Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The team’s special team star could end up being so much more in 2025. The Dallas Cowboys made a big move to acquire wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 24-year-old receiver has eclipsed 800 yards receiving in each of the three seasons he’s been in the league, including a 1,140 showing in 2023. The addition of Pickens, combined with three-time All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, should make for quite the one-two punch for the Cowboys’ aerial attack. While these two receivers should help the passing game tremendously, the team is still looking for a quality WR3 to stretch the defense even more. After hearing about the Pickens trade, the optimism for other receivers down the depth chart suddenly increased. Now it feels like anything Jonathan Mingo adds at this point would just be a bonus. The slow-developing Jalen Tolbert is coming off a 610-yard season last year. If he’s close to that again, he becomes much easier to like since he’ll take on a smaller role. Anything remotely decent from Parris Campbell, Jalen Brooks, or Ryan Flournoy will just be icing on the cake. One guy that’s easy to forget about is KaVontae Turpin. And that’s because he’s mostly just a return man. This former USFL player immediately caught our attention when he housed two kicks in the first half of the team’s second preseason game in 2022. 98-yard kickoff return TD ✅86-yard punt return TD ✅ KaVontae Turpin is having himself a night and it’s not even halftime pic.twitter.com/42SkSSQTCA — CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 21, 2022 While Turpin’s appeal as a punt/kick returner was exciting, he was much more than that during his one season with the New Jersey Generals. He caught 44 passes for 540 yards and added another 129 yards rushing. Add that to his return performance, and it was good enough to win the MVP in the USFL’s inaugural season. Unfortunately, the dynamic versatility of what Turpin had to offer quickly faded. He never found the end zone in his first year with the Cowboys, in any fashion. And he only caught one pass for nine yards. Little did we know, his electric first half in a preseason game would be the highlight of his rookie year. Over the next two seasons, Turpin became more involved in the offense. Whether he was figuring things out, the coaching staff’s finding more ways to use him, or a combination of both, he started to see more and more time on offense. Last season, he caught 31 passes for 440 yards. He’s also rushed 27 times for 202 yards over the last two years. Turpin was also the only player to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown last season. In his three seasons in the league, he’s been named a Pro Bowler twice and earned first-team All-Pro honors last year. The Cowboys wanted to retain their special teams star, so they signed him to a three-year, $18 million deal this offseason. What should we expect to see from him going forward? Turpin enters a new season with even more experience and a new coaching staff. Yeah, Brian Schottenheimer has been with this offense during his entire time in Dallas, but what will it mean for him with Schotty having greater influence on the play-calling? So much has been made about utilizing guys to their strengths, so will they put him in more favorable situations this upcoming season? With so much attention devoted to stopping Lamb and Pickens, there will be opportunities to find open space in the secondary, and Turpin is really fun when he gets in space. Imagine him getting loose with no help available over the top. KaVontae Turpin was GONE We’ve got a game! pic.twitter.com/SVC3Pdtngw — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 19, 2024 We don’t know what this new Cowboys offense will look like this season. With so many different pieces, it will be interesting to see what the coaching staff comes up with. They have options, and Turpin is definitely one of those options. There are a lot of new changes that could line up nicely for him to have a breakout season on offense this year.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images What are your biggest questions about the Cowboys right now? Each week we ask you the readers to give your opinion on five questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Cast your vote on each question and leave your opinions in the comment section. Where do you rank Dak Prescott among NFL’s starting quarterbacks? In a recent piece this week by Pro Football Focus (PFF), they ranked the starting quarterbacks for the upcoming 2025 NFL season, and Dak Prescott found himself in a surprising 17th place. This ranking placed him behind notable quarterbacks such as Geno Smith, Kyler Murray, and Trevor Lawrence, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. Some feel this right on the money, whereas others feel this is just disrespectful. Ranking all 32 NFL starting QBs heading into the season pic.twitter.com/6W2zgNnBaS — PFF (@PFF) May 20, 2025 Who is your Cowboys candidate for Comeback Player of The Year? There are number of players on the roster set to a big impact this year that had shortened or lesser seasons in 2024. Sam Williams was out before the season started and is now slated to be a key feature on the defense this year. He had huge potential and anticipation last season only to be out with a torn ACL in training camp. Trevon Diggs only played two games in 2023 and after Week 10 last year he hit a wall and was met with knee issues. Jake Ferguson had a rough season and failed to score a touchdown last year. He had medical issues of his own and was in and out throughout the season. Josh Butler also had an interesting moment where he dominated, he also got shutdown for the season before proving his worth. Anyone have any feelings on Damone Clark? #Cowboys DeMarvion Overshown & Shavon Revel & Sam Williams working w trainers on the cords – https://t.co/AtwSketXB2 pic.twitter.com/adHO8k6B6B — fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) May 20, 2025 Does Mazi Smith have his breakout season this year? Mazi Smith is very much in the middle of fan frustration. With such high draft capital spent on the powerhouse defensive lineman, there are fans that want to see that first-round outlay paid back. This will be Smith’s third year in the NFL and most scouts say this is the year for players at his position to have their skills and athleticism come to the surface and peak. Mazi Smith pic.twitter.com/K4bqjuaMa9 — Jess Nevarez (@JessNevarez_) September 27, 2024 Will Hunter Luepke make the final roster this year? Luepke proved to be a safe and reliable option when given the chance as a receiver. He was known for his safe hands in North Dakota State but it was rarely mentioned in his scouting reports (oddly). But the coaches have added quite a lot at running back this year and the same on the offensive line so the question is, where does Luepke fit in all this? Does his role on offense change or become more of a special teams player? Can he find a role quickly while in Oxnard? Brian Schottenheimer was asked about the Cowboys’ backfield and whether they were taking a committee approach: “It’s too early to tell.” He mentioned that Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders have had successful seasons. Schotty also brought up Hunter Luepke’s versatility. pic.twitter.com/CTUrP6ULtf — SleeperCowboys (@SleeperCowboys) May 20, 2025 Where do you rank CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens as a wide receiver tandem? A lot of mainstream and key media personnel have asked this question a lot the past week. Social media has seen a steady increase on tandem rankings or asking where wide receiver pairings rank in the NFL. There is a lot of speculation and most project the Cowboys duo to produce big numbers this year. But where do you rank them? “That’s one of the top six, seven wide receiver duos we have in the NFL right now.” @DanOrlovsky7 breaks down how George Pickens complements CeeDee Lamb’s game pic.twitter.com/9HijnOi3JV — NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 14, 2025

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here. Dak Prescott excited to unveil elements CeeDee Lamb-George Pickens tandem brings Cowboys – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News Prescott is gearing up for what could be the best tandem of wide receivers he’s ever had. FRISCO — You can tell when Dak Prescott is happy. Check the football field and the Cowboys quarterback is throwing passes with a smile, knowing whose catching them. Check the locker room when Prescott is raving about the talent running routes for him. The Cowboys traded for George Pickens this offseason, giving them a dynamic wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb and a potential near-unstoppable force for their offense. “Huge. Huge. Yeah, very huge,” Prescott said of adding Pickens. “I mean looking at [the] guy’s tape, you see what he does, the kind of receiver he is. He’s going to win on one on ones. He can win two vs. one if he has to. Very, very talented guy. When you can add him alongside a CeeDee and the rest of the weapons we have, I’m super excited.” In the last three seasons, no receiver has caught more passes than Lamb. He’s caught 343 passes over 49 games. Lamb has also picked up the third-most receiving yards (4,302) and fifth-most touchdowns (27) from 2022 to 2024. Over that same time span in 48 games, Pickens has 2,841 receiving yards with 174 catches. Pickens brings speed and length to an offense that averaged 21.3 points per game with Prescott at quarterback before his injury in the eighth game of the 2024 season. A healthy Prescott, with an improved running attack and combined with Pickens and Lamb, is dangerous for defenses. Javonte Williams feels like himself again, excited by Cowboys’ playmakers – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com This is a good sign for the Cowboys likely RB1 to start the season. FRISCO, Texas – Three years removed from an serious ACL, LCL and posterior lateral corner injury that he suffered in 2022, Javonte Williams arrives in Dallas feeling fully healthy and ready to produce for the Cowboys offense. “I feel completely like myself…” Williams said. “I probably can get more flexible and things like that, but as far as healing up, that I feel like is done.” In the two seasons he’s played following the injury for the Broncos, Williams posted 1,861 yards of offense to go along with nine touchdowns in 33 games. Everyone’s road to recovery is different, and now that he’s feeling back to himself, Williams is looking to prove himself once again. “It just depends on who you are, it depends on your body… mine might take this amount of time, but somebody else might be different,” Williams said when asked about his recovery. “It’s a lot that goes into it that people don’t really understand. Just to be back out here and have another opportunity and chance to show myself, I can’t ask for nothing else.” In the early goings of OTAs, Williams has been taking a majority of the first team reps at running back. There are a lot of bodies in the room for the Cowboys, and it’s still early to tell how the Cowboys’ rushing attack will shape out. “They didn’t really tell me too much about that stuff, all I know is just come in here and work every day, and everything else is going to take care of itself,” Williams said. “I’m not really big on the expectations and goals and stuff like that, I just go out and play well.” In year of transition, Cowboys need Dak Prescott’s best, on and off the field – Saad Yousuf, The Athletic 2025 is a critical season for Dak Prescott. Although the upcoming season may feel like a continuation for Prescott, it’s going to be a big step in his career. When Prescott entered the NFL, he talked about how crucial All-Pro center Travis Frederick was to the quarterback’s growth and instant success. Frederick, Smith and Martin took care of everything up front, from blocking to setting protections, so it was one less thing on Prescott’s plate. This season, four of Prescott’s five projected starting offensive linemen have less than four years of NFL experience, including rookie Tyler Booker and second-year players Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe. Terence Steele, the senior member of the unit up front, entered the league in 2020. Whereas the offensive line once brought along Prescott, it’s now on him, especially after Martin’s retirement, to bring along the offensive line. A similar sentiment holds true with the wide receiver group. Since Prescott’s third year in the NFL, the wide receiver room has featured the veteran leadership of Amari Cooper or Brandin Cooks in all but one season. Now, Lamb, who turned 26 years old last month and just completed his rookie deal, is the elder statesman of the position. Lamb is an unquestionably elite talent. Now, he’s tasked with tightening things up and carrying a group that includes Pickens, who has a checkered past but will be crucial to any success the Cowboys have in 2025. Cowboys need latest reclamation project to pay off in order to field viable secondary – Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire Dallas will see their entire secondary elevate if Kaiir Elam plays well. Cornerback is a position where the Dallas Cowboys could still use some help, despite OTAs kicking off this week. Injuries and questions about where each corner can and will line up has the position in flux. To try and combat those shortcomings, the team added pieces in the offseason, including trading for veteran Kaiir Elam, a former first-round pick. Elam was highly regarded coming out of college, leading the Buffalo Bills to select him with the 23rd pick overall. Despite a solid rookie season where Elam started with two interceptions in his first six games, things have gone downhill since. Elam had picks in back-to-back games during Weeks 5 and 6 but hasn’t intercepted

Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images This was a big week for tush push discussion. Eagles may regret mocking Packers after tush push rule fell short – Wynston Wilcox, Fansided.com The tush push may have survived this year, but it still seems its days are numbered. The tush push is still a legal play (for now) after a vote of 22-10 earlier this week kept the change from happening. For a new rule to pass in the NFL, you need a super-majority of 75% in favor, meaning this proposal fell just short of adoption. To make matters worse, the NFL chose the Green Bay Packers as the poster child for the rule change, to no avail. The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t take too kindly to that, but it will probably come back to haunt them in a year when this proposal most likely resurfaces. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the proposed rule change was the work of Roger Goodell and the league, who have a vested interest trying to ban the play. But obviously there has to be a team willing to serve as its public face, and so Goodell reportedly “nudged” the Packers to propose the ban, per Dan Patrick. The Eagles can celebrate all they want that they get their modified quarterback sneak for at least one more year. But this will probably be the final year the play is legal. Florio added that Goodell could end up putting pressure on two of the 10 holdout teams to flip their decision when the proposal resurfaces. And it seems when the league commissioner wants something, it gets done. The interesting thing about the effort to ban the tush push is that only the Eagles have figured out how to perfect it. When any other team attempts to try the supposedly unstoppable play, that’s when injuries occur and epic failures ensue. The NFL doesn’t have data that tracks how dangerous the play is, but if they want the play banned enough, there will be data for at least the 2025 season to back up why the play needs to be taken out of the league. That probably won’t affect whether two teams change their minds or not. The only way teams will budge is if they play the Eagles and the tush push is the reason they lost. Other than that, Goodell might have to nudge a little harder to get this play banned. The Eagles are better off not gloating and just enjoying it while they can, because there’s a pretty good chance the tush push will be no more after the 2025 season. Giants restructure Brian Burns’ contract – Charean Williams, NBC Sports New York made some cap room for Abdul Carter’s rookie contract. The Giants signed first-round edge rusher Abdul Carter to a four-year, $45.3 million fully guaranteed contract. But to get it done, they needed to make room. The team had less than $2 million in cap space before restructuring Brian Burns’ contract. Field Yates of ESPN reports that the Giants converted $16 million of Burns’ base salary into a signing bonus, freeing up $12 million in 2025 cap space. That was more than enough to get Carter signed. The Giants acquired Burns in a trade with the Panthers last year and signed him to a five-year, $141 million contract, with $87.5 million guaranteed. Burns totaled 71 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and eight passes defensed in his first season in New York. He now will team up with Carter to give the Giants a formidable pass rush duo. What a new contract for Terry McLaurin could look like as Commanders star WR reportedly skips practice – Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports Terry McLaurin could be on the verge of a new deal. On the heels of their most successful season since the early 1990s, the Washington Commanders have remained busy this offseason. General manager Adam Peters traded for a new wide receiver in Deebo Samuel, a new left tackle in Laremy Tunsil and added a couple of notable pieces on defense in defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones. However, the work is not done. According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin was not at practice on Wednesday, after previously being a full participant in offseason workouts. This is not a massive story just yet, but it’s worth mentioning McLaurin is coming off a career campaign and set to enter the final year of his current contract. Is he angling for a new deal right now? In 2024, McLaurin caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and a franchise-record 13 touchdowns, as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels helped guide Washington to the NFC Championship game. A whopping 44.8% of Washington’s receiving touchdowns last season came from McLaurin, which was the third-highest percentage of any player for a team in 2024, behind Brian Thomas Jr. (52.6%) and Malik Nabers (46.7%). McLaurin signed a three-year extension worth up to $71 million in 2022, and Peters told Kay Adams earlier this offseason that the Commanders have had “some really good conversations” with his camp. It seems likely a new contract is coming, but what would it look like? According to Spotrac’s market value tool, McLaurin could sign a three-year, $93,175,527 deal that carries an AAV of $31.1 million. That would make him the No. 6 highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. Spotrac’s projections should not be taken as contract scripture, but they provide great context when it comes to what players of a similar age, contract status and statistical production have signed in the past. The question is, could McLaurin get more than just $31.1 million per year?

Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Micah Parsons has a chance to really climb the Dallas Cowboys record books in 2025. When it comes to record-setting starts to their careers, there are very few in Dallas Cowboys franchise history (certainly modern history) that top Micah Parsons. The only legitimate argument in this sense may be Ezekiel Elliott. Parsons is incredible, and we have seen him have all sorts of success through his first four seasons. To date he has racked up 52.5 sacks, time will tell if that is enough to earn a massive extension, and if he keeps up this average then he is going to continue to soar up the team’s record books. Thanks to our friends at Stathead we can really look at history to see Parsons’ place in it. 2025 could see Micah Parsons really take hold of Dallas Cowboys history As mentioned, Parsons has 52.5 career sacks to date. That is an absurd amount in just four seasons, but remember that he also missed a few games for the first time in 2024. Shockingly, Parsons’ 52.5 is not the most that any player has ever had through their first four seasons in team history. Pro Football Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware has him beat out by one. While Parsons missed time in the stretch that we are talking about so did Ware. Parsons feels like a unicorn in terms of production, but Ware was absolutely incredible early on in his own right. For what it’s worth, Ware kept pace in his fifth season with the team. Following the 2009 campaign Ware sat at 64.5 sacks which is obviously the most that anyone has ever had in team history through their first five seasons. Harvey Martin came pretty close, though. Parsons’ career average from a sack standpoint is 13.125, so if we assume that he notches at least 13 of them then he’ll reach 65 and take down Ware. Obviously there is more that we all want from the team than for players to achieve individual milestones, but that something like this is in reach is still pretty cool. (Also a note… it must have been an error for Parsons’ name to be listed here. I tried a few times to adjust it, but we obviously know he has not played five seasons). If we assume that Parsons reaches that point, he will also climb into the top 10 for all-time sacks while a member of the Cowboys. He trails the outgoing DeMarcus Lawrence by nine at the moment and that would be the person he pushes out of the proverbial club. This is perhaps the most stunning look at what Parsons has done to this point in his career. He is sitting on 63 total games played and if he suits up for every one in 2025 then he will total 80. But even then, the next-closest to him in that sense would be a three-way tie between DeMarcus Ware, DeMarcus Lawrence and George Andrie. Funny that both Ware and Lawrence each played 141 games for the team. We are watching the beginning of one of the all-time careers in Dallas Cowboys franchise history. What Parsons has done and what we assume he will continue to do are astonishing. Hopefully he can add a championship to everything he is accomplishing as well.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images CeeDee Lamb is going to be so good in 2025. The 2024 season left Dallas Cowboys fans deflated and feeling very pessimistic with the future for the team. But with the Reasons To Be Positive series we look to try and flip that around and find reasons that should give fans some inspiration and lay some sunlight after what was a very dark season in 2024. This installment looks at CeeDee Lamb. CeeDee Lamb Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images 2024 Season stats: Games – 15Snaps – 824Targets – 152Receptions – 101Rec Yards – 1,194TDs – 6YAC – 544First Downs – 54Drops – 11Passer Rating When Targeted – 90.4 2025 Projected stats: Targets – 160Receptions – 110Rec YDs – 1,320TDs – 8 In the 2024 season, Lamb demonstrated his prowess by recording 101 receptions for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns over 15 games. This achievement marked his fourth 1,000-yard season in five years, underscoring his consistency and reliability as a top-tier wide receiver. Even while managing a shoulder injury sustained mid-season, Lamb’s dedication to the game remained evident. Every WR with 3,000+ Receiving Yards over the past 2 seasons: ⭐️ CeeDee Lamb Amon-Ra St. Brown That’s it (Including Playoffs) pic.twitter.com/Bk1j6PjdUD — The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 12, 2025 At 26, Lamb has emerged as a leader within the Cowboys’ roster. His professionalism and work ethic set a standard for teammates, fostering a culture of excellence. As the team navigates a new era under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Lamb’s influence will be instrumental in guiding younger players and shaping the team’s identity. He’s remained fairly quiet and not very outspoken in public or with the media proving he’s more of the “lead by example” type player and lets his on field production do the talking. CeeDee Lamb was the first player to reach out to George Pickens when the news broke pic.twitter.com/XfkYkkGviN — MartinTalkCowboys (@DAK_4_MVP) May 21, 2025 The addition of wide receiver George Pickens brings a fresh dynamic to the Cowboys’ offense. Both he and Lamb have talked about a willingness to work together, positioning themselves as co-primary receivers. This collaboration is set to enhance the passing game and reduce the defensive focus on Lamb, ultimately benefiting the team’s overall performance. And the same situation can be said for the team’s running game. So much emphasis this offseason, and during the draft, to improve the offensive line and running back room shifts the defensive focus away from Lamb. With a better support cast at receiver and with more talent and depth at running back, Lamb is projected to receive less attention and play more freely. That can only mean one thing, more efficiency from the star receiver. Most receiving yards against man coverage in 2024: A.J. Brown – 534 CeeDee Lamb – 460 Calvin Ridley – 445 pic.twitter.com/LUrxVrV1pY — FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) March 19, 2025 Outlook for 2025With a proven track record, unwavering commitment, and a strengthened offensive cast, Lamb stands as a real beacon of hope for Cowboys fans. His presence promises not only individual accolades but also a strong team performance in the upcoming season. There’s confidence based on everything the front office has done to this Cowboys offense this year, as well as Lamb’s natural talent, that we’ll see Lamb finish as a top-five receiver this season. Only thing that’s stopping that from happening is injury. CeeDee breaks free for a 65-yard Cowboys TD! : #NOvsDAL on FOX : https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/cQd9I9IwLg — NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Which of these controversial opinions on the Cowboys at the moment do you agree with the most? On Thursday we did something a little different with our daily discussions and asked you all to list your most controversial current opinion on the Dallas Cowboys. To re-hash what that meant specifically, it could be anything controversial, positive or negative. The only stipulation was that it had to be an opinion that not a lot of people shared. Hence, controversial. For today we have brought forth five offerings from the comment section to put them to a vote as to see which one you like, dislike or whatever-you-want-to-call-it the most with. Controversial Opinion #1: Tyler Guyton is not a proper tackle (we picked the first one) Controversial Opinion #2: Dak Prescott can lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl Controversial Opinion #3: The Cowboys can beat any team in the NFL Controversial Opinion #4: The overall approach to running back was sound Controversial Opinion #5: Jake Ferguson is going to have a Pro Bowl season The entire spirit of this exercise was to see where our collective heads are at. If you disagree with one or all of these, you are kind of supposed to! These are meant to be controversial. But perhaps they caused you to start thinking a little bit differently. Thanks to all of the commenters who we pulled!

Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The latest Cowboys news. Brian Schottenheimer confirms suspicion about fan favorite Dallas Cowboys player set to become an important weapon in 2025 – Mauricio Rodrigues, A to Z Sports People have been wondering about Hunter Luepke and if he would have a role in the offense. Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has plenty of decisions to make before the season comes around but few will be bigger than how to deploy his running back room. Without a clear-cut RB1 and a committee approach expected in Dallas, Schottenheimer knows “it’s too early to tell” how the position group will operate. What is clear for Schottenheimer, however, is versatile fullback Hunter Luepke will be a big part of the offense. “I’d be remiss for not talking about Hunter Luepke,” Schottenheimer told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s playing some (running back) for us, he’s playing some fullback, he’s playing some tight end, and all he does is do everything well.” It’s a simple message one but an important one for Luepke. He will likely not take on a lead running back role on the team but his snap count could see a bump in Year 3 of his career. Luepke already played some tight end for the Cowboys, lining up at the position for 40 snaps in 2024, per PFF. Most of that came in the first half of the season, however, as from Week 9 to 18 he only lined up there 11 time. Solomon Thomas on Cowboys’ culture, chance to build ‘something legendary’ – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com New leader on the team, Solomon Thomas, praises Brian Schottenheimer. Playing for the Cowboys is a homecoming for Coppell high school graduate and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas. He didn’t grow up a Cowboys fan, but always wanted to play close to home and now gets to do just that. “It’s been awesome, it’s been really cool just being part of the team. Being home for me has been awesome,” Thomas said. “Coach Schotty has been doing an amazing job just getting the energy right and culture right here.” “Guys are excited every day, there’s enthusiasm every day, it’s feeling like a family. I’ve only been here like a few weeks, but being around the team everyone feels close, it’s a very college like atmosphere.” The “college like atmosphere” has been a common theme amongst the Cowboys locker room, which delves even deeper to each position room as part of the overall push that Brian Schottenheimer and his staff are making to establish what he wants to be the best culture in sports. From free throw shooting competitions to players getting in front of the team weekly and telling the group about their foundation and what motivates them, Thomas is getting to know his fellow players in ways he never thought he would’ve before. “Just having conversations, in the d-line room we’re all really close already, just talking to each other, getting a vibe for each other…” Thomas said of the relationship building with his position group. “It’s been really cool getting to know everyone.” CeeDee Lamb on healed shoulder: I’m grateful to have two arms – Charean Williams, PFT CeeDee Lamb was another Cowboys player who needed time to recover from injury. CeeDee Lamb initially injured his right shoulder in a Week 9 game against the Falcons. The Cowboys wide receiver played through the pain, even after aggravating it in the Thanksgiving Day game against the Giants and before doing it again against the Bucs in Week 16 to end his season. The AC joint injury was a pain as was the recovery, Lamb said this week. “The longest [rehab]. I want to say a good five months of real recovery and rehab,” Lamb said, via Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “I don’t know. I’m grateful to have two arms. I can tell you that.” Lamb is participating in the team’s voluntary offseason program, the first time he’s done that since 2023. He did not show up to anything for the Cowboys last year until he signed a four-year, $136 million deal, which came only 12 days before the start of the season. “The last time I had OTAs [Organized Team Activities] and training camp was 2023,” Lamb said. Dak Prescott’s new nickname nods to his veteran status with Cowboys – Randy Gurzi, Cowboys on SI Prescott is the elder statesmen. This offseason has been full of changes for the Dallas Cowboys, who are ushering in a new era under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer has been vocal about the need for a change in culture, which is sure to happen just based on their recent departures. This offseason, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence left via free agency and guard Zack Martin retired. This came just one year after Tyron Smith left. These veteran departures leave Dak Prescott as the most tenured player on the roster. Selected during the 2016 NFL draft, Prescott is entering his 10th season in the league. He’s also been given a new nickname, with teammates calling him “UNC.” Prescott will turn 32 before the 2025 season kicks off, making him one of the older players on the team. Not quite old enough to be a father figure to his younger teammates, he’s taken on the “uncle” role.

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images The state of the backup quarterbacks on the Cowboys will be worth watching. In just two months, the Cowboys will start their 2025 training camp. Some players are already locked into their roles, but many will be in fights for their place on the depth chart, roster, or practice squad. For backup quarterbacks Will Grier and Joe Milton III, there’s a wide range of possibilities for their eventual landing spots. Grier and Milton come into this competition from very different places in their careers. Grier is a 30-year-old, sixth-year veteran who’s bounced around the league for a while. He was a third-round pick in 2019 by the Panthers but never found traction there, partially due to a coaching change in 2020. But despite consistently staying employed at the bottom of various rosters and on practice squads, Grier’s last regular-season snap came in his rookie season. Milton, a sixth-round pick just last year by New England, has obviously spent much less time in the league. But his 61 snaps from the one game he appeared in last season aren’t much less than Grier’s 87 from 2019. So while Grier does have valuable experience from many more training camps, preseasons, and other learning opportunities than Milton, they’re fairly even on actual real-game work. While Grier does have experience with the Cowboys from 2021-2022, that was before Brian Schottenheimer’s arrival as offensive coordinator. So even there, his experience edge is limited. Grier was on the practice squad for the last two months of 2024, but that has minimal value now that Schottenheimer is head coach and nearly all of the assistants have changed. A more meaningful difference between them is Dallas’ level of investment. Unsurprisingly, they were able to retain Grier this offseason with the league minimum. But after Milton’s bright flash in the 2024 season finale, the Cowboys sent one of their fifth-round picks this year to New England for the player and a seventh. That may not sound like much on the surface, but Dallas hasn’t typically used much draft capital on the quarterback position. They essentially made Milton one of their fifth-round picks this year, which is the most they’ve invested since making Dak Prescott a fourth-round pick in 2016. Another key difference is playing style and how that fits into what Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams are looking to do offensively. Grier is your prototypical West Coast QB, a scrambler who can throw well on the run but without a big arm. Milton has all the arm strength you could want and plenty of athleticism to boot, but has always been knocked for his lack of accuracy. That looked better in his one game last year for New England, but it was a small sample size in a glorified preseason game during Week 18. If the Cowboys offense is about to get more focused on the run and play-action, which the coaching changes and the drafting of G Tyler Booker indicate, then how these QBs do at throwing on the move will be a major factor in the competition. But more than anything, as we saw from Cooper Rush over the last four years, who can just grab his helmet and keep the offense moving when called upon? It’s one thing to go into a game knowing you’re starting, but who can keep his head on straight when QB1 just got helped off the field? That’s arguably the most important factor in who wins the backup job. Right now, it feels pretty even between Will Grier and Joe Milton. Grier has the experience edge, both in total and with the team, while Milton’s athleticism and upside make him the better investment. And if another year of development has improved his accuracy and honed other skills, Milton can mitigate that experience gap easily. This will be one of the bubble battles to watch for training camp and the preseason.

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Malik Hooker deserves more props. Safety Malik Hooker hasn’t been a star in his four seasons with the Cowboys, but he’s been a consistent, reliable presence in the secondary. The nine-year veteran enters 2025 with a clear path to continuing in his starting role, and perhaps without enough appreciation for his contributions. Analytics site Pro Football Focus certainly thinks so, recently naming Hooker as Dallas’ most underrated player ahead of the upcoming season. Hooker was one of three defensive backs from the NFC East to get recognized by PFF, joining Giants CB Andru Phillips and Eagles S Reed Blankenship. The Commanders’ player was TE Zach Ertz, who just turned in a very productive year in Washington despite turning 34 last November. The most underrated player for every NFC East team pic.twitter.com/CcSHw8jmE1 — PFF (@PFF) May 17, 2025 For Hooker specifically, PFF had the following explanation for his selection: Hooker took over as a starting safety in 2022 and never looked back, playing nearly 3,000 defensive snaps over that span. He has earned a top-10 PFF run-defense grade (89.3) and a top-20 PFF overall grade (78.8) at the position since 2022. Hooker is once again set to be the Cowboys’ reliable deep safety in Matt Eberflus’ defense in 2025 and should continue to provide a solid return on the team’s investment in him. In previous years, the “most underrated” label in Dallas often went to DT Osa Odighizuwa. But having just received a new four-year, $80 million contract to stay with the Cowboys, Odighizuwa is clearly getting more recognition for his services. Hooker isn’t nearly so well compensated. Both he and Donovan Wilson average just $7 million on their current deals, which are tied for the 25th-highest among all NFL safeties. That’s probably about right for Wilson, with some surprised that he wasn’t a salary cap casualty this offseason. But given where Hooker’s graded among his contemporaries, you could make the case now that he’s a bargain. The veteran’s value could be going up in 2025 under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. When healthy, Hooker played in Eberflus’ defense from 2018-2020 with the Colts. So not only is he one of the elder statesmen on defense now based on just age and experience, but he could play a vital role in helping teammates transition to the new defensive scheme. In an offseason dominated by discussions around star players, a guy like Malik Hooker can easily fly under the radar. We’re rightfully concerned about contract situations for Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland, as well as injury recovery timetables for Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown. But along with those stars, you also need the guys who provide adequate starting work at a reasonable price. Hooker certainly qualifies, and there’s potential for him to be even better in 2025 with the defensive changes.