Photo by Khampha Bouaphanh/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images If the Cowboys do bring back Kellen Moore, their history with Sean Payton may be part of the reason. Jerry Jones has generally been able to hire and keep the guys he wants as coaches since he bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. But one coach he couldn’t hang on to was Sean Payton, whom Jones has expressed regret over losing in the years since. Now looking for a new head coach in 2025, could Jones think of Payton when he considers bringing Kellen Moore back into the organization? Brief history lesson if you need it; Payton was Dallas’ quarterbacks coach and handled some other assistant duties on Bill Parcells’ staff from 2003-2005. He was valued enough that when teams began inquiring about making him their offensive coordinator during that run, Jones raised his pay. But in 2006, the New Orleans Saints offered their head coaching job and that finally pulled Payton away from the Cowboys. A year later, Parcells retired and Payton had just been named Coach of the Year. The “one who got away” narrative began instantly, especially since Parcells didn’t project to last much longer in Dallas at the time Payton left. But mostly thanks to bad timing, Payton was ready to move up before the Cowboys had an opening. In 2009, Payton led the Saints to a Super Bowl championship and many NFC South titles and playoff appearances during an impressive 16-year run. He was suspended for the 2012 season for “Bountygate,” when he and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams led an effort to reward players for injuring opponents. Despite this blemish, he emerged from his New Orleans tenure as one of the most acclaimed coaches in modern NFL history and is continuing to earn respect for his current work as head coach of the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, in Dallas, Jones hired Wade Phillips in 2007 with Jason Garrett as offensive coordinator. That lasted until 2010 when the Cowboys imploded and Garrett became interim coach, then held the job until being replaced with Mike McCarthy in 2020. Now, Dallas is parting ways with McCarthy and is still trying to find the guy to move them past an occasional division crown and short playoff run. Kellen Moore is one of the current frontrunners to take that job. He was a Cowboys backup QB from 2015-2017, QB coach in 2018, and offensive coordinator from 2019-2022. With Mike McCarthy wanting more offensive control in 2023, Moore moved on to become the Chargers’ coordinator. But after a difficult season and then Jim Harbaugh’s arrival in 2024, Moore was again on the market and spent last year as OC with the Philadelphia Eagles. Many are drawing parallels to Jason Garrett when discussing Moore’s candidacy for the Dallas opening, and that’s logical given some of their similar history as both players and coaches here. But Jerry Jones’ miss on Sean Payton should also be considered in his desire to reunite with Moore. Like Payton in the early 2000s, Moore is seen as one of the bright, young minds in offensive coaching. He just helped Saquon Barkley go over 2,000 yards for one of the best single seasons in NFL rushing history. The Eagles went 14-3 in the regular season and will be hosting the Los Angeles Rams in a second-round playoff game this Sunday. While their pass game hasn’t posted big numbers, that seems to be more about their personnel. Moore proved he can lead a prolific air attack during his years as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, ranking second in passing offense in both 2019 and 2021. When Moore left Dallas in 2023, McCarthy was coming off a second straight 12-5 regular season and his first (and would prove to be only) playoff win over Tampa Bay. Much like when Dallas stuck with Parcells in 2006, it was logical to keep things going with McCarthy at that point. Unfortunately, it meant losing Moore much like it meant losing Payton about two decades earlier. Of course, we don’t know if Moore will even be a successful head coach, let alone an upper-echelon one like Payton. But that’s the scary thrill of going with an unknown over a retread. However confident New Orleans was in Payton when they hired him, it’s all conjecture and hope until the guy either proves you right or wrong. Still just 36 years old, Kellen Moore offers Jerry Jones youth and future potential as a head coach like he once saw in Sean Payton. Circumstances didn’t allow Payton to prove his ultimate worth with the Cowboys, but Jones may now see a chance to get Moore back in the fold and continue his growth where it started. Instead of maybe being another one who got away, Moore could be close to becoming just the 10th coach in Dallas’ history.

Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Here is our scouting report on defensive lineman Mason Graham from Michigan We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at defensive lineman Mason Graham, from Michigan. Mason Graham DTMichigan Wolverines Junior4-star recruit 6’3”320 lbs Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images History Mason Graham played on the defensive line and at offensive tackle at his high school, Servite High School. Another huge feather in his cap is the fact he was also the school’s star wrestler on the wrestling team. In 2021, Graham officially committed to Michigan as a four-star recruit. In his freshman year, Graham was thrown in the deep end and played in every game that year on Michigan’s schedule. He played a total of 303 defensive snaps and totaled 13 pressures, three sacks and 27 tackles. In 2023, Graham improved dramatically and caught the eye of a lot of scouts. He was instrumental in helping Michigan win the National Championship where he delivered four tackles and five pressures. During the rest of the 2023 season, Graham registered 442 snaps (328 of those snaps at the three-tech position). He made 33 tackles, 29 pressures, eight tackles for loss and four sacks. Last season, Graham had his best season and improved even more. He played a total of 548 defensive snaps and was one of the best run defenders on the team while still maintaining a high level of pass rush production. He had 45 total tackles and seven tackles for loss. As a pass rusher he totaled 34 total pressures and had 3.5 sacks. 2024 Statistics 548 Defensive snaps45 Total Tackles7 Tackles For Loss34 Pressures3.5 Sacks1 Pass Breakup1 Penalty NFL Combine/Pro Day TBC Awards All-America (2024)First-team All-Big Ten (2024)First-team All-Big Ten (2023) Scorecard Overall- 92.3Speed- 73Acceleration- 95Agility- 93Strength- 86Tackling- 78Pass Rush- 90Run Defense- 90Discipline- 97 THE GOOD Graham has an insanely hot motor. The first thing you notice from snap to snap is his relentless play. Extremely athletic for the position. His acceleration and burst off the line is elite. A very savvy hand fighter with fantastic hand strength. Due to his wrestling days he’s able to slip and pass by blocks with clever use of hands or to out leverage lineman if they try to hold him up. Good speed-to-power skills. He diagnoses the play quickly and knows when to hold his gap or half-man his blocker to locate the rusher. Times himself well when two-gapping and blocking the hole. TAPE TIME DT Mason Graham Michigan THE GOOD#scouting #NFLDraft #MichiganFootball #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/NTywkmOIRc — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) January 15, 2025 THE BAD Size is a huge concern. Graham measures up better as a five-tech than he does playing the nose or A-gaps. Coaches in the NFL may look to restructure his play which will take him time to develop. He will fail to disengage from blocks wanting to purely go straight at the offensive linemen and never back down. More of a “guy in the way” at times rather than leading the charge. He’s all too often wanting rip or spin (his spin move is elite however) and that leads to him being easy to predict. Arm length is his biggest weakness. TAPE TIME DT Mason Graham Michigan THE BAD#scouting #NFLDraft #MichiganFootball #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/jfiaQqyhvS — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) January 15, 2025 THE FIT Graham is very enticing and all his issues are extremely fixable and can be resolved quickly thanks to Graham’s high IQ. His size is somewhat a concern but on the right defense that will look to employ a slanting defensive line or rotated often, Graham can easily be a success in the NFL. His general defensive techniques need very little coaching and his tackling skills are right where they need to be at this stage. His scolding hot motor makes for him to be an early key defender in the NFL and his understanding of balance and getting linemen off-balance is a fantastic trait to watch on tape. His technique, speed and power all make for an ideal candidate at this stage to go very early in the 2025 NFL Draft. COMPARISON Sharrif Floyd, Minnesota Vikings BTB GRADE Top-15 prospect CONSENSUS RANKING 4th(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Chauncey Golston had an amazing season for the Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys have a long list of free agents who will officially hit the open market in a little over two months. Of those, six or seven were significant contributors in 2024, meaning the Cowboys have some difficult decisions ahead of them in the next two months. We continue our free agent profile series by taking a look at a player coming off a career-year, defensive end Chauncey Golston. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images 2024 Regular Season Stats: 17G, 37 Total Pressures, 36 Tackles, 30 Defensive Stops, 28 QB Hurries, 7.0 Sacks, 2 QB Hits Year Review: After losing both Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency, there was plenty of pressure on Cowboys’ defensive end Chauncey Golston to perform in 2024. The pressure only got more significant at the start of training camp when edge rusher Sam Williams went down with a season-ending injury, leaving Dallas’ pass-rush group very thin. Golston did not do much through the first four games of the 2024 regular season, but things took a turn after that. During Dallas’ Week 4 matchup against the New York Giants, Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence suffered serious injuries. With both out for the foreseeable future, Golston was thrust into the starting lineup as a full-time defensive end. For the first time in his Cowboys’ career, Golston was able to stick to one spot on the defensive line and not constantly move inside and out. This worked to the 26-year-old’s advantage, as he put together his best season as a pro. Golston finished the regular season with a career-high seven sacks, tied for the second-most on the Cowboys’ defense. He also recorded two or more pressures in nine of Dallas’ final 13 regular season games, recording five in a single game three times. Golston stepped up when Dallas desperately needed him to and showed some pass-rush ability we had not seen from him during his first three years in the league. The former third-round selection picked an excellent time for a career year as he heads into free agency looking like a capable pass-rusher who could help many teams. Free Agency Outlook: Golston’s performance in 2024 will likely have a significant impact on his free agent market. Teams are always looking to upgrade their pass rush, and in a free-agent class with few capable pass-rushers, Golston may be a hot commodity. The 26-year-old posted comparable numbers to what former Cowboy Dorance Armstrong did before he signed a three-year, $33M contract with the Washington Commanders last offseason. Despite the similarity in contract-year performance, Golston likely won’t come close to what Armstrong got in free agency, simply because Armstrong had multiple years of consistently solid performance on his résumé, while Golston has just one. Still, there is a good chance Golston will secure a multi-year deal on the open market. One player whose contract may resemble the type of deal Golston will receive is Bills’ defensive end A.J. Epenesa. Coming off a 6.5 sack season, the former Iowa Hawkeye signed a two-year, $12M contract to stay with the Bills last March. Golston may have a slightly smaller AAV than Epenesea, but a two-year deal worth anywhere from $4-6M seems within reach. Cowboys Verdict: While Golston was one of Dallas’ biggest overachievers last season, retaining him likely won’t be high on the Cowboys’ priority list this offseason. Dallas has so many other significant defensive players set to hit free agency they likely won’t want Golston back unless he’s willing to take an extremely team-friendly deal. Likely, the only way Golston is back in Dallas next season is if he is willing to sign a deal similar to the one Dante Fowler Jr. signed with Dallas back in the 2023 offseason (one-year, $3M). If Golston is looking to secure a multi-year deal, which he likely will be, there’s a good chance it won’t come from Dallas. It’s unfortunate that the Cowboys only got to use Golston as a full-time pass-rusher in his walk year, but it’s more likely than not they showcased him for his next team, and his time in Dallas has come to an end. Prediction: Chauncey Golston signs a two-year, $12M deal with the Cincinnati Bengals

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images The Cowboys defense could stand to upgrade several positions during the offseason. It’s no secret the Dallas Cowboys have a lot of work to do coming off of one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. But before they can set their sights on free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, they have to have a good understanding about their roster “needs” and how best to try to address them. With that in mind, we thought we would take a look at the Cowboys current depth chart on the defensive side of the ball to help determine which positions are the most concerning right now prior to free agency and the draft and which ones could possibly be okay heading into next season. The depth chart does not list players who will be free agents in March. Defensive end Micah Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, Sam Williams, Tyrus Wheat As things stand right now Micah Parsons and Marshawn Kneeland are the Cowboys projected starters at defensive end for next year. Other than No. 11, the concerns about who starts opposite him and the depth overall at DE is something the Cowboys need to address in the offseason, possibly both via free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. Upgrading and adding much-needed depth to this position could sit atop the priority list for the Cowboys. Defensive tackle Mazi Smith If defensive end isn’t the top priority for the Dallas Cowboys heading into the offseason, defensive tackle might just be. Entering his third season with the Cowboys, Mazi Smith hasn’t played up to his first-round billing. The Cowboys brass hasn’t been successful in upgrading and adding depth the DT position in quite some time. Maybe this year will be different and we see them finally see some success in adding to the position. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, Marist Liufau, Damone Clark, Buddy Johnson Not to sound like a broken record here, but the current depth at linebacker is another significant concern for the Cowboys defense this offseason. There’s no way of knowing right now if DeMarvion Overshown will be able to play next year after sustaining another season-ending knee injury. Even if he does, this is another position on the defensive side of the ball the Cowboys need to address via free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. Cornerback Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Caelen Carson, Josh Butler Trevon Diggs’ timeline to return from his season-ending knee injury is up in the air right now, which seriously depletes Dallas’ starting options at cornerback for next season. Not only that, but DaRon Bland will be entering the final year of his rookie contract and missed nearly half the season last year with a foot injury. Because of all that, look for the CB position to sit atop the priority list the Cowboys to upgrade this offseason as well. Safety Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Markquese Bell (RFA), Jaunyeh Thomas (ERFA) The Cowboys could potentially consider making both Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson salary-cap casualties, but that would deplete the depth at safety even more than it already is. That’s especially true considering Markquese Bell is a restricted free agent and Jaunyeh Thomas is an exclusive rights free agent this offseason. With so many other “needs” on the defensive side of the ball, Dallas may have no choice to let things lie at safety.

Kara Durrette/Getty Images The Cowboys’ coaching search will reportedly last for a month. Friday marks the fourth full day of the Dallas Cowboys coaching search as they officially parted ways with Mike McCarthy on Monday. If you are curious, it took about a week last time they were looking for a head coach for them to ultimately land on McCarthy himself. According to recent reports it appears that this will not be the case this time around. Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News recently reported that this thing is going to last until mid-February. “The Cowboys will take this into probably mid-February before they make a final decision.” Watkins said this after noting that Detroit Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are each expected to interview for the job at some point. It is likely that variable that will serve as the main reason why Dallas has to wait so long to make a decision. As members of the still-in-the-playoffs Lions, neither Johnson nor Glenn are candidates who the Cowboys can even speak with until their seasons end. This is the case because, as we detailed the day that Dallas and McCarthy parted ways, the Cowboys did not virtually interview either of them in the week between the regular season’s end and the Wild Card Round’s conclusion. Per the NFL’s rules, teams who have a bye in the first round, as Detroit did, can have their staffers do virtual interviews then and then alone. Once the Wild Card Round concludes things are off limits. Technically speaking this isn’t entirely true as the candidates in question can also chat with teams between January 27th and February 2nd; however, this only applies to teams who conducted virtual interviews in the window previously discussed which obviously does not apply to the Cowboys. TL;DR…. the Cowboys cannot talk to Johnson or Glenn until Detroit is done, whenever that is (this is also true of Kansas City Chiefs staffers if that is not obvious). Given that the Super Bowl is on February 9th and that the Lions stand a good chance of playing in it, the Cowboys could not speak to either of these two until then which makes the mid-February date thrown out by Watkins make sense. Obviously between now and then Dallas can talk to a variety of other candidates and it goes without saying that if the Lions lose before the Super Bowl that things could get expedited. But it would be troublesome for the Cowboys to wait that long on some level. Consider that the Senior Bowl is on February 1st, the weekend before the Super Bowl. The NFL Combine is not until March 3rd so that is not as pressing as it may feel, but the overall point is that some very important time relative to the overall synergy of the coaching staff and scouting department could/would be lost by the Cowboys do wait this long. You can certainly argue that it may be worth that to wind up with one of the two, though. Consider the dates when previous seasons ended that were followed by the hiring of new head coaches and the dates on which the hirings were announced: Mike McCarthy: 2019 season ends on December 29th – McCarthy announced on January 7th Jason Garrett: 2010 season ends on January 2nd – Garrett announced on January 6th Wade Phillips: Bill Parcells announces he is leaving on January 22nd, 2007 – Phillips announced on February 8th This feels like a large enough sample size as it covers about 20 years and the last three coaching decisions that the organization made. Obviously the shortest time taken by the team to name a coach was Garrett but as he was coming off of serving as the interim the writing was very clearly on the wall (as it had been from the day he signed on as OC in 2007). The Cowboys took a bit of time between Bill Parcells walking away and fully deciding on Wade Phillips. It was then that the organization last went through a thorough search as Mike McCarthy was one of only two candidates (Marvin Lewis) who Dallas interviewed in early 2020. Mac Engel was kind enough recently to document all of the people who Dallas interviewed after Parcells left: Jerry interviewed the following candidates: Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera; Indianapolis Colts assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell; Dolphins quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett; San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner; former 49ers head coach Mike Singletary; Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips; New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs; as well as members of Parcells’ staff that included receivers coach Todd Haley, offensive line coach Tony Sparano, secondary coach Todd Bowles.(Eight of those men would he an NFL head coach either again, or for the first time. Bowles is currently the head coach in Tampa.) Unlike Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn, Wade Phillips was not a candidate who Dallas had to wait to talk to. The process simply took that time. But back to Johnson and Glenn for a moment, what if the Cowboys wait to talk to them and then they ultimately say no? Or choose another team? Waiting that long and compromising the Senior Bowl and whatever else (to whatever you degree you feel that this is the case) is a risky proposition given that you are not guaranteed either one of those candidates whenever you finally do get the chance to speak with them. It all feels built on a loose foundation and like the Cowboys are trying to figure it out as they go along. Consider that this whole ordeal is one that the team reportedly did not even plan on being their current reality and that they now have to navigate it. Surely they will figure out a way to do so… right?

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images Which running back do you want the Cowboys to draft this year? We are just over four months away from the 2025 NFL Draft. With the Dallas Cowboys owning the 12th overall pick, there have been plenty of discussions around the Cowboys spending their first-round pick on Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. While Jeanty is one of the most talented players in the 2025 draft class, the running back group is one of the deepest as well. With so many holes on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys are in prime position to bolster their wide receiver room, offensive line, or pass rush with three picks in the top 100. There is no denying that wide receiver, offensive line, and defensive end are more valuable positions than running back, and the Cowboys would be wise to use their premium pick on one of those positions, given how deep this running back class is. Here is a list of the top 15 running backs in the 2025 NFL Draft and where they are ranked according to Pro Football Focus’ draft board as of today: 1. Ashton Jeanty, 5th overall 2. Omarion Hampton, 24th overall 3. Cam Skattebo, 48th overall 4. Dylan Sampson, 53rd overall 5. Kaleb Johnson, 59th overall 6. TreVeyon Henderson, 76th overall 7. Devin Neal, 85th overall 8. Quinshon Judkins, 87th overall 9. RJ Harvey, 94th overall 10. DJ Giddens, 99th overall 11. Kaytron Allen, 108th overall 12. Jarquez Hunter, 112th overall 13. Nichols Singleton, 113th overall 14. Kalel Mullings, 116th overall 15. Damien Martinez, 120th overall The Cowboys are coming off a season where Rico Dowdle posted the seventh-highest success rate in the NFL after splitting carries with Ezekiel Elliott over the first part of the season. With Dowdle hitting free agency and likely to receive outside interest, Dallas could be looking to replace Dowdle, but even if Dowdle is brought back, they will need to add another back with some much needed “juice” to the roster. The Cowboys currently hold three picks inside the top 100 and are without a fourth-round pick due to the Jonathan Mingo trade. For as deep as the running back class is, the wide receiver, offensive line, edge rusher, and defensive tackle class lacks depth outside of the top 75. With that being the case, Dallas would be wise to use that 12th overall pick on one of the more blue-chip positions and wait to add a runner on day two. There is an exception to every rule, and in this case if Jeanty is far-and-away the best player available when the Cowboys are on the clock at 12, he should be the pick. But the Cowboys should not make the same mistake they made in 2016 and take a running back over similarly-graded players at more premium positions (Jalen Ramsey and Joey Bosa).

Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM Noteworthy headlines surrounding the Dallas Cowboys heading into the weekend. Troy Aikman will ‘never bet against’ Deion Sanders, but would he fit as new Cowboys HC? – SportsDay Staff, Dallas Morning News Troy Aikman weighed in on the idea of Deion Sanders returning to Dallas to replace Mike McCarthy as head coach. You know Deion Sanders very well. His name was the first to come up for this opening. Nobody’s sure if he’s a serious candidate, but with Jerry Jones and Deion, they will surprise you every once in a while. Do you think he would be a fit here? Aikman: “Well, I wouldn’t bet against him. I absolutely would never bet against Deion. I’ve just seen it too many times. … He’s proven that he’s earned the opportunity. So if he lands the job in Dallas, if that ultimately is what happens, or if he goes somewhere else within the NFL or even in the college ranks, I mean, he’s earned that opportunity. “I don’t know if I’d look at anyone and say it’s necessarily a great fit. I just think there’s a lot of hurdles. And so it may not be a great fit for anyone, but if Deion were to come on board, I think he’d be fantastic. I think you would relate exceptionally well to the locker room. It’s amazing that for someone who’s as far removed from having played the reverence that these current players have for his career and what he was as a player. It’s pretty remarkable, and it says a lot for him. So I think he’d be fantastic no matter where he is. And as you guys have heard me say, I’m a big fan, and I would never bet against him.” Dallas Cowboys should reach out to top coaching candidate in playoffs – Ali Jawad, Sports Illustrated Ben Johnson should be at the top of the list of potential candidates for the vacant head coaching position for the Cowboys. As the Cowboys search for a replacement for Mike McCarthy, NFL Insider James Palmer suggests that Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, consider the opportunity to become the head coach of the Cowboys if Dallas shows interest. “If I am Ben Johnson, I do want to evaluate this position certainly,” Palmer said. “You are now with Mike Vrabel off the market the clear-cut number one favorite in this head coaching cycle. If Ben Johnson takes an interview, he is interested.” Johnson’s offense, finished the 2024 season ranked second in total yards (409.5), first in touchdowns (70) — the only team to achieve that mark — second in passing yards (263.2), sixth in rushing yards (146.4), and first in scoring (33.2 points per game). The Cowboys are familiar with the offensive strategies of the 38-year-old coach. In Week Six, they faced a crushing defeat against the Lions, losing 47-9. In that game, Johnson’s offense totaled 492 total yards, including 184 rushing yards, achieved 27 first downs, and averaged 7.5 yards per play. What’s Next? Backup TE role is heating up in Dallas – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com In 2024, the TE’s on this Cowboys roster did not meet expectations, so what will that room look like in 2025? Present: It wasn’t a fantastic showing for Ferguson in 2024, though. His battle with injuries (knee, concussion) cost him both time and chemistry with Cooper Rush once Dak Prescott was lost to the season, and it was evident on a weekly basis that his usually telepathic connection with Prescott was not present with Rush. He remains the definitive TE1 going into 2025, however, so make no bones about that; and it’ll be a contract year as well, adding to his already high level of motivation to have a bounceback season. Behind him lies a battle that has gone from an afterthought to, now, anything but. Future: Luke Schoonmaker has drawn plenty of ire from Cowboys’ fans still upset the team used a second-round pick to acquire him after having seen what Jake Ferguson could do, but the presence of Schoonmaker and the 2024 acquisition of Brevyn Spann-Ford have the latter two locked in one hell of a battle that was fun to watch during the back half of this past season. That will be one of the key battles to watch going into training camp, and one I’d love to see John Stephens Jr. get back into the mix of but, having now torn both of his ACLs in his first two seasons, it’ll be more about staying healthy and then trying to make waves at the position . Lastly, don’t forget about Princeton Fant, seeing as he put a lot of good on film, especially as an in-line blocker and special teamer. Mailbag: Why hasn’t Vaughn been used more? – Kurt Daniels and Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The writers at The Star in Frisco weigh in on the use of Deuce Vaughn in 2024, or lack thereof. Kurt: We get this question a lot about Vaughn as his compelling backstory and everyman-type odds in a game among giants has made him a bit of a fan favorite. Throw in his determined work ethic and great personality, and it’s hard not to root for him. Vaughn often gets compared to Sproles, given their size and that both starred at Kansas State, but Sproles was slightly bigger (5-6/190 to 5-5/180) and reportedly had a faster 40-time (4.46 to 4.56). Sproles also had more than 1,000 career rushing yards than Vaughn in 10 additional games with the Wildcats (4,979 to 3,604). In addition, during his NFL career, Sproles would earn three Pro Bowl nods and be named to the All-Decade Team of the 2010s as a punt returner. Regardless, Vaughn just hasn’t been able to work his way up the Cowboys’ depth chart. The team’s ground game really didn’t get going in 2024 until they turned to Rico Dowdle full time, who, by the way, posted a