Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The latest Cowboys news 17) Who makes their first career Pro Bowl? – Staff, DallasCowboys.com Breakout seasons? 17) Who Makes Their First Career Pro Bowl? Nick: This is always one of my favorite questions to answer. Basically, it’s saying who is going to have that breakout year. I’m not even sure I’ve got the answer correctly before, but it’s always fun to speculate. A good place to start would be Osa Odighizuwa, who signed an $80 million contract to stay with the team. He might be on the verge. But that seems too easy to answer. I thought about Donovan Wilson for this or maybe even George Pickens, but I’m going to go a little deeper – as in the deep snapper. What about Trent Sieg? This guy is always consistent and while Brandon Aubrey and Bryan Anger have been going to Pro Bowls as the kicker and punter, someone has been firing the snaps back to them. I think this is the year Sieg breaks through and makes his first Pro Bowl in his eighth season. Kyle: The fact that George Pickens had the level of production that he posted in Pittsburgh, and never made a Pro Bowl, is shocking to me. A lot of time, the Pro Bowl turns into a popularity contest paired with a certain level of success. Pickens can take a huge step in both during his contract year with the Cowboys in 2025. He has yet to be paired with someone as talented on the other side of the formation as CeeDee Lamb, which could open a world of possibilities for Pickens. Assuming both players and Dak Prescott stay healthy throughout the season, it’s possible for Pickens and Lamb to become the first Cowboys pair of 1,000-yard receivers since 2019. Meaning there are very few things standing in the way of Pickens and the popularity and production needed to earn those Pro Bowl votes. NFC East roundtable: Can the Eagles repeat in the division? – ESPN Some commentary/predictions from writer’s covering NFC East teams. What is the biggest concern for your team? Cowboys A first-time head coach isn’t the biggest concern. A quarterback who has had a difficult time staying healthy recently isn’t the biggest concern. Impending contracts for guys like Parsons isn’t the biggest concern. I’m sticking on the field for mine: Can they slow down the run? They have not made big adjustments in personnel in name or size. How new coordinator Matt Eberflus will attack the issue is with effort and running to the ball. It will also help if the offense can put up a ton of points so the opposing team can’t run the ball as much. Until the Cowboys actually show they can contain the run, it will be the biggest concern. — Archer The Giants writer had an interesting take on who wins the NFC East. Who wins the NFC East in 2025? Cowboys Let’s get a bit crazy here because that’s the recent history of the NFC East. No, not the Giants. That gap is massive. But since everyone is down on the Cowboys this season, it only makes sense they surprise and win the division. There is still some high-end talent on that roster and Dallas was good for at least 12 wins each of the previous three years that Prescott played double-digit games. So this is largely contingent on him being healthy. But to count the Cowboys out with Prescott potentially having the best weapons of his career seems silly. They will surprise. — Raanan Cowboys rookie Tyler Neville’s inspiring story is one of hope, overcoming stacked odds – Calvin Watkins, DMN This UDFA’s story is pretty wild. The fifth annual Tight End University took place this week in Nashville, where some of the best and rising players at the position came together to train and for fellowship. Tight End U was founded by three of the best in the game: current NFL players George Kittle and Travis Kelce, and Greg Olsen, now a commentator for Fox Sports. Three Cowboys players attended the three-day event, including undrafted rookie Tyler Neville. The notion of Neville standing among elite players he watched growing up in Williamsburg, Va., is a living testimony to how he never stopped believing in his dream of making an NFL team despite numerous health challenges. Neville’s mother, Tara, estimates her fourth-born child had 20 surgeries before he turned 18. He overcame being born deaf, having a metal bar inserted into his body to correct a sunken chest, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and back surgery, which forced him to learn how to walk again. Neville hasn’t made an NFL roster yet – that will be determined in Cowboys training camp – but just landing on the cusp of earning a spot, considering what he has overcome, is a story worth telling. “We’ve watched each stage and there’s nothing that holds him back,” Tara said. “It’s what could you use as an excuse he never has. It gave him ammunition to keep pushing harder. He only knows adversity.” Cowboys LB Receives Special Gift from Patriots Legend – Mike D’Abate, Patriots on SI Now all Micah needs is a new contract. As the old saying goes, “Greatness recognizes greatness.” When Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons realized that New England Patriots legend Tom Brady would be joining him in attending last weekend’s Fanatics Fest in New York City, he took full advantage of his opportunity to make a long-awaited special request. In short, Parsons wanted to add an autographed Brady jersey to his collection … and the Cowboys All-Pro wasted little time in asking the seven-time Super Bowl winner to help fulfill his wish. “Have we signed one for Micah and sent one his way? A jersey?” Brady asked a representative of his team, seen via a social media posting from the NFL on Sunday. When the rep jokingly responded in the affirmative, Parsons was quick to set the record straight. “No,

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 70) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 70. Dan Bailey Born: January 26, 1988. Oklahoma City, OklahomaPosition: KickerDallas Cowboys: 2011-2017Awards: All-Pro- 2015Pro Bowl– 2015 Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Dan Bailey played kicker for the Dallas Cowboys from 2011 to 2017 after joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State. He quickly established himself as one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, becoming a dependable weapon for Dallas in clutch situations. Bailey set multiple franchise records, including most career field goals at the time, and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2015. His calm demeanor and near-automatic accuracy made him a cornerstone of the Cowboys’ special teams unit during the 2010s. His accuracy and dependability was so elite fans and commentators used to refer to Bailey as simply, “automatic”. With that PAT, Dan Bailey reached 700 career points. He is the third Cowboy – second kicker (Rafael Septien) – to reach that mark. #DALvsCLE pic.twitter.com/wRmog5AldT — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 6, 2016 Best known for:Bailey was best known for being one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history during his time in Dallas, converting over 90% of his field goals in multiple seasons. Pro Bowler Dan Bailey made 30/32 field goal attempts for a total of 115 points. #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/w1PvFsOdRp — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 6, 2016 Lesser known fact:Bailey was a walk-on at the University of Arkansas where he would lose the starting job as kicker during the offseason. He would move to Oklahoma State a year later where he would again become a walk-on and fight for the starting kicker position. This mental fortitude to never surrender would be pivotal in helping shape his career as a kicker for the Cowboys. ✭ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ✭ With 100 days to go until the #Cowboys kickoff the season against the #Eagles, we are counting down with a @BloggingTheBoys Top-100 consensus ranking. We asked staffers to give in their top-100, here is: DAY 70Dan Bailey #DallasCowboys… pic.twitter.com/Uo0FHhrYkQ — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 26, 2025

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The 2018 draft class was surprisingly good It always amazes me how just a simple post on Twitter can create such a back-and-forth discussion among fans, specifically regarding the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL draft. DeMarvion Overshown posted on Monday, “Class of 2018 got some dawgs in the NFL!” To which I responded with the following: No one is left on the #Cowboys roster from their 2018 class, but I think this was one of Will McClay’s better drafts in recent history. (Might be a hot take) https://t.co/H59l4T6myD pic.twitter.com/GueKe9OQ4Y — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) June 24, 2025 The response from fans started a chain of discourse, with some fans being puzzled by the thought and others admiring that getting five starters from one class is a positive. Is this a joke tweet? u cant be serious Brandon Loree — FaZe Tæzer faze (@aZebruhh) June 24, 2025 It’s the best aside from 2016 honestly. 5 starters. 2022 is up there also. — CowboysNWeights (@Powerlifting_06) June 24, 2025 6 solid NFL starter caliber players plus 2 fine back up players. 2 guys who had shortened careers because of injuries. I’d take that every draft. — Cory J. Hinchey (@hinchey_j) June 24, 2025 Overshown later clarified he was talking about high school football, but the point still rings true. If the success of a draft class comes down to the definition of being on the roster long-term, then this one would be a bust, considering no one from that year is left heading into 2025. However, a bird’s-eye view of the Cowboys’ 2018 draft class would offer a different perspective that seems more glowing. The first five picks, Leighton Vander Esch, Connor Williams, Michael Gallup, Dorance Armstrong, and Dalton Schultz, developed into starters or high-end rotational players. Vander Esch and Gallup had the most promise of the group after year one, but both had their careers shortened in Dallas due to injury. Gallup still had a 1,000-yard season in his second year, and Vander Esch finished his career 16th in team history among all defensive players with 469 combined tackles. For playing a full season just twice out of six years, finishing with that production meant he made the most of his snaps on the field. Williams, Armstrong, and Schultz are more the product of not maximizing their potential until the end of their rookie contracts. Over his first four years, Armstrong showed enough flashes for the team to offer him a two-year contract extension. He followed that up with 16 sacks over two years as a rotational rusher and ace special-teams player. Armstrong then followed Dan Quinn over to Washington last year in a lucrative deal for a guy who was once considered a “bust.” Schultz started his career trying to follow in Jason Witten’s footsteps, who retired in his rookie season. However, he had to sit behind him in 2019 when Witten returned to Dallas after a one-year hiatus. After finally getting a chance in 2020 when Blake Jarwin went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1, Schultz had a career year in 2021 that ended with 808 yards and eight touchdowns and was retained on a franchise tag. Here are a handful of the best “stops” by #Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch in 2018: pic.twitter.com/QY9nF1qIDo — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) July 10, 2019 Williams was a solid guard with Dallas, but his best position came with the Seattle Seahawks, where they unlocked something in him to become one of the NFL’s best centers over a year and a half. His career was also derailed and ultimately ended due to injury, but you wonder what if the Dallas coaching staff tried him out at center to start his career, if it would have played out any differently. Mike White has started NFL games and was once the darling of the New York Jets fanbase, and Cedrick Wilson showed he could be a capable third wide receiver and utility player who can occasionally make a couple of trick plays. His best season came under then-offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who is now his head coach with the New Orleans Saints. Right now, the Cowboys are having trouble finding this type of production in their 2022 and 2023 draft classes. Of 17 players drafted from those two classes, Tyler Smith, DeMarvion Overshown, Jake Ferguson, and DaRon Bland are the only ones you can feel confident in. Everyone else is running out of time to show they can develop or overcome injuries and narratives (Sam Williams, Jalen Tolbert, Damone Clark) that have hurt their careers. If the Cowboys had five solid starters from each class like they did with the 2018 rookies, there would be much more confidence in Dallas’s direction as they head into Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach. The lingering questions about recent draft picks should remind us not to take draft classes like the one in 2018 for granted, because history shows they don’t come around often.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Each week we ask you the readers to give your opinion on five questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. To help you decide before you cast your vote on each question, we give opposing views on each poll, so make your vote and leave your opinions in the comment section. How confident are you in Brian Schottenheimer’s ability as head coach? Mike: From the moment Brian Schottenheimer took the reins at Dallas and started putting together his coaching staff and roster everything looked great. But it’s not what a head coach does 99% of the time. Can he be the guy to raise the team in hard times and be the reason this team finally gets over that final hurdle and into a Super Bowl? It’s possible. But for now, based on the fact he has zero head coaching experience in an NFL game, confidence is best placed somewhere in the middle, let’s say in the “too soon to tell” category. Brandon: From everything I’ve seen and heard so far this offseason, Brian Schottenheimer has shown he’s deserving of the opportunity to be a head coach. He’s great with the players and media, and has an ability to make people on the outside feel like they’re part of the ride too. Whether or not this will all translate into wins remains to be seen. Many questions linger on the defensive side of the ball. Having an experienced coach in Matt Eberflus leading the charge gives Schottenheimer a chance to catch a break in year one. If things go sideways, it’ll come down to the first-time head coach to make personnel changes. How he handles stress under pressure will tell us a lot about his coaching ability. Up to this point, I have confidence he’ll be a solid head coach, but it’s all TBD so I’d say slightly confident. Poll How confident are you in Brian Schottenheimer’s ability as head coach? 25% Very confident – big step forward (1 vote) 50% Slightly confident – so far so good (2 votes) 25% Not confident – too soon to know (1 vote) 0% No confidence – trouble is coming (0 votes) 4 votes total Vote Now Which offseason acquisition will have the biggest impact this season besides George Pickens? Mike: Javonte Williams was a huge signing for Dallas. The team lost Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowlde who was coming off a 1,000 yard season meaning all that was left on the roster was Deuce Vaughn. Having the smallest player in the league with very little playing time and zero depth behind him was a wildly concerning weakness on this roster, but the front office managed to fix the issue with a very solid running back. Sure, Williams is coming off a down trend in his production after a very nasty knee injury two years ago where he tore nearly every ligament in his knee. But he is now two years removed from said injury and if he’s even 90% of what he was in North Carolina or during his rookie year in Denver, then Cowboys fans should feel very excited for what Williams can bring to this offense. There’s something a little DeMarco Murray-like in Williams’ style of play. Brandon: I genuinely believe Solomon Thomas will be a factor for the Cowboys this season. His impact might not be felt as much on the field as it will in the locker room. Like Dak Prescott, Thomas was up for Walter Payton Man of the Year and does great work in the community off the field with his foundation, The Defensive Line. Over the last few seasons, the Cowboys have lost key veteran leaders, including Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and DeMarcus Lawrence. While young players like Tyler Smith, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons are stepping up in their absence, they still need someone who has been in the league for a long time to help guide them. Dallas brought in Thomas and Dante Fowler this offseason to help bring along a young, talented defensive front. Thomas can be a mentor to help bring players like Mazi Smith, Marshawn Kneeland, and Donovan Ezeiruaku, who “should” be part of the team’s long-term future. Poll Which offseason acquisition (minus George Pickens) will have the biggest impact this season? 33% DE Dante Fowler (1 vote) 0% DT Solomon Thomas (0 votes) 0% RB Javonte Williams (0 votes) 0% LB Kenneth Murray (0 votes) 0% QB Joe Milton III (0 votes) 0% LB Jack Sanborn (0 votes) 33% RB Miles Sanders (1 vote) 33% CB Kaiir Elam (1 vote) 3 votes total Vote Now What’s your biggest concern heading into 2025? Mike: The offensive line still scares me. On paper everything looks great, talented players at each position, three players taken in the first round, one of the best left guards in the league, all of this is inspiring. But the game isn’t played on paper. We’re hoping Tyler Guyton finds his groove at left tackle, we have a rookie right guard and Terence Steele is hoping he can finally find his earlier form. The problem we have is everything on the offensive line for this season is still all unknown until we get into the nitty gritty and see how the starting five gel together and perform. When do we get to see that? When the bright lights come on and they’re facing NFL pass rushers. That makes for a very cornering narrative. Brandon: The biggest concern for me remains the run defense. We saw a major shift across the NFL last season, where teams that ran the ball effectively were the ones who made it to the postseason. Just within the Cowboys’ own division, Saquon Barkley had a MVP-level year running the ball that made it easier for the offense to attack defenses in various ways. Look at how important offensive guards have become to a team’s success. If an offense can have dominant line play from its interior (something Dallas hopes to have),

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Which position battle are you most interested to see at training camp? The Dallas Cowboys will arrive to training camp on July 20th which means we have (easily) less than a month to go. Keep your head down. We are almost there. When festivities begin there are a lot of things that we will be paying attention to with this team. It has been a very long time since Dak Prescott was seen in live action, obviously training camp is not exactly that, and there are several new players to the team who we have never seen in general relative to time with the Cowboys (like George Pickens). What we are interested in today is what position battles you are going to be monitoring the most closely. Prior to the Pickens trade a good answer would have been WR2, but obviously that has been taken care of. Cornerback feels like the answer, at least in my personal opinion. It is unique in that there are options for the team to work with, but we have questions about the viability of them. Let us know what position battle you are going to be watching in the comments below.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Mailbag: Can Cowboys afford 2026 free agents? – Mickey Spagnola & Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys will have some big bills due soon if they want to keep the band together. People seem focused on re-signing Micah Parsons, but what about DaRon Bland, who will need a new deal in 2026, and possibly Tyler Smith? Both could command around $20 million annually. And now there’s George Pickens to worry about as well. You can’t keep everybody, so how do the Cowboys manage this? Who stays and who goes? – Brandon Gardner/Washington, D.C. Mickey: Usually, these things sort out in order, or if and when a player wants to meet the Cowboys offering number. So right now, the order priority would be Parsons No. 1 since he is next in line for an extension which would lower his salary cap hit of $24 million for this season. And remember, if the Cowboys can’t come to an agreement with Parsons for this year, they could always franchise him for next year. And as for Tyler Smith, the Cowboys already picked up his fifth year-option worth $21.27 million guaranteed. And remember, from a team standpoint if extending a player before having to spend that money the team is expecting a discount, which player agents aren’t keen on. And if the Cowboys manage to get Parsons signed to an extension this year then they would have a franchise tag available next year for the likes of either Bland or Pickens. This ain’t easy. Tommy: It’s a great question, and one that I think is going to be answered by how well each of them play in 2025. I feel pretty confident that Bland and Smith will likely both be retained, and my questions lie with TE Jake Ferguson and WR George Pickens. Ferguson, who had a down year in 2024, needs to show that he can bounce back in 2025 if he wants the long-term deal, and I think he can with Dak Prescott back. Then with Pickens, it really all does depend on how his 2025 season goes with Dallas. If he plays very well, of course the Cowboys will consider keeping him around, but could his price tag grow to be too high? If that’s the case, the Cowboys could find solace in free agency if he signs elsewhere by receiving a compensatory pick that may be a third rounder, which they gave up in the trade for Pickens, essentially cancelling things out. That said, you’re giving away what would’ve been a sure-thing in your offense for an unknown, which is the risk you take sometimes in the NFL. You’re right that you can’t keep everybody, but you’ve certainly got to try if they’re helping you win football games. Dallas Cowboys UDFA surprisingly emerges as potential impact player – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated One Dallas newcomer is already showing off. Making an impact as an undrafted free agent is never easy, but there always seems to be a little more hope that these players can catch on with the Dallas Cowboys. While every team has its share of star players who began their career undrafted, Dallas has had some of the best ever. Names such as Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris, and Everson Walls all carved out excellent careers. None are more prominent, however, Tony Romo, who is the franchise’s current leader in passing yards. That’s why it’s always interesting to keep an eye on UDFAs during training camp. With that around the corner, writers for DallasCowboys.com were asked for their top UDFA to watch. Two of those writers went with the same player, linebacker Justin Barron out of Syracuse. Nick Eatman was the first to pick Barron, saying he could make an impact as a special teams player this year. “When I was watching the first OTA practice with the rookies, No. 55 Justin Barron stood out the most to me. He looked just as quick and fluid as Shemar James in the drills I saw. Nothing against James, but Barron looks like he belongs as well. Has great size and seems like the kind of player that will immediately contribute on special teams and could be a backup linebacker as well.” — Eatman The Cowboys All-Century offensive line is one of the best – Mario Herrera Jr., Inside The Star Dallas sure does know how to draft offensive lineman. As the bigger names of skill positions swept the spotlight in our previous All-quarter-century Cowboys round-up, it’s high time to give respectful airtime to the unsung heroes along the trenches. Anchoring the offensive front on this dream squad are five of the best linemen to don a Cowboys jersey over the past quarter-century. If they had played together (some of them did), they would have formed one of the most intimidating and dominant offensive lines in NFL history. Left Tackle Tyron Smith (2011-2023) Drafted 9th overall in 2011, Tyron Smith blossomed into the anchor at blind‑side tackle. With size, athleticism, and instinctive footwork, he staved off premier pass rushers year after year. As the bigger names of skill positions swept the spotlight in our previous All-quarter-century Cowboys round-up, it’s high time to give respectful airtime to the unsung heroes along the trenches. Anchoring the offensive front on this dream squad are five of the best linemen to don a Cowboys jersey over the past quarter-century. If they had played together (some of them did), they would have formed one of the most intimidating and dominant offensive lines in NFL history. Remember, this is my personal list. Would you have rather seen someone else on here? Feel free to let me know in the comments. Dallas Cowboys 2025 roster bubble review: Linebacker – Jess Haynie, BloggingTheBoys.com Here’s who may or may not make the cut in the second level of Dallas’ defense. Whenever a team heads into training camp, some positions are more open than others. For the 2025 Dallas Cowboys, linebacker

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 71) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 71. Marion Barber III Born: June 10, 1983. Plymouth, MinnesotaPosition: Running back Dallas Cowboys: 2005-2010Awards: Pro Bowl– 2007 Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images Marion Barber III played running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 2005 to 2010 after being drafted in the fourth round out of Minnesota. Nicknamed “Marion the Barbarian,” he became a fan favorite for his bruising, punishing running style and refusal to go down on first contact. Barber was primarily used as a change-of-pace and red zone back early in his career but still earned Pro Bowl honors in 2007, despite not starting a single game that season. His physicality and passion made him one of the most exciting and hard-nosed runners of his era and a fan favorite that offered hope to a fan group that wanted the next Emmitt Smith on an offense that had seen its fair struggles in the elite running back’s wake. Happy heavenly birthday to one of the most iconic running backs in #Cowboys history, Marion Barber III ( : @dallascowboys)pic.twitter.com/0FZCyz5tk8 — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) June 10, 2024 In 2022 the upsetting news broke that Barber was found deceased in his home, he was only 38 years of age. Barber had a history of mental health issues after his time playing in the NFL and his unfortunate demise left Cowboys fans, players and coaches shocked when the news broke. He is forever remembered by fans and family and the love for him has never been lost. The NFL mourns the tragic loss of Marion Barber III and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/NzP9jVeTyp — NFL (@NFL) June 2, 2022 Best known for:Barber was best known for his violent running style and unforgettable effort plays. This play style was on display during an iconic play against the New England Patriots in 2007 where he broke multiple tackles from nearly every defensive player and ran across the field from his own end zone in order to make a play and avoid the safety. “Do what you love, it’s just that simple!” – Marion Barber#DeepBlue | @pepsi pic.twitter.com/ZzF0QodE6x — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 25, 2023 Lesser known fact:Despite his aggressive playing style, Barber was a quiet and deeply introspective person off the field, once saying he preferred writing poetry and journaling in his spare time as a way to balance the intensity of football. ✭ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ✭ With 100 days to go until the #Cowboys kickoff the season against the #Eagles, we are counting down with a @BloggingTheBoys Top-100 consensus ranking. We asked staffers to give in their top-100, here is: DAY 71Marion Barber III#DallasCowboys… pic.twitter.com/6vJ9SRwAtk — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 25, 2025

Rich Barnes-Imagn Images The latest news from around the division. Have the Giants solved their swing-tackle problem? – Ed Valentine, BigBlueView.com This could be the season that New York resolves some O-line issues. The best thing that could happen to the New York Giants’ offensive line in 2025 would be for left tackle Andrew Thomas to remain healthy for an entire season, which has not happened since he was a second-team All-Pro in 2022. Giants’ fans know the history all too well. In 2023, Thomas suffered a hamstring injury chasing after a blocked field goal at the end of the season’s first drive. He missed seven games, then played much of the rest of the season with a knee injury that limited his effectiveness. In 2024, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound Thomas suffered the dreaded Lisfranc injury, had surgery and missed the rest of the season. In neither of those seasons did the Giants have a workable backup plan. In 2023, they kept 2023 third-round pick Matt Peart as the designated swing tackle, but when they needed a replacement for Thomas refused to use him. Instead, they plugged in Josh Ezeudu, a guard who had failed to win a starting job. That was a disaster. Ezeudu wasn’t up to the task, and that contributed to the Giants’ offensive line falling apart. Quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a neck injury, then a season-ending knee injury while getting pounded game after game. Giants’ quarterbacks ended up getting sacked a ridiculous league-leading 85 times. The Giants appear to have finally relented on their insistence that Ezeudu could be an NFL tackle. This offseason, they signed a pair of veteran swing tackles in James Hudson and Stone Forsythe. “You always have to prepare for the eventualities,” offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo said during mandatory minicamp. “It’s football.” It was clear during spring practices that the Giants are counting on Hudson to step in if injuries once again befall Thomas. Hudson took almost all of the first-team left tackle reps in the spring as Thomas continued his off the field rehab program. The 26-year-old Hudson was a fourth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. He has played in 49 regular-season games with 17 starts. Hudson has significant experience at both tackle spots. In 2024, he was almost exclusively at left tackle, playing 207 snaps there and just 15 on the right side. Eagles Cornerback Offers Unique Take On His New Defensive Coordinator -Ed Kracz, Sports Illustrated An ‘old school’ coordinator is unique for Philly’s newest corner. PHILADELPHIA – Every Eagles player has their opinion of their defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and the way he conducts practice. ‘Old-school’ is usually the term that comes up, from Nolan Smith and Jalen Carter to Jordan Davis. Adoree Jackson had a unique twist on the DC earlier this month. “Vic is one of those coaches that just respects hard work,” said the Eagles first-year cornerback. “He might not say much to you. But every now and then, he kind of reminds me how my mom and pops is … It’s not like he never wants to give anyone credit, but he’s like, ‘you’re doing what you’re supposed to do.’ And then when you do something, you might not think it was significant, but he might give you a compliment on that. It’s always just working hard.” Jackson, who is vying to start with Kelee Ringo, has had several coaches and coordinators in his eight NFL seasons. In his ninth, and with his third team, he says there is a difference with Fangio and others. He has played for the Titans, Giants, and now Eagles. “A lot of other coaches who are very vocal – as he is, but it’s different,” said Jackson. “Like you understand, if he’s saying something to you, it’s either to correct you or he’s not going to give you a compliment just to give you one, like you really gotta keep working and stacking days to earn that. “I appreciate that type of coaching style because he’s got the right coaches around him. So if he says something, you can talk to him, but then you’ve got the position coaches to articulate a little bit better for him. They all go hand-in-hand, but being around Vic is pretty cool.” New Commanders signing compares locker room energy to legendary NFL dynasty – Dean Jones, RiggosRag.com A championship culture seems to be present in Washington. The Washington Commanders have installed a championship-caliber mentality across the franchise under the current regime. One recent arrival who was part of the league’s most dominant dynasty sees the similarities. Dan Quinn is a personable, no-nonsense coach. He’s a genuine leader of men who sets high standards for himself and his players. It’s received an immensely positive response, with the Commanders going from a bottom-feeder to the NFC Championship game in Year 1 under his leadership. Quinn isn’t letting standards slip. His coaches are relaying that message to the playing personnel. There have been aggressive, impressive changes once again this offseason, but the common goal remains the same. Put the hard yards in now, and you’ll benefit later. Deatrich Wise Jr. came through the ranks under Bill Belichick during his eight-year stint with the New England Patriots. The defensive end believes the Commanders have created a similar environment to flourish, which focuses heavily on practicing well to ensure they are ready for anything when competitive action arrives. “But also one of the things Bill [Belichick] always said was ‘practice execution becomes game reality.’ That’s one thing I’ve always taken to heart. Practice as hard as I can and exactly how I want the game to be. That’s what makes great teams great. And I feel like that’s the first two things I heard being talked about when I got to the Commanders by Coach [Joe] Whitt [Jr.] [defensive coordinator, and also by Coach DQ [Quinn]. They both was like, ‘We have to be able to practice the same way we want to have

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Family treatment is obviously very important to the Dallas Cowboys. Football is family. We have heard that over and over. It stands to reason that family is an important part of your football-enjoying experience, and if we have learned anything about the Dallas Cowboys organization over the last few years, then it is obviously important to them. Recall that the Cowboys ranked 10th in the NFLPA report cards that came out in February and received solid marks relative to treatment of families. We all care about the Cowboys having success on the football field, but if they are not treating the families of the players properly then it would likely bother you, me and all of us on some level. We want to root for people who are doing things the right way. Recently, ESPN looked a little bit more deeply at the treatment of families angle that the NFLPA report cards have dissected in the past. It is clear and evident that the Cowboys really want to make sure the families of their players feel valued. The Dallas Cowboys provide child care on game days, but the fun starts before that. The day before a Sunday game at AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys host players’ families for lunch, bringing in things like ice cream trucks and coffee trucks. The Cowboys call it FIT, or family ice cream time, which allows “time for our significant others to be up here around each other,” Cowboys right tackle Terence Steele said. … After home games, Cowboys special teams ace C.J. Goodwin, the second-longest tenured Cowboy, knows where his family will be: the Landry Room. Named after the Cowboys Hall of Fame coach, it’s a private club area inside AT&T Stadium. Each player gets two free tickets to the area, which includes food, drinks and “anything you want.” Cowboys players rated the post-game family area 9.05 out of 10, ranking them second out of 32 teams. If you follow players on social media then you have likely seen them share photos from the Landry Room following games. Having a place to meet, gather and reflect on the game at hand is a good thing. It is obviously a lot more fun after a win. Beyond doing the right thing, being good people and all of that jazz, these types of things are also something that can go a long way in free agency. The Cowboys are fortunate to operate in a climate that makes living near the team facility a good option all year long. This isn’t necessarily something that happens with other teams. Players live elsewhere in the offseason. Having amenities like that, and caring for the families of the players, can help lure players who are available in free agency (if the Cowboys ever wanted to make a serious splash there, haha). At the very least it is nice to know that they are taken care of. Good for the Cowboys for getting that part of things right.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Which Cowboys linebacker are you most excited about? Whenever a team heads into training camp, some positions are more open than others. For the 2025 Dallas Cowboys, linebacker is one where it’s not hard to predict who will make the official roster. That isn’t to say there won’t be any competition, but does make for a relatively small and uneventful roster bubble. This could change before we get to Oxnard, but right now Dallas has nine linebackers under contract. Of those nine, one will definitely not be participating in camp or even the first part of the schedule. DeMarvion Overshown’s major knee injury from December will keep him out until at least midway through 2025, if not the entire season. It’s a safe bet that he won’t count against the roster once we get into September, ending up on some kind of injury list. But whenever he’s healthy, Overshown is guaranteed to return to a prominent role. A few other guys are also sure to be on the roster. Marist Liufau, a third-round pick last year, is looking to build on a solid rookie campaign. Free agent addition Jack Sanborn spent the last three years in Matt Eberflus’ defense with the Bears and is expected to be a field general as it gets installed in Dallas. Veteran Kenneth Murray Jr., traded for last March, is projected for significant snaps as well and wore the green dot in offseason activities. Now is where the bubble really begins. And even then, one of these remaining guys may just be a placeholder until Overshown returns. But for however many additional LB spots Dallas has in 2025, here are the contenders. Damone Clark After starting all 17 games in 2023 due to injuries, the fourth-year prospect fell out of favor last year. He struggled in the transition to Mike Zimmer’s scheme and wound up far behind Overshown, Liufau, and Eric Kendricks in the rotation. Some are surprised he avoided being a salary cap casualty this offseason, but Dallas must still see value in him and have hopes for how he’ll perform under Eberflus. If nothing else, his experience makes him a worthy competitor in camp and insurance policy for depth. Shemar James A fifth-round rookie out of Florida, James is an athletic prospect who needs to improve his recognition and decision-making on the field. He is expected to challenge for special teams work right away, which is always a plus for guys trying to make it at the bottom of the depth chart. His draft status and a fresh four-year, inexpensive deal make for a solid tiebreaker against other prospects. Buddy Johnson Johnson was a core special teams player last year, trailing only C.J. Goodwin and Israel Mukuamu in total snaps. He actually played for Eberflus briefly in Chicago in 2023, joining them for training camp but getting injured that August. This is his second offseason in Dallas and the 26-year-old hopes to finally earn a role on defense. He was a fourth-round pick in 2021 by Pittsburgh, so perhaps there is still some potential that the new defensive staff can unlock. Darius Harris At 29 years old, Harris is going to be up against it with several younger prospects to contend with. But after going undrafted in 2019, he stuck around for four years with the Chiefs as a reserve linebacker before joining Dallas in 2024. He may not have played a big part in any of Kansas City’s championship wins, but that experience and his longevity so far indicate perceived value. We’ll see if it’s enough to get him another year with the Cowboys. Justin Barron One of this year’s undrafted free agents, Barron projects as a hybrid linebacker/safety in the same mold as Jayron Kearse and Markquese Bell. He moved from safety to linebacker at Syracuse and has nice size at 6’4” with athleticism to boot. It’s raw material, hence going undrafted, as he’s been knocked for his technique in run support. But if he can flash potential, those physical traits will keep coaches interested.