Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The latest amd greatest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here. DeMarvion Overshown wins Ed Block Courage Award – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com The promising young star was given quite the honor. The hard work, dedication and commitment to returning from knee surgery is the reason DeMarvion Overshown was voted by his teammates as the annual winner for the 2024 Ed Block Courage Award. Unfortunately for the young linebacker, he’ll have to do all of that again next season as he now rehabs his other knee that was injured back on Dec. 9 against the Bengals. But his initial recovery from an ACL injury he suffered in the 2023 preseason is the reason Overshown was voted for this annual NFL award, given to a player from each team has overcome adversity to return to the field. “Can’t say enough about him. Great to see him back here – going through the rehab,” said head coach Mike McCarthy on Friday. “Thinking about the injury he went through last year and all the work he did to get ready for this year, he was an impact player for us. He was getting better each week. He has an excellent personality. We’ve definitely missed him since the injury but it’s great to have him back in town for the rehab process. Trey Lance to get significant reps in Cowboys’ regular-season finale vs. Commanders, per report – Jared Dubin, CBS Sports Dallas is finally going to let Trey Lance showcase himself. The Dallas Cowboys — and the rest of the NFL — may be getting their first extended look on Sunday at former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance. Since arriving in Dallas, Lance has largely operated as the third-string emergency quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush, though he has been backing up Rush since Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring tear earlier this year. In the regular-season finale, according to NFL Media, Lance is expected to get a lot of work. The San Francisco 49ers traded up to select Lance with the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He sat for most of his rookie season behind Jimmy Garoppolo, making two spot starts but otherwise operating as the backup and taking the very-occasional short yardage run. The Niners handed Lance the starting job the following offseason, expecting to trade Garoppolo. Instead, they were unable to find a trade partner and came into the season with Garoppolo as Lance’s backup. Lance then broke his ankle early in Week 2, so Garoppolo resumed the starting role. When Garoppolo himself went down with an injury, Brock Purdy stepped into the lineup and never relinquished the job. At the tail end of training camp in 2022, the Niners sent Lance to Dallas in exchange for a fourth-round pick. The Cowboys have kept him on the bench ever since — even as they saw their starter lost to a season-ending injury, and even as they were eliminated from the playoffs. Now, it appears we might finally get a chance to see Lance in action for the first time in quite a while. Cowboys injury report: Donovan Wilson, Mazi Smith questionable – LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys The Cowboys are reasonably healthy heading into Week 18. The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders injury report: pic.twitter.com/etJJL4F7db — Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 3, 2025 Defensive back Kemon Hall (hamstring) did not practice this week and has been ruled out. Linebacker Nick Vigil (foot) managed to get a limited practice today and is questionable. Micah Parsons (wrist) was a full participant and has no injury designation for this week. Mazi Smith (pelvis) was limited again today, and he too, is questionable. Also deemed questionable is Donovan Wilson (knee). Jalen Brooks (calf), Jourdan Lewis (elbow) and Jalen Tolbert (finger) were full participants and have no injury designation. T.J. Bass is also good to go. Mike McCarthy wants to return to the Cowboys; Jerry Jones has these factors to weigh first – David Moore, Dallas Morning News The Cowboys have plenty to consider when it comes to Mike McCarthy’s future with the organization. Owner Jerry Jones set all of this in motion by allowing McCarthy and his staff to enter the final year of their contracts. Now it’s time to make a decision. The Dallas Morning News has had background discussions with multiple principals in recent weeks. Cut through all of the machinations and posturing and deadlines and those people believe it comes down to how Jones ultimately views this disappointing season. Is it a referendum on the job done by McCarthy and his staff, or on the approach he and son Stephen took in building this team? If Jones lands on the first option, he’ll likely let McCarthy walk. He’ll be effusive in his praise for what McCarthy brought to the organization then go about the business of finding a replacement so he can sell the hope and excitement that comes with a new face on the sidelines. But if Jones acknowledges he was culpable in what took place, that in trimming the payroll to accommodate extensions for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and the eventual signing of Micah Parsons he handcuffed McCarthy and his staff, he’ll likely lean toward keeping the head coach he respects and genuinely likes. Jones has given no indication to those in the building which way he’s leaning. That’s not surprising. This has always been his approach. The more information Jones collects, the closer he nears a major decision and the quieter he becomes. Decisions on these in-house free contributors will be most significant part of Cowboys offseason – Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire The Cowboys have several free agents in the building to decide on. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa has been an excellent player for the price of a third-round pick, but in a weak defensive tackle market, his price could skyrocket. Odighizuwa is slightly less productive than Nnamdi Madubuike of the Baltimore Ravens, but his projected market is in that same
Cowboys-Commanders Final Week 18 Injury Report: Micah Parsons, Tyler Biadasz injury updates
The Dallas Cowboys have one more game to play in the 2024 season. In less than 48 hours it will all be over and when the game clock strikes 00:00, the clock on several personnel decisions will begin. In the meantime, Mike McCarthy’s troops are preparing for their finale, and Friday’s practice offers a glimpse into who will be making it onto the field. The Cowboys have ruled just one player out, cornerback Kemon Hall, while giving four players questionable designations due to various injuries. On the opposite sideline, Dan Quinn’s sideline, they are preparing for the playoffs and managing their roster from a different perspective. Three players have been ruled out, two more are doubtful with three questionable as they look to enter the postseason as healthy as possible. The Cowboys’ “out” list is of course under the caveat of the myriad of All-Pro and Pro-Bowl caliber players who are on the Reserved/Injured list, such as quarterback Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb, OG Zack Martin, DE DeMarcus Lawrence, LB DeMarvion Overshown and CB Trevon Diggs. Those players will have the offseason to try and heal up, but for now here’s the final injury report of 2024. After missing Wednesday’s walkthrough and being limited on Wednesday, edge rusher Micah Parsons does not have a game designation over his wrist injury. DT Mazi Smith is questionable with a pelvis injury. On Washington’s side CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) is ruled out and former Dallas center Tyler Biadasz is doubtful (ankle) Dallas Cowboys OUT CB Kemon Hall, Hamstring QUESTIONABLE OT Chuma Edoga, Toe DT Mazi Smith, DT LB Nick Vigil, Foot Safety Donovan Wilson, Knee NO DESIGNATION OG T.J. Bass, Thugh WR Jalen Brooks, Knee TE Princeton Fant, Calf CB Jourdan Lewis, Elbow DE Micah Parsons, Wrist WR Jalen Tolbert, Finger OT Matt Waletzko, Knee Washington Commanders OUT CB Marshon Lattimore, Hamstring LB Jordan Magee, Hamstring Safety Tyler Owens, Ankle DOUBTFUL Center Tyler Biadasz, Ankle OT Cornelius Lucas, Groin QUESTIONABLE RB Austin Ekeler, Concussion WR K.J. Osborn, Illness LS Tyler-Ott, Personal NO DESIGNATION WR Dyami Brown, Hamstring OT Andrew Wylie, Groin
Cowboys vs Commanders: Accolades, outside interest for those that turned Washington around
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Taking one last look at the Commanders side of things. Commanders’ Kliff Kingsbury would like to be head coach again ‘at some point,’ shares what he’d do differently – Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports Washington’s OC enjoys his current role, but wants another shot as a head coach. The Washington Commanders have been one of the top surprises of the 2024 NFL season. Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels has come in and led Washington to its most wins since its last Super Bowl campaign in 1991, while offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has constructed a unit that ranks in the top five in both total offense and points per game. The future is bright in Washington, but will the Commanders be able to keep all of their pieces from this remarkable season? Kingsbury, someone who could be hired away to become a head coach for a different franchise, was asked Thursday by reporters if he would like to be a lead man again. “Yeah, I’m sure at some point,” Kingsbury replied with a smile, via the Washington Post. Kingsbury was then asked if he would take head-coaching interviews this offseason. “I won’t comment on that,” Kingsbury said, “but we’ll see how everything plays out but I’m very happy here. This has been an awesome, awesome place and has really helped me kind of rekindle my love for the sport.” “I don’t think I set a foundation the way I would do it after watching DQ and how he set the foundation from Day 1,” Kingsbury said. “And it was, ‘These are the standards. This is what we won’t compromise. This is what we’re going to be.’ I definitely could have done a better job with that, and once you don’t lay it out like that, it’s hard to put it back in, it’s hard to kind of reset it.” While Kingsbury can’t accept interview requests right now, there has been some speculation around the Chicago Bears gig. Kingsbury worked with quarterback Caleb Williams during his time as an offensive analyst for the USC Trojans in 2023, so he has a relationship with the player Chicago hopes is the face of the franchise for years to come. Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin named to 2025 Pro Bowl – Commanders.com The historic season in Washington has placed their QB and top receiver in the Pro Bowl. LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The National Football League announced this [Thursday] morning that quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin were named to the 2025 Pro Bowl. Both players were primary selections. Washington is sending two offensive players to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2017 when T Trent Williams and G Brandon Scherff were selected. It is the first time that Washington is sending a quarterback and wide receiver to the Pro Bowl in the same season since 1991 when Mark Rypien and Gary Clark were both selected. Washington has two Pro Bowlers named after not having any in last year’s Pro Bowl. Prior to the 2024 Pro Bowl (2023 season), Washington produced at least two Pro Bowlers in seven consecutive seasons (2016-22). Through Week 17, Daniels is 325-of-468 for 3,530 yards, 25 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has also added 864 yards rushing on 144 carries and has scored six rushing touchdowns. Daniels currently leads all quarterbacks in rushing this season. Daniels also ranks No. 8 in the NFL in passer rating and completions and No. 6 in completion percentage. This season, Daniels broke the NFL rookie rushing record for a quarterback and has thrown more touchdowns in the fourth quarter of games than any rookie in NFL history. Through Week 17, McLaurin has registered 74 receptions for 1,034 yards and 12 touchdowns. McLaurin’s 12 touchdowns are tied for second in the NFL and first in the NFC. McLaurin is one-of-five players in the NFL this season with 70-plus receptions and 10-plus touchdown receptions and joins Amon-Ra St. Brown and Justin Jefferson as the only NFC wide receivers to accomplish the feat this season. McLaurin’s 12 touchdown receptions this season have tied a single season franchise record. Commanders Focused on Cowboys, Not Playoffs – Jeremy Brener, Wavy.com Despite having a playoff spot secured, beating Dallas is still the main objective. The Washington Commanders have one final regular season game before the playoffs as they take on their NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys. Even though a playoff berth has been secured, Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. is keeping the intensity on the same level. “I’m going to call it the win, I mean, we need to win this football game, period,” Whitt Jr. said. “That’s what it is, it’s a divisional game. It’s the Dallas Cowboys, we keep the six seed, we need to win this football game. So, everything else doesn’t really matter. From my standpoint, we’re going to do everything we can to win this football game.” The Commanders also want to carry the momentum into the playoffs so they can compete at their best against the Los Angeles Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whichever team ends up as the matchup. But for now, the Commanders are putting all of their focus into beating the Cowboys to put them in the best spot possible. Kickoff between the Commanders and Cowboys is set for 1 p.m. ET inside AT&T Stadium. Here is the final injury report for the Dallas Cowboys’ season finale against the Washington Commanders. The final regular season injury report for the Cowboys-Commanders. Dallas’ season ends Sunday if you guys forgot. pic.twitter.com/dJ8CXk1mjE — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) January 3, 2025
Report: Extra security expected at AT&T Stadium for Cowboys’ season finale, Cotton Bowl Classic
Report: Extra security expected at AT&T Stadium for Cowboys’ season finale, Cotton Bowl Classic Todd Brock Fans heading to either the Cowboys’ regular-season finale or the upcoming Cotton Bowl Classic should be prepared for heightened security measures at AT&T Stadium, the host venue for both events. Arlington police are reportedly deploying additional resources at the Cowboys’ home stadium following the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans that killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more just hours before the Sugar Bowl. The Cowboys host the Washington Commanders this Sunday. The Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns then square off on Jan. 10 in a highly-anticipated College Football Playoff semifinal matchup. “As a precaution, we will be bringing in additional police resources into the entertainment district for both the Cowboys game this Sunday and for the Cotton Bowl next Friday,” said Leo Daniels, the deputy chief of Arlington’s police event management unit. “We also will be closely evaluating our areas where we typically see high values of pedestrians making their ways to and from the stadium as they move around, and will adjust resources if necessary for safety and improved efficiency.” Authorities said that they are not aware of any specific threats but plan to beef up security for both games. Apart from additional personnel, though, no drastic alteration to the venue’s normal security plan is expected. “I can assure the public that our law enforcement community is actively looking at New Orleans’ situation to see if there’s any lesson that we can learn,” added Arlington mayor Jim Ross. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Last week’s attack in New Orleans occurred on Bourbon Street, about a mile from the Caesars Superdome. A man later identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Houston thought to have been inspired by ISIS, rammed a rented pickup truck into a crowd of revelers and then opened fire on pedestrians and police officers before being shot and killed by responding police. While investigators believe Jabbar acted alone, a recent report from Reuters confirms that law enforcement officials are wary of a possible copycat attack near similar high-visibility events. “Fans should expect to see a more visible police presence when they are moving from the parking lots to the stadium,” explained Tim Ciesco of Arlington Police Department media relations. Those attending either game are encouraged to call 911 if they see anything suspicious. “Citizens are our best line of defense,” Daniels said per the Dallas Morning News. “They’re letting us know what’s going on, and we want to be able to adjust.” Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Report: Trey Lance to see ‘significant’ snaps in Dallas Cowboys season finale
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Trey Lance is reportedly going to see “significant” snaps for the Cowboys on Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys have a single game left on their 2024 season and it will feature the third quarterback to play significant snaps for them this season. That is the verbiage being used as it relates to Trey Lance, according to Friday’s report from NFL media. From 2022 through 17 weeks of 2024, Trey Lance has thrown a grand total of 20 passes. He may eclipse that total on Sunday. Big opportunity for him on Sunday. https://t.co/6DcgzTv0Ak — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 4, 2025 Sunday’s game will be the third that Dallas will play after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Aside from the first where it was the case against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we have seen the Cowboys dial back the intensity ever since they were formally eliminated from consideration for the playoffs. It is worth noting the elimination came just a few hours before that Tampa game which is why they (in all likelihood) went at that game the way they did. With time for the situation to take though we saw the Cowboys shut CeeDee Lamb down for the season last week, the most glaring indication that they were waving the white flag on 2024. Ever since this season took a turn at the quarterback position specifically, we have seen the Cowboys insist on competing to win and to their credit they have managed to do that in impressive manner with Cooper Rush under center. Obviously circumstances have changed though which is why the Cowboys feel comfortable going with Trey Lance at quarterback to whatever degree the word “significant” ultimately yields. While this will mark the third quarterback to play a large role for Dallas this season as noted, it marks the first of this variety for Lance in a Cowboys uniform. What’s more is it marks his first legitimate action period since his last start which he made for the San Francisco 49ers way back in Week 2 of the 2022 season. He went 2 for 3 for 30 yards (with 3 rushes for 13 yards) before being injured and lost for that year. It was almost a full 365 days later when the Cowboys traded for Lance and it took until November 10th of the 2024 season for him to throw a pass in a regular season game for the team in some mop up duty against the Philadelphia Eagles. We have noted this several times over, it was a horrific trade for Dallas having sent a fourth-round pick for Lance’s services. Importantly, Lance is a free agent after this season so the idea that the Cowboys could have been getting a look at him for the future wasn’t exactly a genuine one. Still though, it will be interesting to see how he looks in a game that isn’t in the preseason. For what it’s worth, the Cowboys are hosting Washington in the season finale for the first time in nine years. During that 2015 season finale the Cowboys also started a quarterback down the roster in a meaningless game and he had quite the day. The quarterback in question was Kellen Moore who threw for 435 yards. At the time it was the sixth-most passing yards in a game for a Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Additionally, consider that the Cowboys are making this decision despite a potential incentive that Cooper Rush could reach based on playing time. Cowboys QB Cooper Rush gets $500,000 in incentives if he plays 55% of the team’s snaps this season. Going into Sunday he’s played 52.5%. Depending on snaps, he’ll need to play most or all of the game to reach that incentive, otherwise he’ll only earn $250k for reaching 45% mark — Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 2, 2025 The word “significant” is obviously vague as it relates to Lance, but Ian Rapoport noted that he could wind up throwing more than 20 passes. It stands to reason that this would inhibit Rush from reaching that incentive. If Lance were under contract for the future then this move could be more justified from the Cowboys. While many have argued to see him, it isn’t talking out of both sides of the proverbial mouth to say that this isn’t necessarily the best way to go about it. Rush has been an incredible soldier for several years now and the Cowboys may be purposefully making a decision that is going to cost him money all in a meaningless game, and all in a likely vain effort.
Cowboys Madden simulation predicts last-second win in final game of season
Madden believes the Cowboys walk into the offseason off of a last-second win. The final Dallas Cowboys game of the season is just about upon us and it is a very difficult one to try and predict or assess from the outside. Sunday is a meaningless game for Dallas in that they are already eliminated from playoff contention. While the Washington Commanders are headed to the playoffs, losing this game could impact the #6 seed on the NFC side of things. If they lose they will fall to the #7 so there are technically some things at stake. Given the game’s unique nature it makes determining what will happen difficult. Nevertheless, we have turned to our friends at Madden to see what can happen as we have simulated the game in Madden 25. It is worth noting that it is incredibly difficult to simulate a game of this kind what with how many players are likely out for Dallas. Despite our best efforts, the game left CeeDee Lamb in. You can watch the entire simulation below. Amazingly, Madden is predicting the Cowboys to win in last-second, dramatic fashion. That sure would be a fun way to walk into the offseason. For what it’s worth, this is the first time that Madden has predicted Dallas to win a game since Thanksgiving Day, a prediction they were correct on. Week 1 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cleveland Browns, 18-17 Week 1 In Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Cleveland Browns, 33-17 Week 2 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 36-29 Week 2 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 44-10 Week 3 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 21-14 Week 3 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 28-25 Week 4 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New York Giants, 28-21 Week 4 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 20-15 Week 5 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14 Week 5 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-17 Week 6 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Detroit Lions, 38-31” Week 6 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Detroit Lions, 47-9 Week 8 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat San Francisco 49ers, 22-7 Week 8 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to San Francisco 49ers, 30-24 Week 9 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Atlanta Falcons, 13-10 Week 9 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Atlanta Falcons, 27-21 Week 10 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 21-17 Week 10 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 34-6 Week 11 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Houston Texans, 24-17 Week 11 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Houston Texans, 34-10 Week 12 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders, 24-21 Week 12 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders, 34-26 Week 13 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 48-14 Week 13 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 27-20 Week 14 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cincinnati Bengals, 36-33 Week 14 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cincinnati Bengals, 27-20 Week 15 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Carolina Panthers, 31-17 Week 15 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Carolina Panthers, 30-14 Week 16 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 21-19 Week 16 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-24 Week 17 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 24-17 Week 17 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 41-7 If the Cowboys lose this game and a handful of other things go their way then they could wind up as high as 11th in the draft order for the 2025 NFL Draft. Madden seems to think that is not happen, though. We will see.
Decisions on these in-house contributors will be most significant part of Cowboys offseason
Decisions on these in-house contributors will be most significant part of Cowboys offseason Mike Crum The Dallas Cowboys were unhappy with how the 2023 season ended but did little to help change things in 2024. To fix it in 2025, They will need to hit on their draft picks and bring in outside contributors in free agency, but it all begins with how they handle their own players on expiring contracts. Dallas has 20 unrestricted free agents, and they won’t be able to fill all those losses with undrafted free agents and the 2025 draft class. Who returns and who they move on from will depend on a multitude of factors. A trio of free agents played significant snaps and had productive seasons. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa has been an excellent player for the price of a third-round pick, but in a weak defensive tackle market, his price could skyrocket. Odighizuwa is slightly less productive than Nnamdi Madubuike of the Baltimore Ravens, but his projected market is in that same range. At $20 to $25 million, Odighizuwa won’t be worth the cost for Dallas, and the team will need to use an early draft selection for his replacement. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis might have priced himself out of Dallas with his play in 2024, but the injury to Treven Diggs might be enough to force the Cowboys’ hand. A multiyear contract will be necessary, and a cap hit of under three million isn’t enough this time. Lewis has shown an ability to perform in multiple defensive schemes, and Jerry Jones will find a way to keep him on the roster, if necessary, as Diggs insurance. Rico Dowdle was given the role of top running back in Week 12 against the Washington Commanders. In the next six contests, he accumulated 605 yards on 120 attempts, an average of over five yards per carry. Being a 1,000-yard rusher without a ton of tread on his tires could give Dowdle a market, but he isn’t an explosive runner, and he has a lengthy injury history, so his market is unlikely to explode. Dallas will probably bring him back on a deal similar to what Zack Moss signed last offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals, four to five million a season. Chauncey Golston has had a breakout season, and while he doesn’t have the gaudy statistics, his play was invaluable for the injury-riddled Cowboys. His ability to stop the run as an edge defender helped the team improve defensively as the season progressed. Golston is in the top 12 among defensive ends in run defense snaps, solo tackles, assisted tackles, and batted passes. He is in the top 20 in total snaps and run stops. His lack of pass rush will keep him from a huge payday, so if the defensive end market is down some, then it is possible the Cowboys can get him to return. A trade-off of losing Odighizuwa but keeping Lewis and Golston could be the plan for this front office. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social
Pregame Shuffle Week 18: Cowboys vs Commanders
Kara Durrette/Getty Images Sunday will be quite the weird Cowboys game. There is but one game left until the Dallas Cowboys can officially declare the 2024 season complete. While they were eliminated from the playoffs two weeks ago, games still remained on their schedule. Since then, they’ve beaten the Buccaneers and gotten blown out by the Eagles. All that is left now is one final home stand against the Commanders. Washington, led by former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, is enjoying a great season. They come into this game at 11-5, their first winning season since 2016, and last week’s win clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2020. That said, this game is not for nothing for Quinn. On some level, he surely wants to get revenge after the Cowboys beat his squad in Washington just before Thanksgiving. More than that, though, the Commanders can move up to the sixth seed with a win over the Cowboys, which would help them avoid traveling to Philadelphia in the Wild Card round. Meanwhile, the Cowboys don’t have much to play for. Their scrappy win over the Buccaneers suggested the team was still playing for pride, but their spirits were crushed early by the Eagles last week, especially with CeeDee Lamb out. There have been some hints that Dallas might start several reserve players in this one, such as Trey Lance, as a glorified preseason game. However, no clarity has been provided either way on that front. The biggest storyline for this game, though, has to do with Mike McCarthy. As everyone is well aware by now, McCarthy’s contract expires after this game. So, too, do the contracts of Mike Zimmer and others on the coaching staff. Both Jerry and Stephen Jones have talked McCarthy up all year long but have consistently stopped short of saying they’ll bring him back. Roughly two months ago, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that McCarthy was gone. Dak Prescott had just been sidelined for the year, and the Cowboys dropped their next two games to hit a five-game losing streak. Then, a switch flipped and the Cowboys won four of their next five games. Suddenly, the tide shifted and it started to seem as if McCarthy’s return was guaranteed. Then the Eagles game happened, and things have become more muddied than ever regarding the coach’s status. It will be fascinating to see how those politics impact this game, especially if McCarthy does opt to play a bunch of backups. With last week’s loss, the Cowboys have been locked into a losing season, the second of such in McCarthy’s tenure in Dallas. The first one was his first year on the job, and it also featured a season-ending injury for Prescott. The intriguing part about this game is that the Cowboys have already proven themselves capable of beating the Commanders. They just did it not too long ago, and that was on the road. Washington’s star rookie quarterback, a newly-minted Pro Bowler, Jayden Daniels had the second-worst game of his young career in that one, with a -0.26 EPA/dropback. Can they do it again? Do they even want to? On one hand, the players would surely relish the chance to go 2-0 against several of their former coaches and players while also ending the year with a win. But it’s also hard to come out and play 100% knowing that there is nothing to be gained. We’ve seen both ends of the spectrum already, happily playing spoiler against Tampa Bay and then falling apart after a decent start against Philadelphia. Which version we get against the Commanders on Sunday, and who even suits up for it, remains to be seen.
Here is how the Dallas Cowboys will tip their hand on their Mike McCarthy intentions
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Decision day is approaching for the Dallas Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. The Dallas Cowboys were eliminated in the playoffs last season by the Green Bay Packers on January 14th. That was almost one full year ago. It turns out that the date in question is relevant in the year 2025 as it serves as Decision Day for the team and head coach Mike McCarthy. Despite the fact that Dallas has had just about a year to reflect on the Packers loss and figure out what they want the future to look like, here we sit. On the precipice of a season lost by their grand design with seemingly no north star established once more. Friday morning, two days before this season ends for the Cowboys, it was reported by NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport that January 14th is the day that McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys expires. Happy anniversary. There were some notable things in the report. Let’s get to them. McCarthy’s contract expires on January 14th, but the biggest tell for the team’s intentions could come well before then Given that January 14th is a week and a half away it stands to reason that the Cowboys are going to watch each and every single grain of sand drip down from the hourglass so as to fill up their bucket of attention. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, their hand may wind up being tipped before then. According to the report while McCarthy’s deal is set to expire on January 14th, he and any of his staffers who are also on expiring deals can be requested to be interviewed in the time between the regular season ending and the 14th. Obviously the Cowboys have the right to decline that in the window. Sources say McCarthy’s contract is set to expire on Jan. 14, nine days after Sunday’s season finale at home against the Washington Commanders. That gives the Cowboys an exclusive negotiating window of a little over a week, according to NFL rules. But it also serves as a soft deadline to strike a deal or potentially lose McCarthy to another job. There are two windows of time for McCarthy and Dallas. As soon as the regular season ends, other teams can request permission from the Cowboys to interview McCarthy for coaching positions and Dallas can choose whether to permit him to interview. Once McCarthy’s contract expires on Jan. 14 — a week from next Tuesday — no permission is required and he is free to interview in-person with other teams and accept another job any time. Never mind the fact that Dallas has had a window of exclusivity, to use the jargon offered here, for the duration of McCarthy’s time with the team. The point is that if you are another NFL team interested in looking for a head coach – at the moment there are three in the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears with more potential ones to come – and Mike McCarthy is someone of interest to you – you are probably not going to burn an entire week and a half of waiting. Right? Right. Speaking of those Bears, they are reportedly the team that McCarthy would prefer to be coaching (if the decision were up to him obviously) if he is somewhere other than Dallas in 2025. That makes sense given the current list of options, but as noted that could change. Back to the upcoming timeline though, we are already seeing teams like the Jets interview candidates (they are allowed to because they fired their coach a while back in Robert Saleh). Again, if they are interested in Mike McCarthy then it stands to reason that they will request him well before the 14th . If the Cowboys truly have no intentions of bringing McCarthy back for 2025, then it would be incredibly unkind to deny him an opportunity to move on and to hold him back while the team interviews other candidates for a job that he could theoretically wind up winning himself. You may scoff at the idea that another NFL team could want McCarthy or that they would prefer him over any other potential candidate. According to the report, and others in recent weeks, McCarthy would certainly be a wanted coach if made available. A Super Bowl champion with a .610 career winning percentage and 12 playoff trips in 18 seasons as a head coach in Green Bay and Dallas, McCarthy is expected to have interest elsewhere if he chooses to pursue other opportunities. There are few available coaches with McCarthy’s track record as an offensive play-caller and quarterback developer — skills that are at a premium in every hiring cycle and will be again. McCarthy, 61, has connections with two of the three teams with current head coaching vacancies. He worked with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis from 2000-2004 in New Orleans, where McCarthy was the offensive coordinator, and he interviewed for the Jets job in January 2019. It would be a poor look by the franchise for McCarthy to be requested by a team between the season’s end, and then for Dallas to deny him, and for the Cowboys to ultimately not bring him back. It is in this sense that we may learn of their intentions long before the 14th. The same line of logic can be applied to McCarthy’s top staffers like Brian Schottenheimer, Mike Zimmer and/or John Fassel if Dallas truly intends on running things back, so to speak, in a more loose sense. In discussing the upcoming week and decision we have been reminding you all of the saga that was when Dallas moved on from Jason Garrett five years ago. The way the team handled that can be instructive on how they plan on doing so, potentially, with McCarthy. Consider that there were ultimately five head coaches changed across the league following the 2019 season, Dallas obviously included. Of those five, the Washington
Roster churn is nothing new in the NFL. Even before free agency came into existence back in 1993, rosters would change significantly every offseason. Changes were inevitable then just as they are today. This unavoidable shakeup is especially true for the Dallas Cowboys’ running back room in 2025. The Cowboys prefer phases for personnel turnover rather than sudden, drastic changes. Too many shakeups at one position group can cause quite the ruckus if done in a single offseason. Unfortunately, this offseason there may be no way of avoiding it at the RB position. With Ezekiel Elliott already released, and Rico Dowdle set to hit free agency this March, the Cowboys could be looking at wholesale changes at the top of their RB depth chart. Despite being the Cowboys’ unofficial breakout player of the year, Dowdle is a tough appraisal heading into free agency. For as impressive as Dowdle has been in 2024, he comes with a concerning injury history that stretches all the way back to his college days. It’s those injuries at South Carolina that led him to go undrafted in the first place and those injuries that cause hesitation over a large multiyear extension today. It’s very possible the Cowboys lose Dowdle to a higher bidder in free agency and are therefore forced to rebuild the RB room completely in 2025. Even players further down the RB depth chart are cause for concern. Deuce Vaughn has struggled to prove he has the stature required to survive in a rotation. He doesn’t offer much in special teams and consequently could be done in Dallas as well. Hunter Luepke is a pretty safe bet to make the roster again in 2025, but his value lies in his ability to play fullback, tight end and H-back. With just 15 career rushing attempts in 32 games, how much of a running back is he really? To make matters worse, practice squad RBs such as Dalvin Cook and Malik Davis have shown nothing to make anyone think they factor into Dallas’ 2025 plans at all. The way things look today, it could be a total rebuild at the RB position. Normally this degree of churn would be cause for concern. Without veteran players carrying over from the previous year, there’s no one in the position room to help new additions digest the new offense they’ve walked into. But with the Cowboys coaching staff possibly churning themselves, that’s not really an issue because everyone could be learning a new offense regardless. Normally this would be a concern heading into free agency as well. A team without a proven backstop on the depth chart could approach free agency desperately. The 2025 free agent class doesn’t appear particularly strong so RB-hungry teams like Dallas could find themselves in a bidding war. Then again, the Cowboys have seemingly devalued the position since amping up their analytics department over the past two years and may just see who slips through the cracks instead. Normally this would put a truckload of pressure on the NFL draft since the Cowboys would no longer be able to take a best player available (BPA) approach and be forced to draft for need. But that draft philosophy really wouldn’t be much different than it’s been the last few years. The Cowboys have been extremely transparent in their position targeting as of late. They leave massive holes heading into the draft and act aggressively to fill those holes with their picks. It may not be the wise thing to do but at least it’s familiar to this front office. Hunting for a rookie RB capable of starting on Day 1 is well within their ability, especially since the 2025 NFL draft class is deep at the RB position. The Cowboys don’t have to panic and pick one with their first pick, they can wait a few rounds for value to come to them. Each round will inevitably signal a rise in panic levels across the fanbase but it’s not impossible to find starting RBs in the later rounds of the draft. Everything is setting up for major changes at the RB position in Dallas but given the potential turnover in the coaching ranks and the depth in the draft, there’s reason to believe the Cowboys can handle it. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
