Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images The Cowboys have a lot to learn about roster construction from the Eagles. The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl champions. Those are seven words that are never fun to type, but it’s the reality we live in. A team that not too long ago had zero Super Bowl wins, now has two. Oh, bother. What makes the Eagles’ success even more painful is that many people feel their GM Howie Roseman operates exactly opposite to that of Cowboys GM Jerry Jones. The Eagles spend money left and right and the Cowboys do not. The Eagles go after a hot free agent while the Cowboys find a veteran willing to sign for the league minimum. When the Eagles want to re-sign one of their own, they sign them to an extension right away while Dallas waits until an hour before kickoff of the new season. Opposites. It’s rather evident the Eagles are doing a lot of things right. Over the last eight seasons, they’ve only missed the playoffs once, and that was the dreadful 2020 season when they learned that Carson Wentz wasn’t the guy and turned to Jalen Hurts, who at the time was just a rookie. Outside of one transitional season, they’ve been in the mix for the better part of a decade. That’s really good. The Eagles deserve a lot of credit for what they’re doing, but it’s important to understand how they’re doing it. Some of it’s good. Some of it is quite risky. Most people couldn’t care less because when they’re bringing home the hardware, who cares how they get there? Regardless of whether that’s your position, having a strong sense of what they’re doing is important for learning. Some things can be taken from it that are helpful. Other things, maybe not. Let’s lay everything on the table to see what’s going on. They are borrowing This has been a topic that has been discussed quite a bit this year. We all are aware that the Eagles are spending a lot of money. Our own One Cool Customer did a great job breaking down how they are going about it, and it’s important to understand what they are doing. They are relentless spenders – Whatever they need, they go out and get. If there’s an area of the roster where they are deficient, they’ll address it. Whether it’s re-signing their own players or spending money in free agency, they will keep everyone they want to keep. Money is no option. They are pushing money out – The Eagles are given the same budget as everyone else and they’re not pulling off some financial sorcery to sign all of these players. What they’re doing is simple. They’re restructuring money. It’s a common thing in the NFL and everyone does it, but the Eagles have taken it to a whole new level. They have structured so many contracts where the money they’re spending has been pushed off into void years of their contract. It’s the basic “kick the can” principle, only the Eagles are kicking at unprecedented levels. Philadelphia has a cash commitment of $1.1 billion through the 2028 season. The league average is $682 million. We can sit in awe of the Eagle’s approach all we want, but we must also acknowledge that they are making a conscious decision to use an enormous amount of future resources to be great right now. They are investing Spending doesn’t automatically equal winning. Just ask the Cleveland Browns. Philly and Cleveland are the only two teams who have a ginormous amount of their cap hits deferred into void years. Even the Browns overinvesting pales in comparison to the Eagles, but these two teams are far from the pack as no other team in the NFL is over $112 million. But no one is praising the Browns for their roster-building prowess, and that’s because the Browns aren’t winning. It’s not the approach people are enamored by, but rather the results. The Eagles have gotten better results, not just from their inflated spending, but also from how they have invested the money. Free agency – The Eagles made a fantastic signing in Saquon Barkley. Everything lined up perfectly for that situation. Barkley was healthy, the Eagles’ offensive line was fantastic, and Kellen Moore/Jeff Stoutland maximized his talent. That was a home run pick. While the Eagles forked out some cash for that, they also landed an amazing low-cost find of linebacker Zack Baun who had an All-Pro season. Oddly enough, the Eagle’s most expensive free agent signing last offseason was edge rusher Bryce Huff. The Eagles gave him a three-year, $51 million deal, but he’s been a player of no consequence. Nobody is talking about him being a free agent blunder because again, the team is winning. Philadelphia is throwing a bunch of money out there and hoping some of it sticks, and fortunately for them, some of it is. Drafting – This is one of the biggest needle movers. A team that was once drafting first-rounders like Nelson Agholar, Jaelen Reagor, and Andre Dillard is now hitting Day 1 home runs. They’ve built an incredible offensive line presence with the help of two second-round gems in recent drafts, Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson. They doubled up at nose tackle in back-to-back drafts with Jordan Davis and game-wrecker Jalen Carter. And they just had a second-round rookie Cooper DeJean take a Patrick Mahomes interception to the house for a pick-six in the Super Bowl. It pains us to say this, but the Eagles are drafting a lot better these days. Trades – The Eagles are wheelers and dealers. In the last three seasons, they have made moves to acquire A.J. Brown, D’Andre Swift, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Those guys have been key players for them. Now, they also have made plenty of deals that haven’t amounted to much. Players like Kevin Byard, Kenny Pickett, Jahan Dotson, and Robert Quinn didn’t live up to the high praise

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Dak Prescott has confidence in the Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys had a rough 2024 campaign. It was an injury-plagued season, and it happened to their top stars like quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback Trevon Diggs, and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, who all had to be shut down for the year. Micah Parsons also missed significant time. It resulted in a 7-10 record and the 12th pick in the NFL draft coming up in April. Things were a lot different for their biggest rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. With the acquisition of running back Saqoun Barkley leading the way to a historic 2,000-yard season, the Eagles ran through the NFL with a 14-3 record that included a sweep of the Cowboys and an NFC East crown. On top of that, the Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs to win their second Super Bowl title in the last eight seasons. The Eagles have also made three Super Bowl appearances over that span. Going back to the aforementioned Prescott, he made some waves on Tuesday. When he was asked where the Cowboys stand in terms of competing with the Eagles, Prescott said that the gap isn’t big at all. Dak Prescott said he believes the Cowboys are “very close” when asked about how they stack up against the Philadelphia Eagles pic.twitter.com/dzZE8qLZdX — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) February 11, 2025 There is some good reason for Prescott’s feelings. During the first nine years of his career, he’s had tremendous success when facing the Eagles. As a starter, Prescott has a record of 9-4 against Philadelphia. There’s something to be said about that because it shows that the Cowboys can compete with the Eagles when it comes to the NFC East. However, when switching gears to the postseason, that’s where the Eagles separate from the Cowboys. Over the last three years, the Eagles have made the playoffs each time. During that span, they have racked up six playoff wins with two trips to the Super Bowl, and they have won a world championship. On the other hand, the Cowboys, while making two playoff appearances over that timeframe, have only produced a playoff record of 1-2, meaning they haven’t even sniffed a conference title game. So, in the grand scheme of things, the Eagles compete on a championship level while the Cowboys are pretty much a one-and-done franchise as far as the postseason goes. It’s nice that Prescott has the confidence that he has in regards to the Eagles, but the Cowboys have a long way to go to be on their level in terms of competing for the ultimate goal. That might change under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, but until it’s seen, the Cowboys are chasing the Eagles, and they have quite a bit of work to do to catch up.

Photo by Nitschmann/ullstein bild via Getty Images Vegas thinks it’s going to be all uphill for the Cowboys in 2025 The worst teams in the NFC, according to 2026 Super Bowl odds released by the oddsmakers at BetMGM, are, in order: New York Giants (Soo much “yes” to this) New Orleans Saints (No kidding) Carolina Panthers (Yeah, for sure) Dallas Cow … WHAAAT? A mere five days ago, the owner assured me the Cowboys are in “win now” mode, but the oddsmakers seem to see next season as more of a rebuild season than anything else. Eagles are the early favorite to win it all in 2026 Will they go back-to-back? pic.twitter.com/IG8ih3BD91 — BetMGM (@BetMGM) February 10, 2025 There are lots of things that can change between now and the end of the 2025 season, but these odds are a strong indicator that the betting public believes the window for the Cowboys to be a Super Bowl contender is firmly closed, and may be for the foreseeable future. The Cowboys have 22 unrestricted free agents heading into 2025, Stephen Jones regularly goes into a fetal position at the start of free agency and plays “How Soon Is Now” by The Smiths for days on end, their draft record over the last few years is spotty at best, and they continue to “act like a franchise that doesn’t know how to manage the cap.” Where’s the help for this team going to come from? A first-year head coach and some players coming back from injury and staying healthy? That’s it? No wonder the oddsmakers are kicking the Cowboys into the NFL’s trash bin of non-playoff contenders. Of course, the Cowboys could prove all their doubters wrong too. They could add key pieces in free agency, they could draft immediate impact players, they could pry open the salary cap purse strings Stephen is clutching so tightly. They could even pay a running backs coach more than he is making as a college coach – no, sorry, my bad, that’s pushing it too far. Normally, this is the time of year where you put last season in the rearview mirror and where every single one of the 32 NFL teams gets excited about what they’re doing, and every single fan base starts believing that if things work out just the right way, their team will make the playoffs. This is the time of year where hope springs eternal and everybody feels optimistic about the new season, except that’s very hard as a Cowboys fan right now. But then again, last year may not matter as much as we think. Recency bias is the tendency to think that trends and patterns we observe in the recent past will continue in the future. Because it’s easier, our minds are hardwired to use our recent experience as the baseline for what will happen in the future. In many situations, this bias works just fine, especially if you’re making short-term predictions. Even for highly changeable events like the weather (“It was cold today, it’s probably going to be cold tomorrow again”) or the stock market, making short-term predictions according to events in the recent past works fine much of the time. Predicting the long-term future based on what has recently occurred is no more accurate than flipping a coin. We know that in the NFL, an average of about six to seven new teams make it to the playoffs every year. That means only half of each year’s NFL playoff participants make it back to the playoffs the following year. Yet every offseason or pre-season team ranking has last year’s top teams still sitting at the top. Why? Recency bias. Take the BetMGM list. Of the 14 teams with the best odds, 12 are last season’s playoff teams. The only two new teams in the Top 14: the Bengals and 49ers. The two dropouts: Denver and Pittsburgh. But in this case, it’s not the oddmakers with the recency bias, it’s the betting public. The oddsmakers are simply trying to provide odds where the action from the betting public will remain even on both sides of the bet. Yes, there are some constants between the 2024 Cowboys and the 2025 Cowboys. But there are and will be some significant changes, whether we like them or not. Anything can happen in the NFL. Every new NFL season is always also a new chance for teams that fell short of the playoffs the season before. The NFL is intrinsically designed to be a parity-driven league; the draft, revenue sharing, the salary cap, compensatory draft picks, even the schedule; everything about the NFL is designed so that every team from every market has a legitimate opportunity to compete year-in and year-out. Even the 2025 Cowboys, at least on paper. There’s a chance, however remote you feel it is, the Cowboys could end up in the playoffs this year, just as there’s a chance that they could end up behind the Giants in the division. If they do, it has nothing to do with last year’s team, and everything to do with this year’s team. What happened in 2024 stays in 2024. It has no bearing on what has yet to happen in 2025. In the NFL, last year doesn’t matter. Otherwise the Chiefs would be celebrating a threepeat right now.

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Your Wednesday morning news around the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys’ Dak Prescott ready to ‘amp it up’ as injury recovery moves in positive direction – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News It sounds like the Dallas Cowboys quarterback is progressing well in his rehab. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said his recovery from a torn hamstring is moving in a positive direction. “Good, my health is good,” Prescott said Tuesday at a news conference promoting the Children’s Cancer Fund’s fashion show where he’s a co-chair with Hall of Famer Troy Aikman. “Doing a lot more, getting there 12 weeks or so out of surgery now, so I’m really looking to amp it up here recently. I got all my confidence and we’ll be fine.” Prescott played in just eight games in the 2024 season before suffering a torn hamstring Nov. 3 against Atlanta.Prescott completed 64.78% of his passes for 1,978 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He had a career-low 86.0 quarterback rating. Prescott noted he’s excited to have new coach Brian Schottenheimer take over and bring an old-school approach to things, particularly when it comes to running the ball. Schottenheimer wants to use more play-action passing, something Prescott believes will help the offense. “He’s not going to take anything about this game lightly,” Prescott said. “He enjoys the work in it, old-fashioned, looking forwards to the grind and to some of the things we’re going to do.” Dak Prescott says Cowboys ‘very close’ to winning Super Bowl – Todd Archer, ESPN.com Dak Prescott remains optimistic about the team’s chance to compete with Philadelphia. “I feel like we’ve competed with the Eagles and beat them for the most part when we’ve played them,” Prescott said Tuesday after announcing the models for this year’s Children’s Cancer Fund gala that will be held April 11. “I don’t want to say, ‘Check the record,’ when the other guy is holding the trophy, right? So credit to them. They’ve earned it, and they deserve it by all means. But, yeah, [we’re] very close.” When asked how far the Cowboys are from doing what their NFC East rivals have done, Prescott also mentioned the Washington Commanders, who lost to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. “Especially even watching the NFC championship and those two teams — teams that we battle against each and every year a couple of times. As I said, [I] feel confident that we’ve gotten the better part each and every time. But just seeing such a dominating fashion [in Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs], credit to them. It’s our turn and it’s on us.” The Cowboys have not played in a Super Bowl — or been to a conference title game — in 29 seasons. They are coming off a 7-10 finish, as Prescott played just eight games before having his season end because of a partial avulsion of his right hamstring. In 2025, Prescott will play for his third different head coach — Brian Schottenheimer — in 10 seasons. Jason Garrett was his coach from 2016 to 2019, followed by Mike McCarthy from 2020 to 2024. Cowboys legend Dez Bryant criticizes franchise: ‘They need to get out of their comfort zone’ – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Dez Bryant isn’t the only former player to recently speak out about the Cowboys inability to reach the Super Bowl. Speaking on Media Row for Super Bowl LIX last week, he continued to question the organization following the hire of Brian Schottenheimer as head coach, a move he described as safe and comfortable. He said he would’ve gone with another hire, such as former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders or Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. “I would’ve gone Ben Johnson, I like him,” Bryant said. “I would’ve even gone Prime (Deion Sanders). But with Jerry [Jones], there’s no way they would’ve gone after somebody like Prime, too big of a personality. But Ben Johnson, if anything. Kliff, I would’ve given him anything he wanted.” “It feels like everybody is in a comfort zone, and that’s not what we need. We got the biggest franchise in sports, and we’re acting like we’re this poverty franchise for whatever reason.” While Jones insisted on the red carpet last Thursday night that the Cowboys are “not building for the future” and are trying to win in the now, Bryant thinks they are in the midst of turning their roster over. “I think they’re rebuilding, and it sucks,” he said. “It sucks for guys like Micah, CeeDee. That’s just my opinion…I don’t like the energy, I don’t like what’s going on in the Cowboys organization. We want to win. I’m speaking on behalf of the fans, what’s going on?” Dallas Cowboys 7-round mock draft: Cowboys add playmakers to the offense – Josh Liskiewitz, PFF.com With the 2024 season officially over, it’s time to turn towards the NFL draft. Round 1, Pick 12: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri Over the past two seasons at Missouri, Burden established himself as one of the most explosive playmakers in the country. He racked up 1,186 yards after the catch, recorded 50 explosive plays (15-plus yards) and hauled in 19 of his 35 contested targets. Round 2, Pick 46: RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State One of the true breakout stars of the 2024 college season, Skattebo possesses a level of power and toughness that Dallas’ backfield currently lacks. Last season, he was a nightmare to tackle, breaking 104 tackles and gaining 1,214 of his 1,716 rushing yards after initial contact. Round 3, Pick 76: Edge Quandarrius Robinson, Alabama Robinson was highly productive in his nine games of action in 2024, generating 20 total pressures on just 109 pass-rush snaps while posting an impressive 23.8% win rate. Round 5, Pick 150: RB Jo’quavioius Marks, USC The lightning to Skattebo’s thunder, Marks would add a dynamic receiving element to the Cowboys’ backfield. In 2024, he recorded an eye-popping 423 yards after the

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The latest news from around the division. Saints finalizing deal with Eagles OC Kellen Moore to become new head coach – Grant Gordon, NFL.com The coordinator finally gets his chance to run the whole show. Kellen Moore is sticking around in New Orleans. Moore, as expected, is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday. The Insiders added that Saints general manager Mickey Loomis called other head coaching candidates to deliver the news of Moore’s hiring. Just two days after helping the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX win at the Caesars Superdome in NOLA, the Philly offensive coordinator will be staying in the city for the long haul. The 35-year-old Moore is on the move to a different job for the fourth straight season, but this will be his first head coaching job in the NFL. He was with the Dallas Cowboys from 2018-2022 (the last four as their OC) and the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 before his one year in Philly. Prior to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ three-touchdown Super Bowl MVP performance in Philadelphia’s 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, it was reported that the plan was for Moore and the Saints to finalize a deal. Now, Moore will officially succeed Dennis Allen, who was fired amid a 5-12 2024 season. In his one season with Philadelphia, Moore piloted the Eagles offense to top-eight rankings in points scored and total yards, which included Saquon Barkley becoming the ninth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history. Commanders’ Dante Fowler Jr. among best free agent pass rushers – Jeremy Brener, Sports Illustrated From one ex-Cowboy (Kellen Moore) to another, Dante Fowler Jr. had a productive 2024 and it may pay off big time. The Washington Commanders saw Dante Fowler Jr. experience a renaissance in his first season with the team. Fowler was arguably the team’s best pass rusher, logging 10.5 sacks, the most he’s had in a single season since 2019 when he was with the Los Angeles Rams. The 33rd Team writer Dan Pizzuta listed Fowler as the No. 52 free agent in this spring’s class. Will Commanders re-sign Fowler? “There was a ton of explosiveness in Dante Fowler Jr.’s game during his season in Washington. He was 21st in pressure rate and eighth among edge rushers in pass rush win rate. Fowler did run hot, converting 87.5 percent of his hits into sacks (the league average is around 42 percent), but the constant pressure is something to believe in,” Pizzuta writes. There’s no guarantee that Fowler will have the kind of year he had in 2024 next season, but the Commanders need a high-level pass rusher, and Fowler is currently the likeliest person to fill that role out of anyone possible for Washington in 2025. Cover 3: Prospects to keep in mind in Round 2 – John Schmeelk, Dan Salomone & Matt Citak, Giants.com Possible Day 2 draft picks for the G-men. John Schmeelk: The Giants need to find a good starter with their pick at the top of the second round and a player like that is going to be available. If the Giants are looking for a secondary piece, could Shavon Revel drop into their laps since he is recovering from a season ending knee surgery? Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas or Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos could be a cornerback pick, or maybe the Giants value a safety like Nick Emmanwori or Malaki Starks if he falls. Dan Salomone: How many Ohio State players can I list here? But seriously, top of the second round is the sweet spot for the national champions. Like the overall draft class, there is probably more depth than perceived high-end talent. In Daniel Jeremiah’s initial top 50, you have wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (No. 25), tackle Josh Simmons (No. 30), versatile offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (No. 31), running backs Quinshon Judkins (No. 34) and TreVeyon Henderson (No. 36), and captain Jack Sawyer (No. 40). Then there is defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, edge defender JT Tuimoloau, safety Lathan Ransom, linebacker Cody Simon, and of course, quarterback Will Howard. I can feel Citak’s and Schmeelk’s eyes rolling because, sure, it might not be prudent to limit your draft pool to one school. But you won’t regret any of those guys. Matt Citak: With Greg Van Roten set to hit free agency, the Giants will have to address their interior offensive line in some capacity this offseason. Every year, the top of the second round seems to be a sweet spot for those guys up front. Following a dominant performance at Senior Bowl practices, one player I’ll be keeping a close eye on these next few months is North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel. The former Bison started 41 games over five seasons, with games at both tackle and guard positions. While in Mobile, Zabel split his time between guard and center, adding even more versatility to his belt. Zabel was one of the most impressive players at the Senior Bowl, as he was named the Overall Practice Player of the Week by NFL talent evaluators. His performance in Mobile likely catapulted his draft stock up to early Day 2, and there’s even a chance he could sneak into the end of the first round. But if he’s there at 34, Zabel could provide a big boost to the Giants’ protection up front.

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images Here is our scouting report on Will Johnson from Michigan We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at cornerback Will Johnson from Michigan. Will Johnson CBMichigan Wolverines Junior4-star recruit 6’2”202 lbs Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images History Will Johnson was born on March 29, 2003, in Detroit, Michigan. His father, Deon Johnson, was also a cornerback for Michigan in the 1990s. Johnson attended Grosse Pointe South High School in Michigan, where he was a four-year varsity starter. As a senior, he was an All-State selection, amassing 45 tackles, a sack, an interception, and 12 pass breakups on defense. He also contributed significantly on offense with 42 catches for 667 yards and six touchdowns among other contributions, totalling 1,302 all-purpose yards. He was a highly-rated recruit, with a four-star rating from 247Sports, and in 2022 he joined Michigan. Johnson made an immediate impact for the Wolverines in his freshman year, becoming a starter and playing in all 14 games. He recorded 27 total tackles, two tackles for loss, three pass breakups and three interceptions. In his sophomore year, Johnson was named a First-Team All-American, contributing significantly to Michigan’s national championship win. His performance included key interceptions, notably one in the national championship game against Washington, earning him the Defensive MVP award. He ended the season with 27 tackles, four pass breakups, four interceptions, and a pick-six against Minnesota that he made in the first 15-seconds of the game. Johnson’s junior year was riddled with injury which hindered his production. Despite missing half the season with lower leg injuries, he still managed two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns which led the nation, and one tackle for loss. 2024 Statistics 279 Defensive Snaps14 Total Tackles1 Tackle for Loss3 Pass Breakups 22 Defensive Stops5 Pass Breakups2 INT2 INT-TD2 Penalties NFL Combine/Pro Day TBC Awards All-American (2024)Second-team All-Big Ten (2024)CFP National Championship Game Defensive MVP (2024)All-American (2023)First-team All-Big Ten (2023) Scorecard Overall- 88.9Speed- 90Acceleration- 89Agility- 90Strength- 80Tackling- 77Zone Coverage- 88Man Coverage- 80Press- 85Discipline- 98 THE GOOD: Johnson possesses the perfect frame for an NFL cornerback, with excellent length and a filled-out build. He shows good versatility playing press, off-man, or zone coverage. Plays with a patient and controlled backpedal, which allows him to stay balanced and ready to break on the ball. He shows an exceptional ability to read plays, especially in zone coverage where his instincts and vision shine. Demonstrates an elite level of ability to locate and make plays on the ball. Effectively jams receivers at the line of scrimmage and uses his size to box out opponents. A willing tackler in run support, showing physicality when engaging ball carriers. His ability to blitz off the edge adds another layer to his game. TAPE TIME CB Will Johnson Michigan ✅ THE GOOD✅#scouting #NFLDraft #michiganwolverines #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/bKVrwXIy4R — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 10, 2025 THE BAD: There are concerns regarding his durability due to injuries. He needs to refine his technique in man coverage, particularly in terms of change of direction. Will take unnecessary gambles. There have been instances where his tackling form could be more consistent. Will play overly aggressive which takes him out the play. Needs to be more consistent with pursuit angles. TAPE TIME CB Will Johnson Michigan ❌THE BAD❌#scouting #NFLDraft #michiganwolverines #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/kDxBpk0Vdp — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 10, 2025 THE FIT There are some red flags with Will Johnson but his production speaks for itself, and in three seasons at Michigan, he accumulated 68 tackles, nine interceptions (including a school-record three pick-sixes), and 17 pass breakups. Regardless, his elite talents and skills project him as a high first-round pick, with some mock drafts even considering him in the top 10. His combination of size, speed, physicality, and football IQ suggests he could be an immediate impact player and potentially a franchise cornerstone at cornerback. His game tape paints the picture of a highly talented, versatile, and impactful cornerback prospect, but his main challenges will be maintaining health and refining some technical aspects of his game for the professional level. During the combine and team interviews his medical review will play a crucial part in how teams view him. Johnson’s ability to excel in both coverage schemes would make him a seamless fit for Dallas. Johnson’s size, length, and physicality at the line of scrimmage would be a huge asset, effectively disrupting routes at the snap, providing the Cowboys with a physical presence on the outside. The Cowboys have had issues with consistency and injuries at the cornerback position in recent years and this upcoming season other cornerbacks are set to hit free agency. With players like Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, adding Johnson would not only bolster the starting lineup but also provide much-needed depth and competition. Johnson could be seen as a long-term solution or complement to Diggs, whose aggressive style leads to big plays COMPARISON Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos BTB GRADE 11th CONSENSUS RANKING 8th(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)

Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire It’s mock draft season! Watching the Philadelphia Eagles completely dominate the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl hopefully lit a fire under the Dallas Cowboys brass to change their philosophical approach to the offseason. This team currently has a lot of roster “needs” and will need to take full advantage of both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft to build/upgrade their roster. While being more active in free agency to bring in known and established players to be starters or add depth is something we highly encourage for the Cowboys, even though we all know they prefer to build their roster through the draft. They’ve been one of the better drafting teams in the league, but have struggled to find impact players recently. Today, with the use of Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator, we attempt to predict how the Cowboys could use their picks in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. We approached this with the mindset of committing to the running game, getting Dak Prescott another receiving weapon, and adding depth to the defensive line. TRADE Cowboys send 1.12 to Cardinals for 1.16, 3.78 1.16 (from Arizona) – OL Armand Membou, Missouri Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images This pick is all about committing to the running game and protecting the highest-paid player in the league, QB Dak Prescott. Armand Membou has experience playing both RG and RT during his time at Missouri and is expected to bring that position flex to the NFL as well, something we all know the Cowboys place a high value on. At 6’3″, 315-pounds with 34 inch arms, Membou would give the Cowboys another versatile offensive lineman similar to that of Tyler Smith. His ability to start at RG or RT would give Dallas the option to replace Terence Steele, making him a salary-cap casualty, or slide him into Zack Martin’s vacant RG position. He could be an invaluable piece moving forward. 2.44 – RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images Again, this pick is all about committing/upgrading the running game. While it’s true the 2025 RB draft class is a deep one, without a fourth-round pick the Cowboys would be wise to strike early to upgrade their rushing attack and Kaleb Johnson has the ability to do just that. He checks all of the boxes NFL teams look for in a starting running back. At 6’0″, 225-pounds, the former Iowa Hawkeyes RB has the prototypical size the Cowboys look for in their RB1 and the ability to be a complete three-down back. He has a rare blend of physicality, speed, and elusiveness, but it’s his vision and patience as a runner sets him apart from a lot of the RB draft class. He has big-play potential at the next level as a starter. 3.76 – WR Isaiah Bond, Texas Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It wasn’t long ago Isaiah Bond was considered a surefire first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but a down season last year at Texas negatively impacted his draft stock. For a team like the Cowboys who are in desperate need of adding more weapons to their aerial attack to help both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, this could be an absolute steal. At 5’11”, 180-pounds and still just 20 years old, Bond has the talent to be an impact weapon in the passing game despite a down year in 2024. He has the tools needed to be a three-level threat as well as the speed, explosiveness, and flexibility to be a YAC demon. With little more development, he could be one of the best WRs from this draft class. 3.78 (from Arizona) – DT Darius Alexander, Toledo Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Forget about the small school mantra, Darius Alexander was not only hard to handle throughout his career at Toledo, but backed up his play against some of the best offensive lineman in the country at the Senior Bowl. He could be someone Dallas’ new DC could pound the table for to upgrade and add some much-needed depth to the defensive line. Matt Eberflus likes his defensive lineman to be big, long, and fast. That makes Darius Alexander an ideal prospect. At 6’3″, 310-pounds with 34 inch arms and a wingspan of 82 inches, the former Toledo DT definitely checks all the boxes. If that wasn’t enough, he’s capable of starting as a rookie as either a one- or three-technique in Eberflus’ 4-3 scheme.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys have a lot of work to do if they want to catch the Eagles. It’s time for the Dallas Cowboys to get back to work. After the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, the book is finally closed on the 2024 NFL season. The Eagles dominated the Chiefs in every facet of the game, looking like the superior team at nearly every position all night. If the Cowboys want any shot of getting their moment of glory, they will need to chase down the ultra-talented Eagles, who aren’t going anywhere any time soon. If the Cowboys want to do just that and dethrone the current Super Bowl champs next year, here are three moves they must make this offseason. Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images 1) Add a legit number two wide receiver If the Cowboys are smart, their number one priority this offseason should be adding a capable wide receiver to pair with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb. Dallas’ offense lacked firepower last season, which was evident even when Dak Prescott and most of the team were healthy. Outside of Lamb, it’s clear no one on the Cowboys’ current roster is capable of being a legit number two receiver at this point in time. Jalen Tolbert has shown flashes of potential but has been far too inconsistent to rely on to fulfill that role. Dallas’ other wideouts on the roster, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo, and Jalen Brooks, are all more of a fourth or fifth receiver rather than a top target on an offense. No matter how they have to do it, the Cowboys need to come out of this offseason with a talented wideout that can help bring some much-needed explosiveness to their offense. If the Cowboys look to the draft to accomplish this task, they could spend their first-round selection on a wide receiver like Tetairoa McMillan or Emeka Egbuka. Both would be significant upgrades to Dallas’ offense. The draft isn’t the only place the Cowboys could find themselves a new offensive weapon. If Dallas decides to realize free agency actually does exist and finally commits to spending on some outside free agents, there will be a couple of difference-making wide receivers in this year’s free agent class. The Cowboys could target someone like Marquise Brown, who is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Chiefs, and give him a high-paying one-year deal to prove his value and hit the market again next spring. Overall, the Cowboys need to do whatever it takes to add another talented receiver to their offense in the coming months. Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images 2) Re-sign impending free agents Jourdan Lewis and Osa Odighizuwa The Cowboys have plenty of key players set to hit free agency this March, but Jourdan Lewis and Osa Odighizuwa both had career years last season and were clearly two of the five best-performing players on Dallas’ entire roster. Dallas cannot afford to lose either player, mainly due to the state of the position group on the current roster. At cornerback, Dallas has three players, DaRon Bland, Calen Carson, and Trevon Diggs, under contract for the 2025 season. Diggs’ late-season injury will likely force him to miss at least the first half of the regular season, making it imperative that Dallas retains veteran Lewis to give them another reliable option in their secondary. At defensive tackle, if the Cowboys were to let Odighizuwa walk, they would instantly become arguably the weakest single position group in the entire NFL. Outside of Mazi Smith, who has been a big disappointment to this point of his career, the Cowboys don’t have a single other defensive tackle on their roster who is capable of being a starter. It may be costly, but the Cowboys need to do whatever it takes to ensure Lewis and Odighizuwa are still wearing a star on their helmet next fall. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images 3) Find affordable depth options in free agency One thing that became very clear during the 2024 season was that the Cowboys’ lack of roster depth ended up being a huge issue. While Dallas may have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, one to ten, they lack depth down the line that is needed if a team wants to win a Super Bowl. If you look at the Eagles’ 2024 roster, they are by far the deepest team in the league. Philadelphia had at least 2-3 quality players at nearly every position group. The Cowboys don’t have that, and they’ll need to find some affordable depth options in free agency this spring if they want to be taken as a serious contender. Last offseason, the Cowboys signed veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year, $3M deal. That turned out to be a great signing as the 32-year-old turned out to be a productive player on Dallas’ defense. Deals like that one are what Dallas will need to pursue this spring. It does not have to be signing a big-name free agent to a huge contract, but the Cowboys absolutely must be more active in free agency, mainly focusing on finding affordable depth pieces to fill out the bottom half of their roster.