Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 72) 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 72. Ken Norton Jr Born: September 29, 1966. Jacksonville, IllinoisPosition: LinebackerDallas Cowboys: 1988-1993Awards: Super Bowl champion- XXVII, XXVIII, XXIXAll-Pro- 1993, 1995Pro Bowl– 1993, 1995, 1997 Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images Ken Norton Jr. played linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys from 1988 to 1993 after being selected in the second round out of UCLA. Known for his relentless motor, physicality, and leadership, Norton developed into a key piece of the Cowboys’ defense during their early 1990s dynasty. He was the team’s leading tackler in multiple seasons and played a pivotal role in back-to-back Super Bowl victories in Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII. Norton’s fiery play and intensity helped set the tone for a defense that became one of the league’s best. Ken Norton Jr. doesn’t get enough credit for how good he was on those Super Bowl teams pic.twitter.com/Dxx6OjL67k — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 13, 2020 Best known for:Norton was best known for being a tackling machine and emotional leader on the Cowboys’ defense during their early ’90s championship run, including starting in two Super Bowl victories. Lesser known fact:Norton was the first player in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls. After winning two with Dallas, he signed with the 49ers and won a third straight title in Super Bowl XXIX. This feat was matched again in 2025, when Philadelphia Eagles offensive linemen, Darian Kinard, won his third consecutive Lombardi in Super Bowl LIX. ✭ 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 72Ken Norton Jr#DallasCowboys… pic.twitter.com/aMfhtXSj89 — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 24, 2025

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports Cowboys could say goodbye to Trevon Diggs sooner rather than later. There is reason to believe Trevon Diggs’ time with the Dallas Cowboys could be coming to an end sooner rather than later. While the 51st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has been one of the few successful second-round selections by the Cowboys recently, this is a “what have you done for me lately” league and sadly Diggs isn’t living up to expectations. Unfortunately, the past two years haven’t been kind to Diggs. He has sustained back-to-back season-ending injuries to his left knee and has looked far removed from being the two-time Pro Bowler (2021, 2022) and First-Team All-Pro (2021) he was pre-injury. His injuries and regression could lead to the Cowboys wanting to get out of his contract. If that is true, then the Cowboys can get out of his contract after the completion of the 2025 NFL season. According to Spotrac, if they cut him in the offseason they save more than $12.5 million and would carry a dead cap hit of just under $6 million in 2026. They could also designate him a post-June 1 release, saving $15.5 million and can spread the dead cap over the 2026 and 2027 seasons at a little under $3 million per year. If Diggs’ injuries keep him from returning to form in 2025, becoming a salary-cap casualty after that wouldn’t be unexpected. Couple that with the fact that DaRon Bland is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025 and will be seeking a sizable extension himself, and the Cowboys could have quite the dilemma on their hands. The money saved by cutting Diggs could be used to help retain Bland. While Diggs’ fate could be tied to that of DaRon Bland, you have to consider the play of rookie Shavon Revel. If the rookie shows the talent that had him as a possible first-round prospect until his own injury in college, then the Cowboys could make a decision to go with those two as their main corners beyond 2025. Only time will tell though. This is definitely something to keep monitoring as the offseason and the regular-season progresses. Diggs can be a top corner when healthy and not being held back by rehab. We’ll just have to wait and see how his recovery progresses.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images What do you think Tyler Smith’s eventual contract with the Cowboys will look like? It’s been a fairly active offseason by the standards of the Dallas Cowboys, including the trade for wide receiver George Pickens. The Cowboys moved on from Mike McCarthy and elected to elevate offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach. Now, they’re focusing on a pair of major extensions: pass rusher Micah Parsons and left guard Tyler Smith. Dallas was in a similar predicament last offseason, having to extend both star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott. Both deals eventually got done right before the start of the season, but it wasn’t without fireworks. Now, they’re hoping to avoid that this time around with another pair of stars. While the focus has been on Parsons, and rightfully so, Smith has become one of the Cowboys’ top players since being drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s only entering the fourth year of his career, so the Cowboys do have time to get a deal done, as they’ve already picked up his fifth-year option for 2026. But, in recent years, teams have seen an advantage when getting ahead of contract extensions with the cap continuing to rise. So, let’s look at the numbers for a potential Smith extension and see where he could fit among his peers at guard. Comparable baseline for a Tyler Smith contract The guard market has erupted in recent years. To name a few, Chris Lindstrom, Robert Hunt, Will Fries, Trey Smith (franchise tag), Landon Dickerson, Quenton Nelson, Aaron Banks, Sam Cosmi, Quinn Meinerz, Joe Thuney, and Jonah Jackson have all gotten a deal in the past two years that averages at least $17.5 million per season. Dickerson’s four-year, $84 million deal from last offseason set the market until Trey Smith was franchise-tagged this year, setting him up to make $23.4 million on a one-year deal in 2025. Smith has quickly developed into one of the top guards in the NFL since moving over from tackle in 2023, and he could very well be next in line for a market-setting deal. Looking purely at contract extensions, Dickerson’s $21 million per year leads the way for average annual value. Hunt’s $63 million in practical guarantees on his five-year, $100 million deal with the Panthers is the top in that category. Lindstrom’s $48.2 million on his five-year, $102.5 million deal with the Falcons is the most guaranteed at signing. And Quenton Nelson’s $31 million signing bonus tops that filter. With the guard market really expanding and teams taking care of their players early, four-year extensions seem to be the blueprint at the position. That makes sense for Smith, given that he still has two more years on his rookie deal (Year 4 + fifth-year option). It also allows the Cowboys more flexibility to structure the contract, which can be helpful in negotiations. Timing will be crucial, as it usually is with major contracts, given others like Trey Smith are also vying for long-term extensions. But, given where the market currently is, let’s project what a contract for Tyler Smith could look like. Projecting a Tyler Smith contract with the Dallas Cowboys As shared above, expect Smith to land a four-year deal. And given how the Cowboys have structured some of their bigger contracts, I expect a guarantee structure where all or a portion of the 2026 and 2027 compensation guarantees after the previous league year begins. Smith should be in line for a market-setting deal, so I’d expect the average annual value to slightly beat Landon Dickerson’s. As for the guarantees, I think the sweet spot will be between Dickerson’s $50 million and Quenton Nelson’s $60 million on his four-year, $80 million extension with the Indianapolis Colts. Of course, there are opportunities for more guarantees with the guarantee structure, but I’d think Smith would earn somewhere in that range for the total guarantees. The Cowboys aren’t afraid to dole out larger signing bonuses, although I’m not sure that one for Smith would break the market over Nelson’s $31 million bonus. The good news for Dallas is that they can spread the cap hit over six possible years, given that Smith would have the two years on his rookie deal remaining, plus the four extension years on his overall deal. That would bump up his guarantees at signing, although that number is also dependent on the structure. So, for now, here’s what a projection of Smith’s deal could look like: Projection: 4 years, $85 million total with $53 million in total guarantees

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images What is the next Dallas Cowboys jersey you are looking to purchase? When it comes to Dallas Cowboys memorabilia, if you are a collector then you likely have a jersey or two. It is always interesting to see and hear what people’s stances on jerseys are like. Some people purchase a ton and wear them all of the time. Others pass on the idea as a whole. I’m sure you have heard people say that they only like to buy jerseys from legends since they know those players aren’t going anywhere. It always stinks when you have one from a player who is cut, traded or leaves in free agency. For our Tuesday discussion here on the site we are curious which Cowboys jersey you are wanting to get or have had on your list for some time. Maybe it is a legend as noted, or perhaps you are ready to plant your flag in the name of Tyler Booker. Maybe you even want something a bit unique that is only tangentially related to the Cowboys like a Florida Gators Emmitt Smith jersey. Let us know in the comments below!

Chris Jones-Imagn Images The latest and greatest Dallas Cowboys news. Luke Schoonmaker’s days in Dallas could be numbered – Richard Paolinelli, Inside The Star The Cowboys have suddenly created a lot of competition at tight end. Time Is Running Out There are actually two swords currently dangling over Schoonmaker’s head. He’s getting pushed by 2024 undrafted free agent Brevyn Spann-Ford as well as 2023 UDFAs Princeton Fant and John Stephens. Stephens has had his last two seasons derailed in the preseason by injury. When healthy, he showed signs of being a solid player. Fant has been impressing this year, perhaps understanding that he needs to make it this year, or he may not be in the NFL much longer. As for Spann-Ford, with the reported emphasis on running the ball, Spann-Ford is the kind of blocking tight end Dallas will require. He’s also shown an ability to catch some passes too, especially when Jake Ferguson went down with an injury last year. Outplaying these three challengers is the first sword that Schoonmaker must deal with. He can control that. He has no control over the other sword, however. Salary Cap Cut? Unless he can prove himself invaluable to the Cowboys’ offense, Schoonmaker’s contract could make him very expendable. Especially if Spann-Ford and Fant can show they are better options to back up Ferguson going forward. 3 Cowboys players facing a make or break season in 2025 – Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys The Cowboys defense is going through yet another change under Matt Eberflus, and some key players could be on the block. DT Mazi Smith Anyone else surprised to see Mazi Smith make this list? Probably not. Sadly, Dallas’ 2023 first-round pick as of yet hasn’t lived up to his draft status. Playing for different defensive coordinators in each of his first two seasons with the Cowboys probably didn’t help his development, which puts into question how he’ll perform with his third DC in three years (Matt Eberflus). If he doesn’t take a significant jump during his ever important Year 3, he could be playing elsewhere as soon as next season. CB Trevon Diggs Unless Trevon Diggs has a huge bounce-back season in 2025 he could be playing elsewhere next season. Injuries and regression over the past couple years could make him a salary-cap casualty after the completion of the 2025 season. The Cowboys can save more than $12.25 million by releasing him in the offseason and carry a dead cap hit of just under $6 million. They could also designate him a post-June 1 release and save $15.5 million and spread the dead cap over the 2026 and 2027 seasons at just under $3 million per year. PFF spotlights 2 Cowboys position battles among NFL’s most intriguing this preseason – Todd Brock, The Cowboys Wire The Cowboys were hamstringed at running back all season in 2024, and have an open competition for who will lead the group in ‘25. Pro Football Focus has identified 10 position battles to watch across the league this preseason, and the Cowboys figure prominently on the list, with two of the competitions expected to get most heated. Running back Following an offseason that completely blew up the Cowboys’ already-faltering ground game, the outlet unsurprisingly spotlights Javonte Williams versus Miles Sanders as the NFL’s most noteworthy running back battle of the summer. Signed by Dallas on the same day this March, both ballcarriers bring veteran experience to a room that will also include rookie draft picks Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, as well as Deuce Vaughn. It’s hard to imagine all five making the 53-man roster, so there will be lots of eyes watching every rep in Oxnard, with many believing either Williams or Sanders will end up being cut for cap space. But which one? PFF notes that while both “have faced challenges in recent years, each offers upside.” (In perhaps an indication of who they think is the lesser threat to stick around, though, PFF’s article- as originally posted- mistakenly refers to Williams as [Rico] Dowdle, confusing him with last year’s 1,000-yard rusher, now toting the rock in Carolina.) “Sanders earned an 84.8 rushing grade on gap runs last season (albeit in a limited sample),” writes Mason Cameron, while Williams “ranks in the 77th percentile in yards per route run over the past two seasons.” The pure stats would seem to favor Sanders, but he is three full years older and is coming off career lows in carries, yards, and yards per carry for the Panthers. He had a 1,000-yard campaign in 2022, and while it earned him his only Pro Bowl nod, it currently is the anomaly on his resume. Williams, while younger, suffered a major knee injury in 2022, costing him the final 13 games of that season. Once he returned, there were rumblings that he simply hadn’t regained his All-Rookie form, and he was let go by Denver after being the 35th overall draft pick in 2021. It may come down to which veteran performs better in camp and the preseason, and which one’s skill set is a better fit for what Schottenheimer wants to do offensively in 2025. Cowboys could revive a former first-round pick’s career with one bold move – Cameron Ellis, The Landry Hat Is there room for one more former first-round pick on the Cowboys roster at running back? Cowboys’ RB concerns could be solved with one call to the Jaguars “Publicly, the Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t trying to trade running back Travis Etienne Jr. New head coach Liam Coen called trade rumors surrounding the 26-year-old “absolutely inaccurate” earlier this month, according to Demetrius Harvey of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union. However, it isn’t hard to connect the dots between Etienne and an eventual deal that has the 2021 first-round pick playing elsewhere … With Etienne entering the final year of his rookie contract, the Jags could erase his entire $6.1 million cap hit by trading him. Coen might not be eager to part with him

Dick Raphael-Imagn Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 73) 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 73. Mike Ditka Born: October 18, 1939. Carnegie, PennsylvaniaPosition: Tight endDallas Cowboys: 1969-1972Awards: Super Bowl champion- VI, XII, XX (as coach)All-Pro- 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965Pro Bowl– 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time TeamNFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team Photo by James Flores/Getty Images Mike Ditka played tight end for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 to 1972, joining the team near the end of his Hall of Fame playing career. Though no longer in his prime, Ditka provided leadership, toughness, and a physical edge to the offense. He was a key contributor in short-yardage and blocking situations and played an important supporting role during the Cowboys’ rise to prominence under Tom Landry. Ditka helped Dallas win its first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl VI and added veteran grit to a young, talented roster. Best known for:Ditka was best known in Dallas for being a veteran leader who brought experience to the Cowboys offense, helping guide the team to its first Super Bowl victory in the 1971 season. Lesser known fact:While playing for the Cowboys, Ditka began developing a strong relationship with head coach Tom Landry, so much so that after retiring Landry hired him as an assistant coach in 1973, launching Ditka’s legendary coaching career. This would not only help Dallas win Super Bowl XII, he would eventually get a Super Bowl win as head coach whilst with the Chicago Bears. ✭ 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 73Mike Ditka#DallasCowboys… pic.twitter.com/zIYmPYcqdB — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) June 23, 2025

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Which five Cowboys do you think are facing a critical season? Nearly every NFL player reaches a crossroad at some point in their career. The Dallas Cowboys have several players who have reached that juncture and are facing a make or break 2025 season with the organization. Below are the ones we believe have the most to prove this year one way or another. DT Mazi Smith Anyone else surprised to see Mazi Smith make this list? Probably not. Sadly, Dallas’ 2023 first-round pick as of yet hasn’t lived up to his draft status. Playing for different defensive coordinators in each of his first two seasons with the Cowboys probably didn’t help his development, which puts into question how he’ll perform with his third DC in three years (Matt Eberflus). If he doesn’t take a significant jump during his ever important Year 3, he could be playing elsewhere as soon as next season. TE Luke Schoonmaker With Jake Ferguson entering the final year of his contract and with Brevyn Spann-Ford possibly pushing for the TE2 job, Luke Schoonmaker’s future with the Cowboys currently stands on shaky ground. While he’s shown flashes of starting material, he’s lacked consistency. Because of that, he could need a big 2025 season to stick around. If Ferguson is retained, he remains buried on the depth chart. But, if Ferguson exits in free agency, he could be competing with Spann-Ford and another draft pick for the TE1 job. CB Trevon Diggs Unless Trevon Diggs has a huge bounce-back season in 2025 he could be playing elsewhere next season. Injuries and regression over the past couple years could make him a salary-cap casualty after the completion of the 2025 season. The Cowboys can save more than $12.25 million by releasing him in the offseason and carry a dead cap hit of just under $6 million. They could also designate him a post-June 1 release and save $15.5 million and spread the dead cap over the 2026 and 2027 seasons at just under $3 million per year.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Do you feel like the Cowboys trades this offseason have been fair? The Dallas Cowboys are not big spenders in free agency. This has been something we have grown accustomed to for quite some time now. But while they shy away from that part of roster building, they have been quite active in making trades. Going back to the last three seasons, here are the players they have acquired (taking out the late-round pick swaps/additions). 2023 Stephon Gilmore – 5th round pick (2023)Brandin Cooks – 5th round pick (2023) + 6th round pick (2024)Trey Lance – 4th round pick (2024) 2024 Jonathan Mingo – 4th round pick (2025)Jordan Phillips – 6th round pick (2026) 2025 George Pickens – 3rd round pick (2026) + 5th round pick (2027)Joe Milton – 5th round pick (2025)Kenneth Murray – 6th round pick (2025)Kaiir Elam – 5th round pick (2025) + 7th round pick (2026) The team has also done a couple of player swaps, who coincidentally were cornerbacks, by trading Nahshon Wright for Andrew Booth last year and Kelvin Joseph for Noah Igbinoghene the year before that. When it comes to trading picks for players, that’s nine different players the Cowboys have acquired over the past three seasons. That’s a lot, especially considering they only made one trade (Johnathan Hankins) over the previous two seasons. Some of these were trades that fans applauded. There are three trades listed above that feature late-round draft capital for a former first-round pick (Gilmore, Cooks, and Murray). Their draft costs were lower because the bigger part of the cost is reflected in the salary they also had to absorb, a la Amari Cooper. But some of these trades were not so well received. Spending a fourth-round pick on Trey Lance was a clear mistake in hindsight, and many feel the team turned around and did it again when they traded another fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo last year. Even as much as most fans love having George Pickens on the team, a third-round pick isn’t chump change. That’s an expensive price for a team that relies so heavily on its draft to replenish its roster. One thing we must consider about many of the deals the Cowboys have made to acquire these “change of scenery players” is that the team is using future picks to get them, and future picks come with a one-round discount. What a draft pick is worth today is not the same as what that same pick is worth next year. The reason is obvious, as one team gets immediate dividends while the other team must wait. We see trades like this happen all the time. If a team wants to jump back in the draft to take a player they absolutely love, but they don’t have enough draft capital left to do it, they’ll deal away future picks to get him. The Cowboys did this in 2017 to get Xavier Woods and again in 2023 to get Eric Scott Jr., where in both cases they traded a future fifth-rounder for a sixth-round pick that year. Since draft capital now requires a more expensive pick later, the reverse is also true. If the Cowboys are getting a player now for a draft pick the following year, they’re really getting them for a one-round discount. When you apply the Jerry Jones promo code to some of these recent trades, they look like this: George Pickens = 4th-round pick (one-round discount)Jonathan Mingo = 5th-round pick (one-round discount)Trey Lance = 5th-round pick (one-round discount)Joe Milton = 5th-round pickKenneth Murray = 6th-round pickKaiir Elam = 6th-round pick (kickback refund) The Pickens, Mingo, and Lance trades all come with a one-year discount, while the Elam price drops because the Cowboys also got a kickback draft pick in return (we explained that in more detail a couple of months ago). When you look at it this way, the Cowboys are giving up far less draft capital to acquire these players. Does that change your perspective on things? Obviously, what the team gets out of these players on Sundays will sway the public opinion of these deals, but when you consider that most of these trades are later-round flyers, it’s really not that bad of an investment either way. Draft picks that late don’t typically come with much expectation, so it wouldn’t take much for the Cowboys to come out ahead. Players like Gilmore, Cooks, and Hankins have already outperformed their draft price, and there’s a good chance that at least one of these newer players will do the same. When you evaluate the Cowboys’ trades, their costs don’t end up being as high as they seemed initially.

Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images Do you root for Cowboys players when they leave the team? Are there certain exceptions? If you are reading this then there is a strong chance that you root for the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously we have the random Eagles fans who are obsessed with the team who stop by, but you get the point. While we all root for the team we sometimes have differing opinions on things relative to what they are doing or their roster or any other sort of thing. One issue that divides people at times is the approach to rooting for players when they leave the Cowboys for another NFL squad. For our Monday discussion we want to know… do you root for Cowboys players when they leave for another team whether by way of trade or free agency? Obviously all circumstances are different and players leave on different types of terms, and it goes without saying that if they play for a division rival that this may not be possible. But if a Cowboys player leaves for say the Miami Dolphins? This is what we are talking about. Let us know in the comments down below!

Chris Jones-Imagn Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. Cowboys Tyler Booker can’t even turn off the aggression during youth camp – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated Dallas got a competitor. Since his selection, the 6-foot-5, 321-pounder has won fans over. His aggressive style of play has them excited, as does his claim that he makes “guys not love football.” Booker’s claim that he plays with unrelenting aggression isn’t just talk either. He proved as much by sharing a video from his youth football camp this weekend. Booker was running drills with one of the participants and playfully shoved him. He then shared the video with the caption, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” How you do anything is how you do everything pic.twitter.com/GkxmD4SWS6 — Tyler Booker (@iamtylerbooker) June 22, 2025 Booker is committed to giving back to the youth, saying the kids remind them of himself when he was young. He added that he wouldn’t be who he was without the community, and wants to be someone these kids can look up to. Booker joins an offensive line that has two other first-round picks in Tyler Smith (2022) and Tyler Guyton (2023). They’re trying to rebuild the dominance up front Dallas was once known for, with Booker being added as a key building block this offseason. Cowboys fiercest camp battle will be at position they only invested $8 million in – Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire Who will be a member of the committee in 2025? The Cowboys haven’t invested much in the position financially, around $8 million, which means there isn’t much holding them back from an open competition. In years past, money has played a role in who saw snaps, but that won’t likely be the case in 2025. Javonte Williams was one of the first players the team targeted in free agency, signing a one-year, $3 million deal. He is a young back who had an excellent rookie season with the Denver Broncos, but hasn’t been the same since he tore his ACL in 2022. New head coach and play caller Brian Schottenheimer has routinely spoken about wanting backs who are a threat in the passing game, and Williams does that. He is also a solid pass protector, which a team with questions at offensive tackle could desperately use. The way the team approached him in free agency, his fit with what the new play caller wants from the position, and his youth make him the likely top candidate to begin the year as the starter. Jaydon Blue is another player who appears to have a guaranteed roster spot as a fifth-round pick who brings explosive playmaking out of the backfield. He never reached 200 touches in a single season in his college career, so he has fresh legs. A receiving weapon out of the backfielwith 42 receptions for 368 yards and six scores in 2024 , he also averaged over five yards a jaunt in his final year in Austin, combining for 1,098 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cowboys’ biggest need in 2026 is already obvious (and won’t be an easy fix) – Marcus Mosher, The Landry Hat Never too early to start looking ahead. Cowboys will need a wide receiver once again going into 2026 Here is what Sikkema had to say about the position going into the year: “The Cowboys recently traded for George Pickens, who will be their WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb for the upcoming season. But he is in the final year of his rookie deal, and if his performance doesn’t warrant an extension, then things get very thin in Dallas at that position. Special-teams ace KaVontae Turpin was the only other Cowboys receiver to earn a PFF receiving grade above 70.0 in 2024, and that includes tight ends and running backs.” Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus It’s also worth mentioning that Jalen Tolbert is also scheduled to become a free agent after the 2025 season and he is coming off the best year of his career. Losing Pickens and Tolbert in the same offseason could significantly hurt their depth, especially if players like Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flournoy don’t step up. The best-case scenario would be for Pickens to have a monster season and for the Cowboys to find a way to retain him. But it sure feels like Dallas is viewing this as a rental season with the idea that they could gain a future compensatory pick by Pickens leaving in 2026. 3 players the Cowboys could trade before the season- LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys It’s not too late to make a move. Jalen Brooks Since adding George Pickens in a trade, the Cowboys have two excellent wide receivers who can stretch the field and make circus catches. Jalen Tolbert also has improved steadily over the last few seasons and made a few big-time plays, like his game-winning touchdown catch versus the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. While this is good for the Cowboys, this leaves Jalen Brooks in a precarious spot. At one time, he was vying for a chance as the team’s third or fourth receiver. Now, he’s seeing stiff competition to keep his place on the roster. Ryan Flournoy and Jonathan Mingo have flashed throughout OTAs and minicamp. Also, Brooks made some critical errors in the playing time he received. Despite being 25 years old, Brooks needs more time to develop. Unfortunately, time may be running out in Dallas. If he’s not a top-five receiver on the roster, he becomes disposable. Maybe a team that needs a fourth receiver like Brooks would like to make a deal.