Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Which Cowboys player do you trust the most at their particular job? When it comes to trust relative to NFL players we have to evaluated it on a person by person basis. Asking a question like “who do you trust the most” means measuring your trust for a certain person relative to the expectations that you have for them specifically. Today we are asking everyone which Dallas Cowboys player they trust the most, but if you say Brandon Aubrey over Micah Parsons you are not saying that you would draft the former over the latter in building a team. Aubrey is arguably the most trustworthy kicker in the entire NFL so if you were to answer him then that would make sense, but there are other options on the Cowboys roster like Parsons. Maybe you think that KaVontae Turpin as a return man is the most trustworthy player on the team or perhaps you will give your vote to someone like CeeDee Lamb. Whatever the case is we want to know. Who do you trust the most on the Cowboys at their particular job?

Think you can figure out which Cowboys player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game! Can you guess this free agent addition in today’s in-5 trivia game?Hey Cowboys fans! We’re back for another day of the Blogging The Boys in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form. If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article. Previous games Sunday, May 18, 2025Saturday, May 17, 2025Friday, May 16, 2025 Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games NFL in-5MLB in-5MMA in-5 Blogging The Boys in-5 instructions The goal of the game is to guess the correct Cowboys player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form. Enjoy!

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images How many young QBs will the Cowboys face this season? The Dallas Cowboys’ week two opponent, the New York Giants, traded up into the first round of the draft just a few weeks ago to select QB Jaxson Dart. The understanding in New York is that Russell Wilson is the likely starter – head coach Brian Daboll, speaking to reporters, said that Wilson “will be our starter” as they began OTAs – but the Jaxson Dart excitement is building in New York. This week, NBCSports analyst Chris Simms said he ‘would not be shocked’ if Jaxson Dart is Giants’ Week 1 starter. If this happens, there could be up to nine rookie or second-year quarterbacks starting in week one. The table below summarizes the QBs penciled in as the presumptive starters on the Ourlads.com depth charts (with Dart getting the nod over Wilson in New York) along with their NFL experience in years. AFC AFC East QB Exp BUF Josh Allen 7 MIA Tua Tagovailoa 5 NE Drake Maye 1 NYJ Justin Fields 4 AFC North QB Exp BAL Lamar Jackson 7 CIN Joe Burrow 5 PIT Mason Rudolph 5 CLE Joe Flacco 17 AFC South QB Exp HOU C.J. Stroud 2 IND Anthony Richardson 3 JAC Trevor Lawrence 4 TEN Cameron Ward 0 AFC West QB Exp KC Patrick Mahomes 8 LAC Justin Herbert 5 DEN Bo Nix 1 LV Geno Smith 11 NFC NFC East QB Exp PHI Jalen Hurts 5 WAS Jayden Daniels 1 DAL Dak Prescott 9 NYG Jaxson Dart 0 NFC North QB Exp DET Jared Goff 9 GB Jordan Love 4 MIN J.J. McCarthy 1* CHI Caleb Williams 1 NFC South QB Exp TB Baker Mayfield 7 ATL Michael Penix 1 CAR Bryce Young 2 NO Tyler Shough 0 NFC West QB Exp SF Brock Purdy 3 LAR Matthew Stafford 16 ARI Kyler Murray 6 SEA Sam Darnold 7 Greybeard Joe Flacco is the presumptive starter in Cleveland, which means the AFC North QBs have 34 years of combined NFL experience, the highest total of any division in the league. Add a potential Aaron Rodgers signing in Pittsburgh, and that number would climb to 49, clearly outpacing the NFC West (32 years) and AFC West (25). At the other end of the spectrum, the AFC South features a rookie in Tennessee, two guys entering their third seasons in Houston and Indianapolis, and four-year veteran Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. Combined NFL experience: eight years. All of this got me wondering: How many young QBs will the Cowboys face this season? Turns out, a lot! Here’s the Cowboys’ 2025 schedule, including the projected starting QBs and their respective NFL experience in years: Week Opponent QB Experience 1 @ Eagles Jalen Hurts 5 2 Giants Jaxson Dart 0 3 @ Bears Caleb Williams 1 4 Packers Jordan Love 4 5 @ Jets Justin Fields 4 6 @ Panthers Bryce Young 2 7 Commanders Jayden Daniels 1 8 @ Broncos Bo Nix 1 9 Cardinals Kyler Murray 6 10 Bye Week 11 @ Raiders Geno Smith 11 12 Eagles Jalen Hurts 5 13 Chiefs Patrick Mahomes 8 14 @ Lions Jared Goff 9 15 Vikings J.J. McCarthy 0 16 Chargers Justin Herbert 5 17 @ Commanders Jayden Daniels 1 18 @ Giants Jaxson Dart 0 A lot can happen between now and Week 1, but going by the data above, the Cowboys would face seven opponents whose quarterback is either a rookie or a second-year guy. Four other teams do as well (Raiders, Giants, Eagles, and Packers), but when you add up the QB experience of each team’s opponents, the Cowboys play 17 games against quarterbacks with a combined 64 years of NFL experience, the lowest value in the league. Notwithstanding what the Giants are trying to sell us about Jaxson Dart sitting behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston being “beneficial,” the days where teams would groom a young quarterback for a couple of years seem to be mostly behind us. The fact that a good quarter of the 32 starting QBs this season could end up being players with a year or less of NFL experience on opening weekend signals that the way the NFL operates has changed. These days, young quarterbacks are thrown into the NFL waters immediately, and they either sink or swim. It’s learning by doing instead of learning by sitting. In each of the last two years, three rookie QBs started for their team on opening weekend. In 2023, 10 rookie quarterbacks started at least one game over the course of the season, setting a new NFL record. Expectations for the young QBs in the league may be at the highest level they’ve ever been. So this is a good time to remember that Offensive Rookie of the Year performances like those from Jayden Daniels (2024) or C.J. Stroud (2023) are the exception, not the rule. This year, three rookies could end up starting at quarterback in Week 1. Cam Ward in Tennessee looks like a lock, Tyler Shough currently looks like the favorite in New Orleans, and Jaxson Dart in New York is also a possibility. It’s not going to be pretty for those young QBs, and a good defense will make them pay their NFL dues. Let’s hope the Cowboys are one of those defenses.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys have to start getting extensions taken care of. The Dallas Cowboys have spent a lot of money this offseason. Between re-signing their own free agents, signing outside free agents, and making trades, the team has allocated almost $70 million to their 2025 budget for the services of those players (see the full breakdown here). With all the activity that has taken place, there still remains one business matter needing attention, and that is re-signing their star edge rusher, Micah Parsons. The team’s 2021 first-round draft pick is still under contract through the 2025 season thanks to the team exercising his fifth-year option last year. All signs are pointing to a lucrative contract extension at some point before the new season begins. Stephen Jones has communicated to the media that a deal will eventually happen, but didn’t elaborate on when that would be. When everyone’s ready, it’ll happen. One might think that the urgency to get a deal done falls upon the front office since they don’t want him to hit the open market next offseason. There’s no chance the Cowboys will allow that to happen. However, unlike Dak Prescott a year ago, the team still has an ace up their sleeve to keep Parsons in Dallas another season. And that ace is the franchise tag. If the Cowboys aren’t able to get a deal done this year, the team can choose to slap the franchise tag on him next offseason. This move would most likely serve as a placeholder to keep him off the market and allow them to mid July of next year to finalize a long-term deal. Parsons’ annual cost would be cheaper than his average annual cost of a new deal because the tag price is an average of the top five salaries of players at his position, versus a cost that will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. His full tag price would count against the cap, whereas his first-year cap cost would be much cheaper if he signed a new deal. We would all just as soon have them get the deal done and over with, but the franchise tag next offseason is certainly an option available to them. However, that route becomes far less appealing if there is another player who might also be a candidate for the franchise tag. And there could be if the team also chooses not to re-sign DaRon Bland. The Cowboys keeping Parsons is a foregone conclusion. What they do with Bland remains a bit of a mystery. Bland burst on the scene in his second season with an impressive nine interceptions, five of which were returned for touchdowns. He missed part of last year with a foot injury, but was solid despite not filling up the highlight reel anywhere close to his big 2023 season. The team already extended Trevon Diggs a couple of years ago, but a grey cloud of doubt has crept over his future as the All-Pro has struggled to stay healthy. The team soon may have to choose which of their All-Pro corners they want to hang on to and part ways with the other one. If that’s the case, which one do they pick? That question is a lot harder to answer now than it would be after the season, which is why it could be wise for the team to have the franchise tag as an option next offseason. If the team already knows they want to keep Bland, then they should work on an extension before the new season starts. If they want to wait and see and give them more time to choose between him and Diggs, then waiting is the way to go. The only thing that muddles the water is not re-signing Bland or Parsons, forcing two key defensive players into free agency with only one franchise tag at their disposal. That would cause an unnecessary predicament. This dilemma can easily be avoided if they just extend one or the other. Parsons is the obvious choice because we all know he’s returning, and the only thing holding it up is the song and dance hoopla that seems to accompany any Jerry Jones contract extension these days. Sign Parsons this summer and save the tag option for Bland, where the added flexibility could be put to good use.

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Asking for your take on these Cowboys’ questions 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. Based on the recent schedule release, how many wins do you predict the Dallas Cowboys will have this year? Now that the 2025 NFL schedule has officially been released, it’s time to hear from Cowboys Nation. How many wins do you think the Dallas Cowboys will rack up this season? With key matchups laid out and primetime games locked in, there’s plenty of speculation flying around. Facing the Philadelphia Eagles on opening night, and again during the tight stretch of games over Thanksgiving sees a tough run of games. But facing teams like Chicago, Green Bay and Denver early in the season is a touch of fortune given they won’t be played in the heart of winter. Are you feeling optimistic about a deep playoff push, or cautious given the tough stretches ahead? Vote below, the drop your pre-training camp predictions in the comments. Will Micah Parsons get his deal done before the season starts? As yet, there is very little news on a contact extension for Micah Parsons. The Cowboys so far have had an intriguing and very positive offseason, but the big question now is whether star linebacker Micah Parsons will secure a contract extension before the season kicks off. Parsons, entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, has expressed a strong desire to remain with the Cowboys long-term. Negotiations have been sporadic, with reports indicating that Parsons is seeking a record-breaking extension that could make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. While other reports have stated he wants a “team-friendly deal”. Despite some public disputes and the complexities of salary cap management, both Parsons and the Cowboys’ front office have shown interest in reaching an agreement. A place where major deals have been secured in the past is in Oxnard. Perhaps the same will happen again this year. Or maybe we see a Dak situation again that came right down to the wire. Will Deuce Vaughn make the final 53-man roster this year? He was the highlight draft moment back in 2023, All-American honors and is one of just two Big-12 players to ever register 3,600 rushing yards and 1,250 receiving yards in a career while at Kansas State. Since then, Deuce Vaughn has been an enigma. He’s a big fan favorite and Cowboys Nation routinely back him up, but since joining Dallas his career has been lackluster. Only 110 rush yards for an average of 2.8 yards per carry and has yet to score a touchdown. The forecast was always he would be a special teams ace, but KaVontae Turpin holds that role securely, so the question becomes what to do with him. Does he make the final cut this year, or is he on the verge of seeking a new team after the recent free agency and draft additions? What’s your prediction on receiving yards for George Pickens this year this year? The Cowboys added a huge X receiver in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers by acquiring George Pickens. He’s known for his deep-threat capability, averaging 16.3 yards per reception during his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2023, he achieved a career-high 1,140 receiving yards, followed by 900 yards in 14 games in 2024. Now, as he joins forces with CeeDee Lamb in Dallas, expectations are high. Some analysts project that Pickens could surpass the 1,000-yard mark this season, with some setting the over/under at 950 yards. But what do you think? Is there any player from the UDFA signings you feel high on and want to see make the roster? We recently covered the undrafted free agents (UDFA) signings made by Dallas and gave you their scouting reports here on BTB. Are there any undrafted free agents that might secure a spot on the final 53-man roster? The Cowboys have a rich history of discovering impactful talent among UDFAs, most catch fans off guard. Is there any UDFA you feel has the potential to make this year’s roster?

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images What are your expectations for Javonte Williams? The Dallas Cowboys have been busy. Between the free agency, the draft, and trades, the front office has attacked weak spot after weak spot on the roster, covering quite a bit of ground. With each new move, a new position group takes over as one of the biggest needs. For example, just recently, everyone was worried about the WR2 spot, but after the George Pickens trade, those worries have disappeared. Now, it’s on to something else. One of those positions that has resurfaced as the “weakest link” is the running back position. The Cowboys have done things to address the position group. Many things. They started by signing two veteran free agents in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. They followed that up by drafting Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. That’s four new backs. While the quantity is plentiful, the quality leaves something to be desired. Both free agents were low-cost signings. Both draft picks were late-round selections. Are we really to expect the Cowboys’ running game to hinge on some assortment between two veterans who have both been ineffective in each of the last two seasons or two rookie backs taken late in the draft? For the new rookies, Blue and Mafah, it’s hard to know what to expect. Rookie backs can hit the ground running, and they don’t have to be high draft picks to do so. We’ll just have to wait and see how those guys pan out, but it’s perfectly natural to be both excited and skeptical at the same time. All signs are pointing to the veteran Williams to start the season as the team’s lead running back. A second-round pick in 2021, he was one of the best backs coming out of college, averaging 7.3 yards in his final year at North Carolina. Surprisingly, he wasn’t even the leading rusher on the Tarheels his last year in college. That went to senior Michael Carter, who was also drafted in 2021, but not until the fourth round. Williams was the thunder to Carter’s lightning. He was one of the best at making guys miss, leading the FBS with 47 missed tackles in his final year. And that translated well in the NFL. During his rookie season with the Denver Broncos, he broke a tackle every 6.5 rushing attempts. That was the best in the league that year. He has powerful legs, excellent contact balance, and a willingness to lower the shoulder and punish defenders. Coming out of college, Javonte Williams was one of the best running backs at forcing missed tackles. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry in his final year. In his rookie season, he broke a tackle every 6.5 rushing attempts, BEST in the NFL. Pre-knee injury, this guy was a bruiser. pic.twitter.com/tQTDhK0WFg — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) May 13, 2025 But then Williams suffered a bad knee injury four games into his second season. He tore his ACL, LCL, and posterolateral corner. He hasn’t been the same back since. Over the past two seasons, he’s rushed the ball a total of 356 times for 1,287 yards, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. And he’s not breaking tackles anymore. Last season, he finished with the third-worst tackling-breaking rate, breaking a tackle once every 34.8 attempts. That is quite the contrast from his rookie season. When we try to diagnose the decline of Williams, it’s easy to point to the knee injury. Obviously, that’s a big factor. Watching tape of him before and after, you can see that his build-up speed is not the same. When the strength of your game is predicated on force and angle of contact, a slight dip in one’s ability to create momentum can be a big deal. If defenders can beat him to the spot and square up without him gaining a head of steam, he’s not going anywhere. He’s not an elusive guy who makes guys miss with his wiggle, his decision-making is a fraction slow, and he doesn’t have great speed. He’s really just a bruiser back and nothing more. The question for Williams and his ability to be an asset for this offense will stem from how well he and the blocking scheme come together. Will he bring more juice, being a year further removed from his knee injury? Can the new offensive regime create holes for him to build up steam and power through creases? There are opportunities for things to go well, but also for this to be a whole lot of nothing. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants a physical run game, and that’s right up his alley. Williams is also very good in the passing game. He’s a good blocker to help out in pass protection, and he is sneaky good as a pass catcher. The Broncos used him well on swing screens, where he kept his momentum going, getting out in space. He had 52 receptions last year for 346 yards. He has all the tools to be a three-down back. He’s also a high-character guy who fits the culture Schotty is creating. He’s an intelligent back who was a valedictorian in high school. There shouldn’t be any issues with him coming in and doing what the coaches ask of him. We don’t know how effective he’ll be, but what we do know is that he lines up well as a nice running back partner with the rookie Blue. They have contrasting skill sets. Don’t expect Williams’ yards per attempt to spike up as his job will be to pound away at the defense and get the job done in short-yardage situations. Wear them down enough that when they change things up with Blue, the opportunities for big plays go up. Who knows, with any luck, they might be able to bring a little thunder and lightning of their own to the offense. Nothing stormy, just a few scattered showers here and there. If Williams can return to his bruising

Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news Cowboys’ schedule does 1st-round pick no favors in opening weeks, scheme must support him – Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire Out of the frying pan, and into the fire. Cowboys Tyler Booker, will be challenged by stiff competition to begin his career. Booker, drafted with the No. 12 overall pick, is the Cowboys top prize this draft cycle. The Alabama guard is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the field. He’s a born leader who figures to be a cornerstone in Dallas for years to come. He just has to survive the first two weeks of the season. The Cowboys have had the unfortunate luck to draw two of their most hated rivals right out of the gate in 2025. Philadelphia and New York are at opposite ends of the NFC East spectrum, but they both bring equally nasty challenges to the Cowboys’ top rookie. Jalen Carter and Dexter Lawrence are two of the best, if not THE best, defensive tackles the NFL has to offer. They are physically imposing in strength, quickness and technique and can routinely get the best of even the most polished and proven guards the NFL has to offer. To think a rookie, making the first two starts of his career, has to face off against these superstars is concerning to say the least. New Cowboys teammates CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens teaming up tonight in Arizona at Kyler Murray’s Charity Softball game pic.twitter.com/Q9T9nNbLtH — DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) May 18, 2025 Key NFL players set to storm back from injury in 2025 season: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott ready to rebound? Cody Benjamin, CBSSports. All eyes on No. 4 It’s bad enough that Prescott missed nine games — roughly half the Dallas Cowboys’ season — in 2024. The fact he’s now missed extensive time in three of his last five seasons means there’s even more pressure on the 31-year-old to stay upright. Still, with Tyler Booker plugged in up front and George Pickens now opposite CeeDee Lamb out wide, Prescott should have the support to flirt with the playoffs again. The real question is whether he can carve out the defining January run his resume still lacks. Jaydon Blue drips out in Dallas Cowboy threads at NFLPA event – Hayden Victoria, Longhorns Wire Jaydon Blue stood out in Cowboys blue at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Jaydon Blue was among the select group of NFL newcomers featured at the 2025 NFLPA Rookie Premiere, an annual event introducing the league’s most marketable first-year players to the business side of professional football. Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas, was the only member of the Cowboys’ 2025 draft class invited to the prestigious event, which ran May 14-17 in Los Angeles. His selection for the Rookie Premiere shows his profile as one of the most promising Day 3 picks in the 2025 draft, and the Cowboys’ hope that Blue’s explosiveness can translate to the next level. As the only Dallas rookie at the event, Blue’s presence also shows the franchises belief in his potential impact both on and off the field. Translating from the elite Longhorn culture to the elite Dallas culture should come easy for Blue. Most underrated Cowboys player ahead of the 2025 season – Jonathon Macri, PFF Malik Hooker gets the nod for Dallas. 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. #Cowboys Michael Irvin predicts the team’s win-loss record for the 2025 season: I for one am shocked at his prediction. ( : @RichEisenShow on IG) pic.twitter.com/gsJ2H2D0S5 — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) May 17, 2025 Zero to 100: A numerical look at the Cowboys’ 2025 schedule – Tommy Yarish, dallascowboys.com Breaking down the Cowboys season by the numbers. Let’s take a deeper dive into the numbers behind the Cowboys’ schedule and what makes it unique compared to years past: 0: The Cowboys currently have zero regular-season games ever played in the city of Las Vegas. The team did play in the preseason last season but will make their first official trip to the Sin City for the Nov. 17 game against the Raiders on Monday Night Football. 4: The Cowboys will play on Thursday night four times in 2025, the most times a team has played on Thursday in NFL history. Week 1 against the Eagles, Week 13 against the Chiefs, Week 14 against Detroit and Week 17 against the Commanders all come on Thursday nights. The good news for Dallas is that they’ll only have a short week in two of those instances, going into the game against Kansas City on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day against the Commanders. 6: For the second year in a row, the Cowboys will play in six primetime games in the 2025 season. In 2024, they went a split 3-3 with wins over the Giants, Steelers and Buccaneers and losses coming to the 49ers, Texans and Bengals. This season, they’ll play at night against the Eagles in Week 1, Packers in Week 4, Cardinals in Week 9, Raiders in Week 11, Lions in Week 14, and Vikings in Week 15. 7: 2025 will be the seventh time in the Cowboys’ history that they’ll play both teams that played in the year prior’s Super Bowl matchup during the regular season. The Eagles are a given with them and the Cowboys both being in the NFC East, but Dallas will also host the Chiefs, who lost Super LIX to Philadelphia 40-22, on Thanksgiving. In fact, they’ll actually play both teams

John Jones-Imagn Images The NFC East is going to be very interesting in 2025. Jaxson Dart in good hands with Brian Daboll, New York Giants — renowned QB coach – Ed Valentine, BigBlueView.com Maybe Daboll’s magic with Josh Allen will transfer to Jaxson Dart. Quarterback coach Jordan Palmer has never worked with or met Jaxson Dart. Palmer and I had never met, either. When I reached out to Palmer’s reps about having him on my podcast to talk about Dart and quarterback development, though, Palmer couldn’t wait to make it happen. “I’m happy to talk about him because I’ve got a lot of good things to say,” Palmer told me. “If I didn’t have anything good to say I wouldn’t have said anything at all. “I don’t do a ton of interviews but when this was set up I was like ‘I’d love to talk about Jaxson Dart.’ I literally don’t know him. I’ve watched almost every snap he’s played, I know everybody who trains him, guys who played with him. I have two clients who backed him up last year. I got to know a lot about this kid.” Palmer’s list of quarterback clients includes Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix and Josh Allen. His work with Allen, of course, makes him intimately familiar with Giants head coach Brian Daboll works with quarterbacks. “I genuinely feel like it’s a great fit,” Palmer said. “I’ve got a couple buddies that are diehard Giants fans. You guys should have something to be excited about right now, for sure.” Palmer has referred to Allen as “the best athlete to ever play that position” of quarterback. So, let’s dispense with the idea that Daboll can or will turn Dart into Allen. That is not realistic. Palmer, though, does believe Dart is in good hands. “I really like this marriage between Jaxson and Brian Daboll and his staff because I do see a lot of things in Jaxson’s game,” Palmer said. “I don’t work with Jaxson, but I certainly look at the game differently. I break down every single guy in the draft. I do my own draft grades. “I’ve been right a lot more than I’ve been wrong, and I was really high on Jaxson.” Eagles’ Saquon Barkley Has Message For Ravens’ Derrick Henry – Patrick McAvoy, Sports Illustrated Star running backs support star running backs that get new contracts. It’s no secret that the running back position has had an odd few years in the National Football League. The running back position as a whole likely has been underpaid and unappreciated. This is something that has been specifically shown in free agency. But, times are starting to change. Philadelphia Eagles superstar Saquon Barkley has helped to break the mold. Last year, he signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles after the New York Giants refused to pay him what he’s worth. Barkley responded by having one of the best season by a running back in National Football League history. He racked up over 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season and over 2,500 yards overall including the playoffs. Barkley landed a new two-year, $41.2 million extension this offseason with Philadelphia. The running back position is starting to at least see the beginning of a sort of renaissance and another guy who has helped with this fact is Baltimore Ravens superstar Derrick Henry. He somehow only landed a two-year, $16 million deal last year with the Ravens but after yet another great campaign landed a two-year, $30 million extension on Wednesday. Barkley had a brief message for his fellow superstar. @KingHenry_2 yesssirr ✊ ✊ https://t.co/LhxFv07TGp — Saquon Barkley (@saquon) May 15, 2025 Times are changing and these two are leading the charge. The running back position is starting to get the respect it deserves and the performance of generational stars like Barkley and Henry will significantly help those that will come next. Commanders will face four opponents coming off byes in 2025 – Michael David Smith, NBC Sports Washington’s opponents will have plenty of rest this season. The Commanders will play some well-rested opponents this season. The NFL schedule makers gave Washington four games against teams coming off their bye weeks, which is the most of any team in the NFL this season. The Commanders will see the Bears in Week Six, Seahawks in Week Nine, Broncos in Week 13, and Giants in Week 15, all coming off their byes. The Commanders’ bye is in Week 12 at the same time as the Broncos, so Washington does not get to play a less-rested team after its own bye week. According to Seth Walder of ESPN, only 10 teams since 2002 have had to play four different opponents coming off their byes. The good news for the Commanders is that bye weeks have become less important in recent years, and last year teams coming off their byes actually had a losing record. So the extra rest may not help the Commanders’ opponents all that much.

Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Here is our report on cornerback Bruce Harmon We finish looking into this year’s undrafted free agent signings made by the Dallas Cowboys with a scouting report on cornerback Bruce Harmon from Stephen F. Austin. Bruce Harmon CBStephen F. Austin LumberjacksSenior2-star recruit 6’0”200 lbs History Bruce Harmon, a redshirt senior cornerback for the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, hails from Rockwall, Texas, where he attended Rockwall-Heath High School. During his high school career, Harmon showcased his athleticism and football IQ, earning attention from several collegiate programs. He received offers from Air Force, Incarnate Word, Missouri State, and Division II Henderson State before committing to Stephen F. Austin. Rated a two-star recruit, Harmon brought a competitive edge and versatility to the Lumberjacks’ secondary. In 2019, Harmon saw limited action, appearing in four games. He recorded just one total tackle and gained initial experience at the collegiate level. In a season shortened by the pandemic in 2020, Harmon played in seven games. He led the team with three interceptions and contributed four pass breakups. His standout performance included a season-high five tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup against Angelo State. He also notched two interceptions against Abilene Christian the following week. The next year, Harmon played in all 12 games, amassing 27 total tackles, including two tackles for loss. He tied for third on the team with two interceptions and six pass breakups. Additionally, he recorded one blocked kick, demonstrating his special teams prowess. Continuing his consistent play, Harmon appeared in all 11 games in 2022. He tallied 24 total tackles and one tackle for loss. He added seven pass breakups and two interceptions to his stat line, earning a spot on the All-WAC Third Team for his contributions. In 2023, Harmon maintained his role as a key defensive back, playing in ten games for SFA. He recorded 20 total tackles and made nine pass breakups. He also secured one interception, continuing to be a reliable presence in the secondary. In the 2024 season, Harmon concluded his collegiate career at Stephen F. Austin with a strong performance as a redshirt senior cornerback. He played in ten games, recording 15 solo tackles and six assists. He also added one pass breakup and added one interception to his stat line. Notably, he was named to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist, highlighting his status as a good FCS defensive back prospect. 2024 Statistics 416 Defensive Snaps231 Coverage Snaps21 Total Tackles1 INT3 Pass Breakups71.3 Passer Rating Allowed 46% Completion Rate Allowed0 Penalties NFL Combine/Pro Day N/A Awards All-WAC Third Team (2023) Scorecard Speed- 71Acceleration- 77Agility- 67Strength- 68Tackling- 59Run Defense- 66Zone Coverage- 65Man Coverage- 60Press- 67Discipline- 80 THE GOOD Times his jumps for pass breakups effectively. Six-year collegiate career with plenty of experience on defense and special teams. Shows strong awareness in zone and understanding of route combinations. Plays with strength and control, especially against mid-sized and bigger targets. Comfortable in both man and zone schemes. Doesn’t shy away from contact in run support. Reliable open-field tackler. THE BAD Lacks top-end speed for the position. Will struggle with NFL-level burners on deep routes. Not overly twitchy, has average recovery speed when initially beaten. Struggles against sharp route runners in off-man coverage. Can get a bit stiff in the hips when flipping to run vertically. Footwork can occasionally lag against sudden double moves. Played in the WAC against FCS opponents; step up to NFL talent will be significant. UDFA HIGHLIGHTS Bruce HarmonCBStephen F. Austin#DallasCowboys #Cowboys #NFLDraft2025 #Lumberjacks pic.twitter.com/FndHFhPvm4 — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) May 13, 2025 THE FIT Bruce Harmon is a seasoned, instinctive cornerback who brings physicality and ball production to the secondary. Over his six-year collegiate career at Stephen F. Austin, he consistently demonstrated sharp instincts in coverage. His size allows him to match up well against bigger receivers, and he excels in press coverage where his strength and hand placement are assets. Harmon’s tackling is reliable, especially in open space, and he brings a high football IQ thanks to his extensive experience. He’s also contributed on special teams, adding value beyond defense. While Harmon is technically sound and physical, he lacks elite athletic traits that may limit his upside at the next level. His top-end speed and burst are average, making him susceptible to separation from faster receivers on deep routes. He doesn’t have the kind of twitch or fluid hips seen in high-end man coverage corners, which could be exposed against polished NFL route runners. Having played six years in college, his developmental window is narrower than younger prospects, and his transition from FCS to the NFL will require an extremely steep learning curve. Given the current roster dynamics, Harmon’s projection leans towards securing a spot on the practice squad, but for a player like Harmon this is a monumental task and will require some serious standout performances at training camp. His time in Oxnard will be crucial in determining his place within the Cowboys’ defensive plans, but a lot of focus will be on Shavon Revel Jr. and the health of Trevor Diggs. COMPARISON: Chris Westry, Dallas Cowboys BTB GRADE: N/A CONSENSUS RANKING: N/A(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)

Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images Which of this year’s Day 3 draft picks are you most excited about? It’s been a while since the Cowboys found a starter, or even a key role player, with one of their sixth- or seventh-round draft picks. This didn’t used to be so unusual in Dallas, but lately, it’s been a dry spell. Hopefully, one of their 2025 late-round rookies will end the drought. You can quickly get into a semantics argument about the term “late-round pick,” with some arguing that fifth-rounders or even all Day 3 picks qualify. And even if we did include fifth-round picks, you wouldn’t have much to show from recent history beyond CB DaRon Bland. The jury’s still out on guys like Asim Richards and Caelen Carson. But for today, we’re focusing on those final two rounds. When the Cowboys go to training camp this year, only Donovan Wilson and Israel Mukuamu will be late-round guys who aren’t still on their original contracts. And from that latter group, there’s nobody left from 2022 and only Deuce Vaughn and Jalen Brooks from 2023. Ryan Flournoy and Nathan Thomas are still here from last year’s draft. So is Justin Rogers, but only after not making it past final cuts, spending most of last year on the Bengals’ practice squad, and getting poached by Dallas in late December. Obviously, none of these guys outside of Wilson is a starter or even expected to play a major role this season. Right now, most of them are on the roster bubble at best. This isn’t a surprise for most late-round picks, but it’s unfortunate that the Cowboys haven’t found more from their McCarthy-era drafts. Before 2020, we generally came away with a least one useful player from the sixth and seventh rounds. The most notable during Jason Garrett’s tenure was CB Anthony Brown in 2016, who stuck around for seven years and started 69 games. We also got S Kavon Frazier that year, who played out his rookie deal in a backup role. 2017 brought S Xavier Woods, who started nearly every game during his four years. Special teams ace Dwayne Harris came in 2011, as did memorable offensive role players like Geoff Swaim (2015) and James Hanna (2012) at tight end and Noah Brown (2017) and Cedrick Wilson (2018) at receiver. Even guys who didn’t stick long in Dallas, like CB Terrance Mitchell (2014) and DT Sean Lissemore (2010), found traction with other teams after leaving. If not for back and neck injuries which cut his career short, 2013 sixth-round pick DeVonte Holloman might have been the best of the bunch. He looked like a budding playmaker at linebacker when he did get on the field as a rookie, but a preseason neck injury in 2014 led to his early retirement and one of the sadder “we’ll never know” stories. So yeah, we either used to be better at finding late-round talent or at least had better luck with them. Either way, it’d be nice to get back to it with these 2025 picks. Several are poised to play significant roles, perhaps even as rookies, if they can hit the ground running. Take sixth-round OL Ajani Cornelius. While we’re not looking for him to challenge Tyler Guyton or Terence Steele for their starting jobs, could he make a push for swing tackle? Asim Richards has the job right now by default, and it’d be nice to more competitive there. If Cornelius can provide versatile depth at tackle and guard, that can help Dallas with its roster decisions come August. Many are excited about seventh-round RB Phil Mafah’s potential as the thunder to Jaydon Blue’s lightning. Outside of FB Hunter Luepke, whose value as a ball carrier is still questionable, no other current option has a real power game. Mafah could be very important in certain game situations, rounding out the depth chart with his strengths. DT Jay Toia could be Dallas’ leading nose tackle right out of the gate. Mazi Smith will still have a say in that, but Toia comes out of college with more experience and natural fitness for the role. If Smith gets recast in Matt Eberflus’ scheme, or perhaps falls out of favor completely, Toia could be asked to handle some heavy burdens early. His fellow seventh-rounder, Tommy Akingbesote, could also be competitive at what’s currently a thin DT depth chart. Even before the last five years, there were plenty of late-round picks who we saw little to nothing from. For every good name we mentioned before there were even more like Jalen Jelks, Mike Weber, Markques White, Darius Jackson, Rico Gathers, Mark Nzeocha, Ben Gardner, Caleb McSurdy, and others who came and went. That’s the norm for sixth- and seventh-rounders, but at least with all those misses we usually had at least one hit every year or two. Hopefully, this 2025 group will help get our batting average back up.