements that sound like exactly the kind of thing Brian Schottenheimer has spoke about wanting from his players. “When I got the call to come here I was just blessed and super grateful,” Elam said. “When [the Cowboys] told me I would have a fair chance and a clean cut chance to go out and show what I could do, that’s something that almost damn near brought tears to my eyes. I was just so happy and that’s something I would never take for granted.” “I just want to be a consistent dog every day,” Elam said. “My coaches, when they talk about me and about my performance on the field, or my performance in the weight room, or my performance in my ability to catch onto the plays fast, I just want them to say Kaiir is super consistent and he gave it all he could every single time and I’ll be happy with that.” Elam isn’t the only one showing up and showing out, though. With Diggs and Revel still both primarily working with the rehab group, Israel Mukuamu has received ample opportunities to show what he can do at cornerback. Mukuamu played cornerback at South Carolina, opposite of one time Cowboys draft target Jaycee Horn, but when he was drafted to Dallas Mukuamu was transitioned to safety by Dan Quinn. He played spot duty as the nickel corner for the Cowboys’ first playoff game in 2022, a win over the Buccaneers in Tom Brady’s last game ever, but has since seen minimal snaps on the field. Now, though, Mukuamu is getting his shot and not wasting it. Outside of one highlight catch given up to George Pickens (who has also been killing it this offseason), Mukuamu has frequently been noted as one of the more impressive defenders thus far. Could the #Cowboys be zeroing in on their starting three corners for Week 1? I’ve heard positive things around Mukuamu to this point. Still a long way to opening night, but this is a start.#DallasCowboys https://t.co/57kfXep3Pa — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) June 10, 2025 Mukuamu has taken most of his snaps at outside corner, with Bland seeing plenty of work in the slot when the Cowboys go to their nickel package, but Mukuamu has also gotten some reps in the slot as well. It seems as if the coaching staff is handing Mukuamu every opportunity to prove he belongs on the field, and he’s making the most of it. Of course, the long-term plan in Dallas is for both Diggs and Revel to be the starters outside (assuming Bland is the designated nickel corner), so both Elam and Mukuamu may just be competing for a temp job right now. Regardless of what the long-term plans are, though, the play of both Elam and Mukuamu up to this point should give the Cowboys pause on adding any other veteran defensive backs into the mix right now.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images We are in the final doldrum of the offseason… what sports are helping you pass the time? The Dallas Cowboys wrapped up their mandatory minicamp last week which means that we have begun the final doldrum of the offseason. Deep breaths. We can make it. In some ways this is always the longest part of the offseason. The month of June and first part of July offer the last chance for non-football sports to live at the center of our lives as once training camp hits it is all football all the way into the winter. For our Monday discussion we are curious what non-football sports are taking up your time these days. Perhaps you don’t have the bandwidth for any and are just counting down the days until Oxnard, but maybe you are enjoying the NBA Finals or Stanley Cup Finals or have an MLB team that is keeping life thrilling for you. What sports are holding your attention right now? Let us know in the comments below!

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. DeMarvion Overshown injury brings 2 major storylines to 2025 – Mark Heaney, Inside The Star There are a lot of question marks surrounding Agent 0. DeMarvion Overshown’s Return Timeline Of course, the other major storyline here is the return timeline for DeMarvion Overshown. Some may say it’s too early to say this, but Overshown might just be the second-most-talented defensive player the Cowboys have. He is a baller, and if his progression tracks, there will be no denying his All-Pro level skill. Without him, we’re looking at a huge loss, even if Murray, Sanborn, and Liufau do a great job. It is simply hard to see any of them replicating Overshown’s play. His skill set is just too unique. So far, we have heard that he is “progressing well,” with optimism for a mid-season return, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. The man himself has hinted at the Thanksgiving game against the Chiefs as a return date. It’s too far out to know with precision when he’ll be back, but the expectation is he will return this year, and that is big. When the injury first happened, many feared he would miss all of this year. Between his own injury history and the severity of the new injury, we had no idea what a realistic timeline even looked like. Cowboys rival may have made a fatal mistake (and it could decide the NFC East) – Ryan Heckman, The Landry Hat Dallas should hope history repeats itself. Once Johnson was let go in Philly, the Eagles brought in Kellen Moore. That worked out much better. But, this year, the Eagles lost Moore to the Saints’ head coaching gig. Meanwhile, they’re replacing him with first-time play caller Kevin Patullo. We can hear and read all the good things about Patullo right now, during peak offseason, but will he be able to cut it come the regular season? “Like Johnson in 2023, Patullo will call plays for the first time in his NFL career,” Moton writes. “Perhaps his experience as a passing game coordinator bodes well for the Eagles’ aerial attack, but he must be able to set the game flow and make critical decisions as the offensive coordinator.” Patullo has worked under the likes of other play callers, such as Moore, while in Philadelphia since 2021. But, if he is unable to manage all of the talent on that side of the ball, the Eagles’ lofty expectations could lead to a Super Bowl hangover. Cowboys fans could only hope the Eagles take a similar dive as they did two years ago under Patullo, especially if they’re able to be competitive in 2025. The two teams play one another to open the season, but their second matchup comes in late November and, by then, a dream scenario would be for the Cowboys to take advantage of an Eagles team that starts reeling. 3 most important Dallas Cowboys on defense not named Micah Parsons – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated Parsons isn’t the only name on defense that will dictate Dallas’ success in 2025. Kenneth Murray, LB Dallas traded for former first-round pick Kenneth 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. Murray isn’t worried about his reputation, however. Instead, he’s focused on shutting down the run game. If he can live up to his promise, and help the Cowboys stay on track while DeMarvion Overshown rehabs his knee, this trade will look brilliant. DaRon Bland, CB Dallas needs Trevon Diggs to bounce back after he suffered a knee injury late in 2024. DaRon Bland, however, might be more vital to their success. Bland missed the first 10 games of the season in 2024 and never looked like himself when he returned. This year, he’s healthy and has been moving around the secondary. Ideally, he will stay on the outside where he’s been at his best. Wherever he lines up though, Dallas needs the DaRon Bland who had 14 interceptions over his first two seasons. The entire defense struggled with his game-changing plays. 5 takeaways from Dallas Cowboys OTAs/minicamp practices- Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys Football is back (sort of). George Pickens, Kaiir Elam fitting in nicely If MVP awards were handed out in OTAs and minicamp, George Pickens would receive the nomination on the offensive side of the ball and Kaiir Elam for the defense. It doesn’t matter these two are the new kids on the block after arriving via trade, both of them have been the talk of offseason practices thus far and both look like they could be impact players for the Cowboys in 2025. Hopefully they can continue to build on this and carry it into the season. RBs will be more involved in the passing game If OTAs and minicamp is any indication, Brian Schottenheimer’s offense will have the running backs much more involved in the passing game than they have in years past under Mike McCarthy. It still remains to be seen how the RB rotation will work out for the Cowboys this season, but their receiving ability should make the passing game much more diverse and has the potential to give opposing defenses nightmares.

Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images What chance do you give the Cowboys of winning the NFC East? The Cowboys seem to be flying under the radar right now, even though they are likely to be right in the thick of things when the NFC East divisional race officially kicks off later this year. With that in mind, here are three reasons why they will win the division in Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach. George Pickens unlocks Cowboys passing attack We’re not even two full years removed from Dak Prescott finishing second in MVP voting. Brian Schottenheimer was the offensive coordinator that year, too, so he knows what it looks like when Prescott is firing on all cylinders. Now, Prescott is healthy and back under center in Dallas. Not only that, but star receiver CeeDee Lamb is now being flanked by George Pickens, who has done nothing but turn heads consistently in minicamp and OTA’s. His elite vertical threat should open up much more underneath for Lamb and others, like Jake Ferguson and Jalen Tolbert. If Pickens does indeed have that kind of impact, and with Schottenheimer keeping the bones of the offense from that electric 2023 season, it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see the Cowboys put up one of their best passing attacks in franchise history. They certainly have the talent for it, provided everyone plays up to their potential. If that happens, the Cowboys could ride that wave all the way to a division title. Defense clicks under Matt Eberflus Matt Eberflus is back in Dallas, this time as the defensive coordinator, and his track record precedes him. While his tenure as the Bears head coach was, shall we say, not a rousing success, Chicago never lacked for great defense under his watch. The same goes for the Colts when Eberflus was there. Now, Eberflus gets to work with Micah Parsons, Osa Odighizuwa, DaRon Bland, and – eventually – both Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown. This bunch flashed in Mike Zimmer’s creative, yet complex, system last year but never really gelled as an overall unit. Eberflus’ more simplistic scheme seems to fit everyone much more comfortably. If that’s the case, this defense could get back to the way it was when Dan Quinn was in town. That is to say lots of sacks and takeaways, two things Eberflus prioritizes. That worked wonders in the Quinn years, with three consecutive 12-win seasons and two division titles, and it could turn out very similarly in 2025. Toughest opponents take a step back The Cowboys draw a really tough six-game stretch towards the end of the season, wherein they’ll face off against the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, Chargers, and Commanders. Many expect the Cowboys to be underdogs in each one of those games, but there’s a decent chance at least one of them ends up not being that tough. The Cowboys are plenty familiar with the Eagles and Commanders, of course. The Lions may have crushed Dallas last year, but they were 0-2 against the Cowboys in the Dan Campbell era before that, and have now lost both their coordinators to head coaching jobs. The Vikings are now entering the J.J. McCarthy era, postponed a season when the quarterback tore his meniscus in the preseason opener. Between the rehab and having never seen McCarthy play in the NFL, it’s fair to wonder if the Vikings will be any good. The Chargers, on the other hand, still lack playmakers on offense and moved on from Joey Bosa on defense. Of course, none of these teams will be easy wins, but it shouldn’t be a complete shock if at least a few of these six games ends up not being the auto-loss that so many seem to anticipate right now.

Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Hopefully Donovan Ezeiruaku has his rookie deal taken care of soon. The Dallas Cowboys have taken care of a lot of business this offseason. They had a productive draft, which was very important since they rely heavily on draft picks. Also, they shocked everyone by trading for wide receiver George Pickens. However, there is one piece of bookkeeping that’s unresolved, and that’s the rookie deal of edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku who was taken in the second round. As things currently stand, he’s the only member of the Cowboys draft class that remains unsigned. Despite this, Ezeiruaku has been present for all of the OTAs and minicamp practices. On top of that, he’s already bonding with All-Pro Micah Parsons. Ezeiruaku was asked about his rookie deal. The former Boston College Eagle isn’t phased at all that he hasn’t put pen to paper yet. I’m here doing what I have to do every single day. That’s between the organization and my agent. I have full faith that they’re gonna get that done. When it’s ready, it’ll be ready and I’ll sign that piece of paper. This year is a unique one when it comes to second-round picks. Only wide receiver Jayden Higgins of the Houston Texans and linebacker Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns have signed their rookie deals as second-rounders. That’s because both got fully guaranteed contracts. So, it’s simply going to take a little longer with agents wanting to get their clients the most money and the teams resisting. Right now, players are just in shorts and jerseys and there’s no tackling, making it hard to get any real analysis of fieldwork. These are critical sessions nonetheless, especially for rookies, and the fact that Ezeiruaku is still able to be present for everything without his deal shows that the kid just wants to play football. Although it’s in a limited fashion, Ezeiruaku is already making an impression according to Cowboys’ head coach Brian Schottenheimer. He’s doin really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really great. You can’t watch the guy and not get excited just watching him do the things that we’re doing out there on the grass, the things that we saw coming out of Boston College. And then the work ethic is elite. Ezeiruaku won’t be asked to shoulder any huge load with guys like Parsons, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, and Marshawn Kneeland on the roster. However, the natural skills of Ezeiruaku when it comes to getting to the quarterback give him a shot to make an impact as a situational pass rusher in his first year as he develops.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 81) 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 81. Amari Cooper Born: June 17, 1994. Miami, FloridaPosition: Wide receiver Dallas Cowboys: 2018–2021Awards: Pro Bowl– 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023 Amari Cooper has now played 16 games with the Dallas Cowboys (including playoffs): 98 catches; 1,408 yards; 12 TDs pic.twitter.com/TNe8isabNT — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 9, 2019 Amari Cooper played wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys from 2018 to 2021 after being acquired in a midseason trade from the Oakland Raiders when the “wide receiver by committee” approach by Jason Garrett failed. His arrival immediately transformed the Cowboys’ offense, providing quarterback Dak Prescott with a true number one target, and boy was he a target. Cooper brought elite route-running, quickness, and reliable hands, helping lead Dallas to the playoffs in his first year with the team, something that surprised everyone since the offense was struggling until his arrival. During his four years in Dallas, he registered three 1,000-yard seasons and played a key role in revitalizing the passing game under head coaches Jason Garrett and Mike McCarthy. When Dallas drafted CeeDee Lamb in 2020, it was Cooper that was quick to help Lamb learn the intricacies of route running and the pair were spotted often talking routes and concepts. One year ago, @AmariCooper9 was traded to the Cowboys. He’s done nothing but cook CBs in Dallas (via @NFL pic.twitter.com/6dnNp86SiE — ESPN (@espn) October 22, 2019 Cooper would later be traded to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth round pick. This didn’t just infuriate fans because of such a low-value pick, but also due to the fact that Cooper was a fan favorite for saving the offense during his time in Dallas. The trade to Cleveland and low-value pick exchange was partly because of his contract, but also because of behind-the-scenes locker room issues according to sources. Cooper left Dallas with career highs and racked up 3,893 receiving yards, 69.5 yards per game, 192 first downs, and 27 touchdowns. Dallas would be his most productive time playing in the NFL, and some fans even wanted to bring him back for the 2025 season. I still can’t believe the #Cowboys traded Amari Cooper for a fifth-round pick. I’ll never get over it.https://t.co/EYNqvOF82Y — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) June 2, 2025 Best known for:Cooper was best known for his precise route-running and clutch performances, most notably a three-touchdown, 217-yard game against the Eagles in 2018 that helped solidify the Cowboys’ playoff push. #Cowboys rookie LB Micah Parsons called out Amari Cooper to a chess match. They played today. Cooper won. Parsons was left speechless. Ouch. pic.twitter.com/SfAwWZ6DoU — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 8, 2021 Lesser known fact:Despite being soft-spoken and reserved off the field, Cooper is an avid chess player and often credited the game with helping sharpen his mental focus and decision-making as a wide receiver. He would often duel Cowboys players in the locker room and prove his mental agility by consistently being impossible to defeat.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images This past week was a positive one for the Cowboys. And on to training camp we go. With organized team activities (OTAs) and all minicamp practices in the books, the Dallas Cowboys won’t meet up on the field again until they report to Oxnard, California for training camp in the latter part of July. Thus far everything we’ve heard coming out of practices is encouraging, from the new coaching staff to the roster they’ve managed to put together. The only negative seems to be Micah Parsons’ ongoing contract negotiations, which will hopefully come to an end sometime soon. Today, we’re sharing some of the takeaways from OTAs and minicamp for the Cowboys. Brian Schottenheimer’s culture creating renewed energy One thing we continuously keep hearing throughout OTAs and minicamp is the energy level is at an all-time high due to the culture Brian Schottenheimer has created in Dallas. Whether it’s the friendly competition inside the locker room playing a game of ping-pong or on the practice field, players are buying into this culture and basking in the positivity. We can only hope this renewed energy continues moving forward. Micah Parsons shows up amidst contract negotiations Frustration could possibly be mounting for Micah Parsons with his contract negotiations still ongoing seeing as it has the potential to turn into something ugly, but to his credit he showed up to Dallas’ mandatory minicamp in spite of it all. The situation will continue to be one of the top storylines until it isn’t. Hopefully this all gets resolved sooner or later, but Parsons showing up is at the very least a good sign he’s taking his leadership role seriously. George Pickens, Kaiir Elam fitting in nicely If MVP awards were handed out in OTAs and minicamp, George Pickens would receive the nomination on the offensive side of the ball and Kaiir Elam for the defense. It doesn’t matter these two are the new kids on the block after arriving via trade, both of them have been the talk of offseason practices thus far and both look like they could be impact players for the Cowboys in 2025. Hopefully they can continue to build on this and carry it into the season. RBs will be more involved in the passing game If OTAs and minicamp is any indication, Brian Schottenheimer’s offense will have the running backs much more involved in the passing game than they have in years past under Mike McCarthy. It still remains to be seen how the RB rotation will work out for the Cowboys this season, but their receiving ability should make the passing game much more diverse and has the potential to give opposing defenses nightmares. Brevyn Spann-Ford gets look with starters It may be nothing, but after an impressive offseason and OTAs, second-year TE Brevyn Spann-Ford received some reps with the starters in minicamp before ultimately rotating with the second- and third-team offense. Word is he looks bigger and stronger. Getting work with the starters indicates he could play an expanded role in 2025 after playing in all 17 games last year as a rookie. This could be important with Jake Ferguson entering a contract year.

Chris Jones-Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news. Tyler Booker grateful, all set for Cowboys’ training camp: ‘I’m not gonna hold the offense back’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys first-round pick is getting ready. Having now worked through rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Booker has been a sponge for information, insight and coaching. “I couldn’t ask for a better room of vets,” said the two-time All-SEC guard out of Alabama. “Like, we’re a younger room, but there’s still a lot of experience within there, so they can relate to what it’s like to be a rookie. Even guys like [Guyton], he’s helped me out a lot — T. Steele, Brock [Hoffman], everybody, literally everybody [including Cooper Beebe]. “I just really appreciate all their guidance along the way, and they’ve definitely made this process easier for me. […] “We’re building great chemistry,” Booker said of the offensive line. “And like I said earlier, I like having guys with experience right next to me. If I ever have a question right before the snap, they’re able to help me out and lead me in the right direction.” But as is often the case with those who seek to be great, Booker doesn’t want to always rely so much on those around him, which isn’t to say he never wants to, but instead that there comes a time and place when he should have a clear understanding of how to dominate on the field with only minor tweaks being needed here and there; and less and less coaching of the basics at the NFL level. “I’m trying to make sure that doesn’t become a habit, you know what I mean?” he said. “I’m very prideful about knowing the offense, and I want to make sure that I’m not holding this run back, by any means. So I’m definitely [working] a lot to make sure I’m not gonna hold the offense back.” What has Dak Prescott ‘super excited’ about the Cowboys’ offense? – Jon Machota, The Athletic It’s not just George Pickens. Pickens was Dallas’ biggest offseason move. Even though players weren’t in pads for minicamp, it’s easy to see how dynamic the former Steelers wide receiver is, especially when lined up with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. “The guy, he’s been great, he’s been phenomenal. He’s a guy that loves football, loves his teammates. He’s been excited every day that he’s been here. He’s been early. So, no concerns on the personal matters of GP and anything about it. Just super excited that he’s on our team. He’s one of us. He’s a brother, and it’s just about continuing to grow and make sure we’re putting the best out there. That’s his approach.” While there are questions about the running back position, which can’t be answered in a minicamp setting, there should be no questions about the potential of the passing game. The combination of Lamb, Pickens, Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo gives Prescott an impressive arsenal of weapons that should cause plenty of problems for opposing defensive backs. This is the time of year when almost every NFL player and coach is going to be optimistic about the upcoming season. They’ve all made changes that they think will improve their team. Dallas is no different. Prescott has always been an optimist, so it will be no surprise if he feels good about the Cowboys when they begin training camp in late July. “I’m super excited,” he said. “We’ve made some changes, personnel and the scheme, that will just come with it. I think (Brian Schottenheimer) has done a good job this minicamp of putting guys in the right places, putting guys in space and allowing guys to see how he’s going to use them.” Highest-graded receivers by route type from the 2024 NFL season – Lauren Gray, PFF PFF has George Pickens as the highest-graded wideout on go routes last season, but CeeDee Lamb is no slouch either. Go (min. 10 Targets) George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers (95.6)Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (94.6)CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (94.1) If quarterbacks are looking for George Pickens, they are likely going deep on a go route. He led the league with 19 go-route targets last season and was targeted at a 26.0% clip, the highest on his route tree. He was the only receiver to record double-digit catches from go routes, securing 10 passes for 352 yards and a touchdown. Pickens logged 36% of his receiving yardage (987 yards) on go routes last season, with each catch gaining 20-plus yards. Pickens is one of the most dangerous receivers on go routes. The newly acquired Cowboy leads the league with 48 go-route targets across the past three seasons and has 23 catches for 822 yards and three touchdowns on such plays, leading to a 97.1 PFF receiving grade on those plays (second best). 6 reasons Cowboys 1st-round pick should pay immediate dividends – Ali Jawad, Cowboys Wire Why first-round pick will offer instant return on investment. While college accolades don’t translate to success at the next level, they speak to a player’s impact and dominance at his prior level of competition. Booker emerged over his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, playing in 38 games, and was twice named First-Team All-SEC (2023, 2024), a First-Team All-American in 2024, and one recognition that any player would be most proud of, which was being named a team captain in his final season. Booker didn’t carry the hype of a top-10 pick, but his tape shows a player built for Sundays. At Alabama, he routinely matched up against NFL-caliber talent and held his ground, both literally and figuratively. He has the thick, sturdy frame needed to anchor against bull rushers, but also the balance and footwork to mirror in space. Booker’s hand usage should be advanced for a rookie, and his awareness in pass protection, especially against stunts and blitz pickups, stood out in college. He plays with a noticeable edge, finishing blocks and setting a tone up front.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Matt Eberflus’ return to Dallas involved a variety of factors, including Dak Prescott. The quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys is a gravitational figure. Whoever it may be, as long as there’s some success on the field, it opens up the door for commercials, public speaking events, and other avenues off the field. When someone like Dak Prescott is the quarterback, he not only has the ability to attract players around him, but coaches enjoy being near him as well. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus spoke with Ed Werder and Matt Mosley of The Doomsday Podcast and noted that returning to Dallas was a good fit for several reasons, with Prescott being one of them. #Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus said his familiarity with the Jones family and home like feel led him back to Dallas. Another surprising reason why he chose to come back?—Dak Prescott. “I know what’s inside his heart, what kind of man he is, what kind of leader he is.” https://t.co/eMnz42YgDW pic.twitter.com/LAWnzJDtrE — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) June 13, 2025 As Eberflus mentioned, he was in Dallas when they drafted Prescott as a rookie. He was the team’s linebackers coach then and spent just a few seasons with him before leaving to be the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator. The quarterback position is the linchpin of an entire franchise. Having the right player can simplify things overall, including on defense. Just look at the struggles with the New York Giants and Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson and the Colts. When the quarterback is prone to costly turnovers, it keeps the defense on their heels for the entire game. Eberflus knows that all too well after spending his two and a half seasons with the Bears in Chicago. Justin Fields was far from a perfect quarterback, and Caleb Williams brought a ton of promise as a rookie, but never showed the same confidence that made him the No. 1 overall pick. Not to mention the distractions that could have been happening behind the scenes. The situation Eberflus returns to in Dallas is different from when he left. The veteran leaders he had on defense in 2016 are long gone. New leaders like Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa have emerged, and the rookie class has a few promising players. It’s a canvas that may have some elements outlined, but having a quarterback like Prescott can help ease the pressure and allow Eberflus to focus on what he does best—shaping this defense in his image.