Carter Skaggs/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Here’s our scouting report on Mike Smith Jr We continue looking into this year’s undrafted free agent signings made by the Dallas Cowboys and give you our scouting report on each player. Today we are looking at defensive back Mike Smith Jr. from Eastern Kentucky. Mike Smith Jr. DBEastern Kentucky ColonelsSenior3-star recruit 6’1”206 lbs History Mike Smith Jr. attended First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he excelled as a defensive back. In his senior year, he averaged five tackles and three pass breakups per game, totaling two interceptions. His performance earned him all-conference honors and a three-star recruit rating. He was also recognized as a defensive captain during his high school tenure. He began his college career at Appalachian State University, where he saw action in nine games as a true freshman. Most of his contributions came on special teams, though he also got occasional snaps at defensive back. Despite limited playing time, he managed to register four tackles and began building a foundation for the years ahead. In his second season at Appalachian State, Smith appeared in 11 games and continued to contribute on special teams. However, coaching changes and a crowded depth chart limited his opportunities to establish a presence on defense and played only three snaps on defense all season. Seeking a better fit and more playing time, he entered the transfer portal following the season. Smith transferred to Eastern Kentucky University and immediately began making an impact on the Colonels’ defense. In his first season with EKU, he played in 10 games and started five, finishing the year with 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, and a pass breakup. His performance included a standout seven-tackle game against Gardner-Webb, signaling his emergence as a dependable defensive back. Elevated to a full-time starter, Smith started all 11 games in 2023 and significantly increased his production. He recorded 56 total tackles, 13 pass breakups, and two interceptions, showcasing improved ball skills and coverage ability. One of his top performances came in a matchup against Tarleton State, where he tallied a career-high 10 tackles and made one interception. His consistency and playmaking helped solidify EKU’s secondary throughout the season. As a senior, Smith served as a team captain and took his game to another level, earning national recognition. He led the team with 63 tackles and tied for the conference lead with four interceptions. He also added 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble cementing his reputation as one of the top defensive backs in the United Athletic Conference. His efforts earned him First-Team All-UAC and First-Team AFCA All-American honors, along with an invitation to the prestigious East-West Shrine Bowl. 2024 Statistics 845 Defensive Snaps479 Coverage Snaps63 Total Tackles4 INT10 Pass Breakups1 Forced Fumble82.6 Passer Rating Allowed 54% Completion Rate Allowed3 Penalties NFL Combine/Pro Day N/A Awards FCS All-American (2024)First-Team All-UAC (2024) Scorecard Speed- 70Acceleration- 67Agility- 75Strength- 60Tackling- 70Run Defense- 69Zone Coverage- 81Man Coverage- 61Press- 60Discipline- 92 THE GOOD He tracks the ball well in the air never losing sight of it. Has strong hands for interceptions and deflections. Excellent awareness in zone coverage. Reads quarterbacks and routes well, leading to timely breakups or turnovers. Can play both free safety and nickel corner, giving defensive coordinators versatility. Served as team captain in 2024. Known for strong communication and leadership on the field and in the locker room. Plenty of special teams experience. THE BAD Misses tackles due to poor angles or lunging instead of wrapping up. Can struggle shedding blocks and lacks ideal physicality when taking on larger running backs. Lacks elite closing burst or recovery speed, which may limit his role in man coverage against faster receivers. At times relies more on instincts than refined footwork, which leads to being out of position. Bites easily on play-action or pump fakes. Played primarily at the FCS level, so there’s some projection involved regarding how well his skills will translate against NFL-caliber athletes. UDFA HIGHLIGHTS Mike SmithSEastern Kentucky#DallasCowboys #Cowboys #NFLDraft2025 #Colonels pic.twitter.com/eFxnrQxj3W — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) May 11, 2025 THE FIT Mike Smith Jr. brings a well-rounded skill set to the defensive backfield, highlighted by his excellent ball skills. His strong instincts and football IQ are especially evident in zone coverage, where he reads quarterbacks effectively and anticipates routes to jump passing lanes. Smith’s versatility allows him to line up as a free safety or slide into the nickel, offering valuable flexibility to defensive coordinators. He plays with poise and confidence, serving as a vocal leader and team captain during his senior year at Eastern Kentucky. While Smith is a productive and instinctive defender, there are several areas in his game that require refinement. His open-field tackling can be inconsistent, as he occasionally takes poor angles or lunges rather than wrapping up with good technique. Against the run, he can struggle with physicality, particularly when engaging larger ball carriers or shedding blocks. He also lacks elite top-end speed, which may limit his ability to recover against faster receivers in man coverage. Lastly, having played primarily at the FCS level, it’s tough to determine how well his game will translate against NFL-level speed and competition. This gives him a huge uphill battle. Smith’s versatility is something interesting for Dallas, particularly at the nickel cornerback position. With the departure of Jourdan Lewis and injuries to other cornerbacks, the Cowboys will be exploring options to find a defender for the slot corner role. Smith’s experience at both safety and nickel back, combined with his strong instincts and ball skills, make him a potential fit for the defense. His leadership qualities, demonstrated during his tenure at Eastern Kentucky, further enhance his appeal. While he may initially contribute on special teams, Smith has the opportunity to earn a spot on the 53-man roster by showcasing his adaptability and football intelligence during training camp. His biggest issue are in both man coverage and his athleticism, both need a huge overhaul. If he fails to raise

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images What would you say are the biggest remaining questions you have about the Cowboys? The bulk of the Cowboys’ offseason work for 2025 is over. Free agency is down to table scraps, the draft’s come and gone, and most players on the roster today will be heading to Oxnard, CA in late July for training camp. As the team now focuses on rookie camps and OTAs, what are the biggest questions lingering for these final months before camp? A big one got answered last week when Dallas finally found its new WR2, trading a future pick for George Pickens. That would have been the chief concern in all our minds, and intrigue about how Pickens meshes with his new coaches and teammates certainly remains a hot topic. But that’s a far better worry than what the Cowboys had before the trade. So with the WR problem off the board, what’s next? What’s up with Micah Parsons’ contract? The long-term future of the best player on the roster is certainly a worthy concern. While the Cowboys could easily retain his services in 2026 and 2027 through the franchise tag, that would mean locking up tons of salary cap space on those one-year, fully guaranteed deals. The better thing for overall roster management, and for preserving a good relationship with Parsons, is to agree to a multi-year extension. At this point, the market has been set by new contracts for other top edge rushers like Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter, and Maxx Crosby. Given his younger age and comparable production, Parsons can demand to make as much or even more than they do. So it’s really just a matter of working out details like the number of years and the amount of guaranteed money in the deal. Contract talks tend to stall around this time of year as teams focus on the draft and the spring practices. We can expect them to pick back up in June and, hopefully, be resolved before the start of camp. Especially with Matt Eberflus’ arrival as the new defensive coordinator, having Parsons in the mix as early as possible is important. But even if he doesn’t report right away, as have Zack Martin, CeeDee Lamb, and others in similar situations, there’s little worry that there won’t be an agreement before we get too deep into August. When will various key players be healthy enough to return? Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, and DeMarvion Overshown highlight the list of players who finished last season on the injured list. Thankfully, QB1 appears to be making excellent progress from his leg injury and there’s been little talk of him not playing Week 1, or even missing much of camp. But as for the two defensive stars, the prognosis isn’t as favorable. Diggs went on IR after battling knee issues most of last year. There were reports of frustration from the front office about how Diggs approached his rehab from the 2023 injury, which Jerry Jones confirmed with some comments a few weeks ago. The effects of that were seen last season and may cost Diggs some games this year. At least Jones now sounds happy about Diggs’ current effort with his recovery. But the veteran corner is still expected to miss camp and probably at least the early portion of 2025. Overshown’s breakout season was cut short by a major knee injury in Week 14. Full recovery won’t come until the middle of the year, with some projecting that Overshown may have to skip 2025 entirely. A lot could depend on how the Cowboys are performing overall and if Overshown’s return would help them make a late-season push to the playoffs and perhaps better contend in the postseason. While not as high-profile as these, cornerbacks Caelen Carson and Josh Butler are also worth monitoring. Diggs’ likely absence, plus losing Jourdan Lewis in free agency, means these young prospects will be needed. Even after drafting Shavon Revel Jr., Dallas could still be asking Carson or Butler to be their third CB until Diggs returns. Carson should be all the way back from last year’s shoulder injury, but Butler’s ACL tear will likely keep him limited or out entirely from camp and perhaps into the regular season. How will things shake out at running back? It could be an entirely new cast at RB this year after Dallas signed veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, then drafted Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. It will certainly look very different from 2024, and now the questions are who will actually make the team and how the touches will be split between them. The rookies would seem to have the clearest paths to the roster. Your one sure bet is Blue, who is the frontrunner to be the primary back. Some have suggested he’s the most talented RB to come to Dallas since Ezekiel Elliott, but his size will limit him from being a workhorse and all-purpose back. Blue likely knocks Deuce Vaughn off the roster as the speed and receiving threat. Then Mafah, the one true power RB, is the logical choice to make up where Blue lacks. But he’ll have to deal with Hunter Luepke, who offers a lot of versatility as a blocker and special teamer. That said, the veterans won’t go away quietly. Williams is still just 25 and, now further removed from a major 2022 knee injury, could have his best chance to shine. Sanders feels like an afterthought now, especially since the draft, but does bring the most experience to the mix. That matters more at other positions than RB, though. Who’s the new backup quarterback? Dallas gave up one of their fifth-round picks this year for Joe Milton III, making him their new developmental QB after one year in New England. But he won’t just be handed the immediate backup job as veteran Will Grier is also here to compete. There’s a chance at least one more passer will be added for Oxnard, at least

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images The Dallas Mavericks won the NBA lottery and that is insane. The Dallas Cowboys picked up a talented new player last week when they traded for George Pickens, but if you are a fan of every sports team in the metroplex then the good news did not stop there. On Monday night the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA lottery despite having only 1.8% odds to do so. This happened just a few months after the team traded away Luka Doncic and cast themselves into serious darkness as far as the Association as a whole was concerned. The moment we won #MFFL pic.twitter.com/KfsitX1tFE — Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 13, 2025 But things can turn on a dime in the world of sports and that appears to have happened for the Mavericks. They are in all likelihood going to spend the number one overall pick on Duke forward Cooper Flagg. Maybe you are a fan of the Mavericks or perhaps you root for a non-Dallas team. But for our Tuesday discussion we are simply stunned that this happened. Can you believe it?

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 Monday, May 12, 2025Sunday, May 11, 2025Saturday, May 10, 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 Michael Hickey/Getty Images Here is our report on defensive back Zion Childress We begin looking into this year’s undrafted free agent signings made by the Dallas Cowboys and give you our scouting report on each player. Today we are looking at defensive back Zion Childress from Kentucky. Zion Childress SKentucky Wildcats Senior3-star recruit 6’0”195 lbs Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images History Zion Childress showcased exceptional dual-threat capabilities as a quarterback at New Caney High School. In the 2019 season, he amassed 656 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 62 carries. Through the air, he completed 29 of 52 passes for 672 yards, throwing eight touchdowns with four interceptions. This would earn him a three-star recruit rating and would join Texas State in 2020. Childress made an immediate impact as a freshman safety, participating in all 12 games. He recorded 61 total tackles along with one tackle for loss and four pass deflections. Continuing his upward trajectory, Childress again played in all 12 games, increasing his tackle count to 74 total tackles. He added two tackles for loss, one interception, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Childress felt he had established himself as a standout defensive back at Texas State, but he felt the need to step out of his comfort zone and grow further as a player. He expressed that he was “getting very comfortable” at Texas State and sought to “challenge himself”, indicating his motivation to push the boundaries and develop his skills in a more demanding environment. Upon entering the transfer portal, Childress received interest from several programs, including TCU and Washington, but ultimately chose Kentucky. After transferring to Kentucky, Childress appeared in 13 games. He contributed 34 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and three pass deflections. In the 2023 season, Childress maintained a strong presence on the field with 13 game appearances. He tallied 59 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, three pass deflections, and recovered one fumble. In the 2024 season, Childress played in 12 games, recording 55 total tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, two pass deflections, and one forced fumbles. 2024 Statistics 608 Defensive Snaps274 Coverage Snaps55 Total Tackles6 TFL1 Sack2 Pass Breakups1 Forced Fumble118.6 Passer Rating Allowed 77% Completion Rate Allowed1 Penalty NFL Combine/Pro Day Shuttle- 4.35s (48%)3C- 7.08s (60%) Awards N/A Scorecard Speed- 72Acceleration- 77Agility- 62Strength- 79Tackling- 64Run Defense- 62Zone Coverage- 76Man Coverage- 65Press- 58Discipline- 90 THE GOOD Has the versatility to play multiple positions in the secondary from safety, nickel back, and even boundary corner. His high school quarterback experience has gifted him with high football IQ and an advanced understanding of offensive schemes. Known for setting the tone in the secondary and locker room with his leadership. Reliable wrap-up tackler who rarely misses in space. Willing to play downhill and support the run defense, especially from the nickel or box. Smart zone defender who maintains depth and spacing with good awareness of crossing routes. High-effort player with experience on special teams units. THE BAD Needs to convert more plays on the ball and doesn’t consistently finish at the catch point. Below average top-end speed and burst, which may be exposed in man coverage against elite slot receivers. Recovery speed is poor, which limits upside in deep coverage roles. Solidly built but not overly long or explosive. Struggles against bigger tight ends. Footwork can be a bit clunky in transition out of backpedal, particularly when flipping hips in man coverage. Can be late reacting to double moves or sharp route breaks. UDFA HIGHLIGHTS Zion ChildressSKentucky#DallasCowboys #Cowboys #NFLDraft2025 #Kentucky pic.twitter.com/4jjPAheGQX — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) May 10, 2025 THE FIT Zion Childress is a versatile and intelligent defensive back with extensive collegiate experience. His background as a high school quarterback gives him a high football IQ and a strong understanding of offensive concepts, which enhances his play recognition and positioning in zone coverage. He has proven himself as a dependable tackler, consistently contributing in run support with physicality and discipline. His ability to play multiple positions (free safety, strong safety, and nickel) adds significant value to his profile. His leadership qualities are also noteworthy, having served as a team captain and earned the trust of coaching staffs. Despite his experience, Childress lacks high-end athletic traits that might limit his upside at the next level. He does not possess good speed or sudden burst, which can be problematic in man coverage. In coverage, he can be slow to transition out of his backpedal and occasionally struggles to mirror sharp route breaks, particularly against shiftier slot receivers. Physically he lacks the ideal size or length to consistently match up with NFL tight ends in coverage. These limitations suggest his best path to a long-term roster spot may come through special teams. Childress fits well with what the Dallas Cowboys value in their depth defensive backs: versatility, toughness, and special teams reliability. Childress’s ability to play multiple roles, especially in the box or as a nickel safety, makes him a strong schematic fit and predicting what the position holds in the future. With questions surrounding depth behind Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, there’s a small opening for a physical, assignment-sound player like Childress to push for a role in sub-packages, maybe as a dime linebacker or third safety in three-safety looks. His leadership and football IQ also align with the locker room culture Dallas is trying to reinforce this season. Best case scenario for him this year is to grab a practice squad position and develop athletically for next season, when the safety position will be looking to make changes. COMPARISON: Amani Hooker, Tennessee Titans BTB GRADE: 489th CONSENSUS RANKING: 468th(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Can the Cowboys continue to improve heading into training camp? The Dallas Cowboys had a busier than usual offseason in 2025, but the offseason is not over. In free agency, the Cowboys added Javonte Williams, Jack Sanborn, Robert Jones, Dante Fowler, Solomon Thomas, and Miles Sanders — all players who have their fair share of starting experience in the NFL. Additionally, the Cowboys traded for George Pickens, Kaiir Elam, Kenneth Murray, and Joe Milton II — all players who filled big holes on the Cowboys roster. With the draft and bigger name trade targets off the market, what holes could the Cowboys fill before camp with current free agents in the NFL? The Cowboys currently have remaining holes at slot cornerback, offensive tackle depth, and one-technique depth. Here are three names that make sense for the Cowboys to consider before heading to camp in a little more than two months. Mike Hilton, CB One of the Cowboys biggest remaining needs is slot cornerback. After trading for Kaiir Elam and drafting Shavon Revel Jr. in the third-round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cowboys did a nice job of putting capable bodies in the room in a room that lacked just that. Hilton is an eight-year veteran who is still just 30-years old. Hilton has primarily played in the slot for most of his career in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Though he lacks size, he has built a reputation as a quality cover out of the slot and has a knack for taking the football away. Hilton’s veteran presence and slot experience is needed in Dallas and at this point in the offseason he should be relatively affordable. Justin Simmons, Safety One area the Cowboys did not address in free agency or the draft was the safety room. Previously, there were questions if either Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson would be cap casualties. While both are currently on the roster, the Cowboys could use a much needed boost to the room heading into the 2025 season. Justin Simmons is former two-time Pro Bowler and four-time second team All-Pro. Though he has seen his play dip over the last few seasons, Simmons is still a quality depth piece in the safety room that lacks difference makers. Simmons versatility and ball-hawking skills would be an excellent addition to Matt Eberflus’ defense and help shore up the backend of the Cowboys defense. John Jenkins, DT Over the last few years we have seen the Cowboys target the defensive line late in the offseason. It would be wise for them to consider doing the same in 2025. As it stands, Mazi Smith and Jay Toia are the projected one-techniques to break camp and more depth is needed to feel good about that position heading into the season. Jenkins is a long tenured veteran who has 12 seasons under his belt. Jenkins has started 34 games over the last two seasons for the Raiders. While he is not a difference maker, Jenkins would bring something to the room that it is currently lacking, a veteran presence, with size, and plenty of solid starting experience.

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images The Cowboys only have one unsigned rookie with Jaydon Blue on board. The Dallas Cowboys had a very good 2025 draft class, and that has given some optimism to the fanbase about the upcoming season. One of the reasons is fifth-round running back Jaydon Blue. The former Texas Longhorn is now officially under contract after signing a four-year deal worth $4.267 million with a signing bonus of $427,068 according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. This leaves second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku as the only unsigned rookie for the Cowboys. The Cowboys have signed fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue to a four-year, $4.627 million deal that includes a $427,068 signing bonus. Only second rounder Donovan Ezeiruaku remains unsigned. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) May 12, 2025 Blue comes into Dallas with higher expectations than most guys drafted on Day 3. The Cowboys have been desperately needing a speed threat from the running back spot since they lost Tony Pollard in free agency. Blue has an even faster gear than Pollard, plus he can provide production coming out of the backfield as a pass catcher. The Cowboys will likely have a committee approach to their running game with veteran Javonte Williams, Blue, and either rookie Phil Mafah or veteran Miles Sanders. Regardless of what combination they come up with, Dallas will need Blue to be a pretty big part of their offense in 2025 and beyond.

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images There are a number of Cowboys players entering contract years. When the Cowboys decided to pick up the fifth-year option on Tyler Smith’s contract a week ago, they ensured their 2022 first-round pick would not hit unrestricted free agency in 2026. That decision dropped the total number of players playing on expiring contracts this year to 41. But then the team went out and traded for George Pickens, who is playing on an expiring contract, bringing the total back up to 42. All of which places the Cowboys front office in somewhat of a conundrum: extend those players now and hope to get a great performance on the cheap, or wait until those players break out before re-signing them and risk overpaying in the process? Two of the highest-profile players among the 42 are Micah Parsons and Daron Bland. Parsons is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract and the expectation is he’ll sign a blockbuster extension soon; Bland is entering his fourth and final year and we haven’t heard much about a possible extension. Other notable free agents include kicker Brandon Aubrey (whose next contract likely places him at or very close to the top of the kicking contract market) and WR Jalen Tolbert, who might be amenable to a team-friendly contract extension as the (now) projected No. 3 WR. Those four players highlight the group of 42 players made up of 26 unrestricted free agents (UFA), 10 restricted free agents (RFA), and six players currently designated as exclusive rights free agents (ERFA) who combine for a motley crew of soon-to-be free agents: One Golden Child: Micah Parsons, four-time Pro Bowler and soon-to-be highest-paid defensive player in the league. Six players remaining from the 2022 draft class. Sam Williams, Jalen Tolbert, Jake Ferguson, Matt Waletzko, Daron Bland, and Damone Clark are all entering the final year of their rookie contracts. Do the Cowboys want to work out an early deal with any of them, or will they let them hit free agency first to gauge their value? 11 veterans signed to one-year deals this year. The fact that they are signed to one-yer deals makes them feel a little bit like a one-year rental army. Their 2025 performance will determine if any of them get signed to a new contract. 11 players on veteran contracts are playing out the final year of their contracts. Two of them (Israel Mukuamu and Donovan Wilson) have never played an NFL snap for a team other than the Cowboys. 8 players are former UDFAs who will all be restricted free agents. A restricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired and who has three accrued seasons of service. A RFA receives a “tender” (with a salary predetermined by the CBA) from his old team but can negotiate with any team. If the RFA receives an offer sheet from a new team, his old team can match the offer and retain him (right-of-first-refusal). If the old team does not match the offer, it can receive draft-choice compensation depending on how the RFA was tendered (first-, second- or original-round tender). A first-round tender next year will be around $8 million, a second-round tender close to $6 million. Five players are exclusive rights free agent. All five (Justin Rogers, Denzel Daxon, Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Josh Butler, Kelvin Harmon) have no more than two accrued seasons in the NFL and may only sign with the Cowboys, provided the Cowboys extend a minimum qualifying offer to the player. So if the Cowboys want to keep any of them, they can keep those ERFAs for the veteran minimum for another year at least. Here’s a summary table of all 42 players who could carry some kind of free agent designation after the 2025 season. Player Pos. Cap Hit 2025 Status The Golden Child Micah Parsons DE $24,007,000 UFA 2021 draft class DaRon Bland CB $5,422,197 UFA Jalen Tolbert WR $3,634,767 UFA Jake Ferguson TE $3,582,220 UFA Damone Clark ILB $3,466,639 UFA Sam Williams DE $1,980,445 UFA Matt Waletzko T $1,180,873 UFA Veterans on expiring contracts Donovan Wilson S $8,650,000 UFA Israel Mukuamu CB $1,320,000 UFA C.J. Goodwin CB $1,197,500 UFA Brock Hoffman C $1,100,000 UFA Andrew Booth Jr. CB $1,100,000 UFA Earnest Brown DE $1,100,000 UFA Kemon Hall CB $1,100,000 UFA Buddy Johnson OLB $1,030,000 UFA Luiji Vilain OLB $1,030,000 UFA Will Grier QB $1,030,000 UFA Troy Pride Jr. CB $960,000 UFA One-year “Rentals” Kenneth Murray LB $7,410,000 UFA Dante Fowler Jr. DE $6,000,000 UFA Robert Jones G $3,750,000 UFA George Pickens WR $3,656,000 UFA Javonte Williams RB $3,000,000 UFA Kaiir Elam CB $2,571,930 UFA Payton Turner DE $2,470,588 UFA Jack Sanborn OLB $1,500,000 UFA Miles Sanders RB $1,197,500 UFA Parris Campbell WR $1,197,500 UFA Saahdiq Charles G $1,030,000 UFA Former UDFAs Hunter Luepke FB $1,036,668 RFA T.J. Bass G $1,033,334 RFA Brandon Aubrey K $1,030,000 RFA Luq Barcoo CB $1,030,000 RFA Darius Harris OLB $1,030,000 RFA Juanyeh Thomas S $1,030,000 RFA Tyrus Wheat DE $1,030,000 RFA John Stephens TE $961,000 RFA Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFA) Josh Butler S $960,000 ERFA Kelvin Harmon WR $960,000 ERFA Justin Rogers DT $960,000 ERFA Denzel Daxon DT $840,000 ERFA Jalen Moreno-Cropper WR $840,000 ERFA The first hurdle for many of the 42 players in the table above is the 53-man roster, and not all of them will make it. There are probably 15, maybe more, players listed here that won’t make final roster cuts, and that includes some of the veterans the Cowboys signed in free agency this year. But that still leaves the Cowboys with 20+ players who’ll be playing on expiring contracts this year. After the season, and if the players are not re-signed by the Cowboys, they could provide the Cowboys with one final return on their contracts: compensatory draft picks. So how many players on this list will the Cowboys keep beyond 2025? Micah Parsons’ new contract is just a question of time. From the 2018 draft

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images The Cowboys are big underdogs for their Week 1 game at Philadelphia. The Dallas Cowboys will officially kick the season off on Thursday, September 4th against the Philadelphia Eagles, and when they do they will be going up against the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Such a spot is not unfamiliar territory for the Cowboys as a handful of them went down to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers in the same setting to start the 2021 season. You will recall that Dallas fell short that night. A decade and a half ago, though, a very different Cowboys team successfully spoiled the party that the New York Giants were having when they raised their own Super Bowl banner. Needless to say, we hope that is the case this time around. If oddsmakers are to be believed it won’t be, though. With the game officially being announced, FanDuel Sportsbook launched opening odds for the contest. The Dallas Cowboys have opened as 6.5-point underdogs for their Week 1 game on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. It makes sense for Philly to be favored given their title defense and that they have been a very good team for the last few years. While the line is a bit large, it is hard to really dispute. Perhaps the Cowboys can cover by winning outright, but at the very least they can not lose by a touchdown or more.

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 11, 2025Saturday, May 10, 2025Friday, May 9, 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!