Cowboys projected as perfect fit for 4x Pro Bowl, All-Pro wide receiver in free agency reidhanson The Cowboys and Stefon Diggs have been linked in some form or fashion for years. Ever since Dallas drafted younger brother Trevon Diggs in 2020, the link to Stefon Diggs has been in place. But some connections just make sense and in 2025 the Stefon Diggs – Cowboys connection may finally make enough sense to actually work out. Stefon Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler, has been one of the best receivers in the game for quite some time. Capable of playing a variety of WR spots, he’s a moveable weapon capable of fitting a variety of offenses.  It just so happens the Cowboys are in significant need of a WR2 this coming season. Brandin Cooks is a free agent, Jalen Tolbert is best as a WR3, and the various other WRs on Dallas’ depth chart are developmental prospects. In the NFL brothers rarely get the opportunity to play together, especially two playing at a level as high as the Diggs boys. As a pending free agent, the situation likely looks appealing to Stefon Diggs as long as the contract makes sense. Which brings up the elephant in the room. Diggs is coming off a season-ending knee injury in 2024. Which Diggs you ask? Both. This match made in rehab heaven could be cause for concern for some but then again it may work in Cowboys’ favor. Jerry and Stephen Jones are notorious misers in free agency. Interested in bargains more than impact players, this Dallas front office often sits backs and waits for deals to come to them. They love players with warts, baggage, or any other concern that could drive contract prices down. At age 31 and coming off an ACL injury, Stefon Diggs looks the part of someone who may fit those conditions. Teams are expected to approach Diggs with caution this offseason. His big personality mixed with his age and injury situation make him a risky acquisition to some. It’s that risk that could cause his stock to drop and with it the price and terms needed to sign him this offseason. And that’s exactly the kind of move the Cowboys look for. Diggs was injured in late October meaning he could be back on the field by Week 1 in 2025. Even with possible performance slippage, Diggs would easily slide into the WR spot opposite CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys can’t afford to do nothing at WR2 and with so many needs elsewhere on their roster, they may not want to use a top 50 pick to address the position. The Cowboys said they are in win-now mode and they need to win back a fanbase that’s as disgruntled as they’ve even been. A big name like Stefon Diggs could satisfy both issues without breaking the bank. Pro Football Focus predicts the market for Diggs is around $16 million for one year. The operative number in their prediction isn’t so much the 16 million but rather the one. They predict the market will be noncommittal on Diggs, offering the veteran a prove-it season in 2025 rather than a multiyear commitment. That’s right up Jerry Jones’ alley because he historically adores prove-it contracts. As for the $16 million, it’s a number that could change in an instant based on interest around the NFL. If teams aren’t lining up to bid for Diggs, the price could come down significantly. It’s hard to envision the price dipping below $10 million but once the invisible hand takes over who’s to know where the market will lead? There might be just enough baggage with Stefon Diggs this offseason to make him a viable option for the Cowboys. And with the family connection, the franchise quarterback to play with, and the visibility of the Cowboys, there might be just enough ancillary benefits to make the Cowboys stand out above the rest. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Cowboys pass catcher went from Pro Bowl to worst season in history of his position reidhanson It was a poor year for many Dallas Cowboys last season. Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, Malik Hooker, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland all had seasons to forget. Injuries struck the entire team, the playoffs were laughably unrealistic as early as November, and the coaching staff was subsequently purged. Yet, one player who may have had the most disappointing season of all has largely flown under the radar. That man is fourth-year tight end Jake Ferguson. One year after posting his first Pro Bowl season, Ferguson crashed back to earth, posting just 59 receptions for 494 tards and zero touchdowns. His statistical output wasn’t just disappointing but the product he put on film appeared to regress as well. Up until 2024, Ferguson was steadily improving across the board. He was behind a bit as a blocker but showed the potential and desire to develop into a well-rounded high-end tight end at some point in the near future. That trajectory took a hit last season when he posted arguably his worst year as a professional. It wasn’t just bad but by some very well-respected metrics, it was record-breaking bad. Aaron Schatz, the mastermind behind Football Outsiders, measures players in DYAR. He applies this grading method to players across the NFL, identifying the highest performers and exposing the lowest performers. The Cowboys have seen standouts such as Emmitt Smith in 1995 make the high performers list in the past but this year they had the unfortunate privilege of having a low performer. Technically, the lowest performer at TE Schatz has ever recorded. DYAR stands for Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement. While the familiar DVOA is a good measure of success, it doesn’t take into account having players perform at a league average level. DYAR compares a player’s DVOA to a general replacement level player. Like DVOA, this is adjusted for schedule strength and uses totals like yards, first downs, touchdowns and turnovers to report value. As a pass catcher his stats are partially based on players around him, namely the quarterbacks, so the entire blame doesn’t fall at Ferguson’s feet. Unlike his three dropped balls and four fumbles. Ferguson’s numbers understandably declined each quarterback rung the Cowboys descended to. His DVOA by QB went from -24% under Prescott, to -51% under Cooper Rush, to -121% under Trey Lance. Yet it’s important to point out plenty of pass catchers deal with injured QBs and they still find a way to make it work. Ferguson clearly deserves a hefty share of blame for his play. Entering his contract year in 2025, it’s important for Ferguson to, at the very least, bounce back to his 20223 level of play. It may not be enough to result in a contract extension, but it would rekindle a career that took a very unexpected step back last season. Luckily for Ferguson, there aren’t many challengers to get in the way of bouncing back in 2025. Luke Schoonmaker has struggled to be the run blocker the Cowboys hoped he’d be when they drafted in the second round two seasons ago. He came on strong as a pass catcher but until he can clean up his blocking, he’s likely to stay in that TE2 role behind Ferguson. Brevyn Spann-Ford had a solid, yet unspectacular, rookie season. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound behemoth thrived as a run blocker and could very well become one of the best in the NFL given his size and strength. But his receiving skills need work making him largely one-dimensional, and as such, a long shot to replace Ferguson next season. Unless the Cowboys add a TE to mix in free agency or early in the draft, Ferguson’s spot at the top of the depth chart is secure. Ferguson is a fan favorite and an important cog in Brian Schottenheimer’s offensive machine so everyone will be in his corner this season. How he performs in 2025 will go a long way in determining his future in Dallas. Related articles Follow all of your favorite Texas teams at Cowboys Wire, Longhorns Wire, Texans Wire, Rockets Wire and Aggies Wire!

Despite multiple All-Pros, this position is big need for Cowboys Ben Grimaldi With the Super Bowl now over, the Dallas Cowboys can now turn to the 2025 offseason and figure out how they can rebuild after a disasterous 2024 campaign. The first step would be taking the offseason more seriously than they did last year. Hopefully that happens, and when it does the Cowboys can look forward to improving. While most team observers believe that needs to start with adding talent at defensive tackle or running back, there’s another position where the Cowboys are in dire need of help; cornerback. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, the defense had two All-Pro CBs in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland leading the way, but injuries robbed Dallas of having them line up together last season. That also appears to be the case heading into the 2025 season. Diggs was returning from an ACL tear suffered in 2023, then hurt his knee late last season and missed the last six games of the year. Unfortunately, the timeline for his return isn’t clear. What began as an expected return in training camp, has now turned into near the start of the regular season, with some speculating that Diggs might not play until the second half of 2025, if at all. That’s not good news, two apparent major knee injuries in under the span of two years looks like it will limit the effectiveness of the cover corner. Bland is returning for the final year of his rookie contract, but the hope is the organization will get ahead of his deal running out and extend the pick-six king. With Diggs hurt, Bland is the top CB on the roster, but the fourth-year man out of Fresno St. was also hurt last season and suited up for just seven games. Bland will be 26-years old in July and the Cowboys must hope he stays healthy because there’s not enough quality at CB behind him. Caelen Carson is currently the third CB on the roster, and if Diggs is out, he’d be elevated to a starter. There were high hopes for the fifth-round prospect from the 2024 draft, but injuries saw him play just six games as a rookie. The lack of playing time limited his growth and he didn’t have a positive impact. Carson is heading into his second year and the hope is he can stay healthy enough to play up to his potential. With Diggs availability up in the air, having just one bonafide corner in a league that eats up bad ones is not ideal. There are other options on the roster, but none should elicit confidence. Andrew Booth was traded to the Cowboys last August and the former second-round CB has now shown he can’t play with two teams. Dallas also has veteran corner Tony Pride, a journeyman. With free agency and the draft approaching, the Cowboys need to seriously consider adding one or more CBs. The team could start by re-signing Jourdan Lewis, who was the team’s best CB last season. Lewis has spent each of his eight years in the NFL with Dallas and is considered one of the better slot corners in the league. The Cowboys allowed Lewis to test the open market last year but brought him back on cheap one-year deal and he paid dividends. Good CBs are hard to come by and Lewis’ 2024 performance could make him an expensive option to keep. Lewis has said he’d like to return, but he understands it’s a business and could make a bigger payday somewhere else. Not re-signing him could mean big trouble for the secondary. If Lewis comes back, that gives the Cowboys two solid CBs to start the year with the hope that Diggs returns and Carson works out. If the veteran CB signs elsewhere, Dallas will be in an even bigger hole at the position. Either way, that’s not enough talent at CB. The Cowboys need to strongly consider selecting a CB high in the draft, and the first round needs to be in consideration. Edge rusher, wide receiver, DT and RB have become all the rage in draft circles for the team, but CB cannot be overlooked. As it stands now, the Cowboys simply don’t have enough depth or talent at CB to ignore the position in the draft. Who would’ve thought this could be the case when the team employs two All-Pros? Life comes at you fast in the NFL.

Cowboys must improve in defending this particular position in 2025 reidhanson New year. New defense. The Dallas Cowboys effectively turned the page on the old season by bringing in an almost completely new coaching staff in 2025. While Brian Schottenheimer took the elevated role of head coach, all three coordinator positions saw churn. With these changes, new schemes are expected. Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, has a clear style and scheme he’s expected to bring to Dallas. How that fits the personnel on hand remains to be seen but it’s clear he has some work to in both run stopping and pass defending. Pass defense is today’s focus. The Cowboys gave up an average of 0.58 expected points per dropback in 2024 (13th). It was a significant decline from the -0.60 expected points they allowed the season before (5th). Going through the various position groups, the Cowboys didn’t excel in defending any single position last season. Opposing receivers were especially deadly for the Cowboys. The 0.32 EPA/target allowed was eighth worst in the NFL. The injuries to Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland clearly impacted Dallas’ ability to matchup against opposing WRs and the numbers prove it. Luckily for the Cowboys both starters are expected back at some point in 2025. Nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis may leave in free agency, but the Cowboys have Caelen Carson developing in the background who, with any luck, can mitigate that loss. Opposing tight ends also had their way with the Cowboys defense. Their 0.23 EPA/target allowed ranked near the middle of the league. The Cowboys showed promise in this regard, but the revolving door at linebacker likely impacted Dallas’ ability to defend TEs. Like the TE position, opposing running backs had success against Dallas at right around league average levels. The Cowboys allowed 0.09 EPA/target to RBs in 2024. It was a damaging number but a far cry from what WRs did to the Dallas defense. Eberflus, a coach who prefers to keep players back in coverage on early downs, wants to minimize damage through the air. His bend-but-don’t break defense wants offenses to grind out yards rather than gain them in chunks. He’s likely to encourage short dump offs to RBs in his defense; it’s stopping the WRs who he’ll focus on stopping most in 2025. Eberflus might be just what the doctor ordered for the Cowboys defense. For as unexciting as his typical scheme can be at times, it’s usually successful in its ability to minimize the big plays downfield that often target the wideouts. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Follow all of your favorite Texas teams at Cowboys Wire, Longhorns Wire, Texans Wire, Rockets Wire and Aggies Wire!

The draft is an inexact science, which makes accurate mocking an exercise in futility. But one of the most interesting parts of the process is how taking a position early impacts the availability of other talent wells later on. The Cowboys have been one of the best teams in the league at nailing first-round pick in the NFL draft under the direction of Will McClay. McClay was the director of football research when Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick were drafted, and the man in charge of the selections of Byron Jones, Zack Martin, Ezekiel Elliott, Leighton Vander Esch, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, and Tyler Smith. Every player listed has reached All-Pro status for the Cowboys. Dallas has struggled in the second rounds, however, with far more busts than All-Pros (3). The third round has been a struggle, too, with just one All-Pro. No player from the past two drafts have made a significant impact yet, but to turn things around after a disastrous 2024, Dallas will need that from their top 100 selections. Here are some combinations they could draft on Day 2 that could start to restock this roster with All-Pro-capable talent. Pairing North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton with… Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton (28) with the ball in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports All-purpose back Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina would make a great selection at No. 44. Hampton will fit any style of rushing attack as he can be physical inside or make people miss, get wide, and break a big play. He had over 1,500 yards rushing in the last two seasons at UNC, averaging six yards per attempt and scored 15 touchdowns each year. He never has to leave the field as he is an excellent receiver out of the backfield, catching 67 passes for nearly 600 yards and three touchdowns in that time. Dallas would have their new workhorse back in Hampton for the next few years. … Utah State WR Jaylon Royals Sep 30, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Utah State Aggies wide receiver Jalen Royals (1) runs the ball for a touchdown against the UConn Huskies in the second half at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports Dallas would then look for a receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb, selecting Jaylon Royals from Utah State the third round. Just like Lamb, Royals can play outside or in the slot. He isn’t an explosive athlete; winning with savvy and anticipation over suddenness and route running. He will find holes in zones and shield off defenders in man so he can give an open target to his quarterback. Royals is a possession receiver but has an ability to break tackles to add yards after catch. He was a production machine in both 2023 and 2024. He caught 71 passes in 2023 for 1,080 yards and 15 scores. He only played in seven games in 2024 but was on pace for 102 receptions for 1,548 yards and 11 touchdowns. Pairing Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor with… Nov 16, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (13) catches a pass in warmup before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images If Dallas skipped the running back position on Day 2, they could look to fill their other two major roster holes with a weapon to pair with Lamb and a defensive tackle to pair with Parsons. Elic Ayomanor could be an option at No.44 to fill a giant need at receiver. Ayomanor has the size and hands to be a possession receiver on the outside. He can win on back shoulder throws or 50-50 deep balls to create big plays, but he also has the athleticism to win by making people miss on a slant and taking it for a touchdown. Defenses would have multiple concerns defending Ayomanor, opening up the field for Lamb to create havoc. … Tennessee DT Omarr Norman-Lott Tennessee defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott (55) celebrating after a play during the NCAA college football game against Kent State on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 in Knoxville, Tenn. In Round 3, Dallas could get the big-bodied defensive tackle with pass-rush upside they love to try to develop in Omarr Norman-Lott. Norman-Lott is a nose tackle-size DT at 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds, with the anchor to hold ground in the run game. His change of direction ability and motor at his size make him unique. He can be seen on tape chasing plays 10 yards or more up the field, and Matt Eberflus needs a four-man pass rush for the defense to be at its best. Norman-Lott gets penetration with explosion enough at his size to see the upside in that area. Norman-Lott has limitless upside if the new defensive coaching staff can unlock his potential. Pairing Michigan DT Kenneth Grant with… Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (78) reaches out to sack Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff national championship game against Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Monday, January 8, 2024. If Dallas lands their offensive playmaker at N0. 12, Eberflus might get the next two picks to reload his defense, which could begin with defensive tackle Kenneth Grant out of Michigan. Grant is the best run-stuffing DT prospect in the draft. He is nearly immovable inside with an elite anchor, but he is not a trash-can-full-of-dirt player. Grant can move, averaging six tackles for a loss, over three sacks, and five pass deflections in the last two seasons at Michigan. He had a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 87.5 against the run and a true pass rush grade over 77. Grant knew how to step up in the moment, making plays at crucial times on the national championship team like Lawrence has for Dallas for

Two 2nd-round picks to step up if 4-time Pro Bowler, $127 million man leaves Cowboys in free agency reidhanson This might be the end for DeMarcus Lawrence in Dallas. The veteran defensive end has been a mainstay on the Dallas Cowboys defensive line for over 10 seasons now, but a combination of cost and age could push the 32-year-old out the door in 2025. Lawrence played in just four games last year after a Lisfranc injury ended his season early. The cagey vet who has made over $127 million in his career still managed to put up three sacks and 10 pressures in limited action, showing he still has plenty of juice in the tank (no pun intended) should his health corporate. But the Cowboys are in cost-cutting mode again this season. Massive salaries at the top of the roster are leading the front office to reduce expenses elsewhere. Players like Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence could land on the business end of those decisions. Many feel the Cowboys are prepared to replace Martin given the depth behind him. But are people as confident about the DEs behind Lawrence? With Chauncey Golston himself a free agent this March, the onus of replacing the four-time Pro Bowler largely falls upon fourth-year end Sam Williams and second-year end Marshawn Kneeland. Both players are former second-round picks and both were drafted with lofty expectations. Williams was expected to have a breakout season in 2024 but an unfortunate ACL injury in the summer derailed the 25-year-old edge rusher before the season even got started. Williams was drafted as an athletic pass rusher with untapped potential. Blessed with natural skills that can’t be taught, Williams was a high-potential project former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn reportedly took a shine to in the pre-draft process. Kneeland, drafted just last year, had an action-packed rookie season. Like Lawrence and Williams, Kneeland dealt with injuries. He still managed to get on the field for 11 games and 256 defensive snaps, but it wasn’t according to script. On paper, Kneeland was supposed to be worked in slowly as a rookie while playing in a rotation. But the windfall of injuries across the DE group forced the undeveloped prospect into a high-use role prematurely. Kneeland didn’t have a great rookie season, ranking 113th out of 119 in Pro Football Focus’ DE grades. He struggled in both phases of the game but flashed some special abilities that make him someone to be excited about heading into 2025. It’s safe to say both players were drafted with starting roles in mind but unfortunately neither player has shown that ability to date. Necessity may force these two to take over for Lawrence if No. 90 is indeed allowed to leave. The next-man-up mentality comes with a ready-or-not attitude. It may be a reckless approach but it’s the approach the Cowboys have taken in the past and one everyone should be ready for in 2025. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

ESPN’s 2025 NFL predictions makes intriguing statement about Cowboys K.D. Drummond With the conclusion of the 2024 season and the requisite championship parade, the NFL world is ready to move on to bigger and better things. The chase for SuperBowl LX has begun and to kick things off, ESPN’s collection of analysts weighed in with their early thoughts about how things are going to shake out. 13 NFL experts were asked for their predictions about a wide variety of topics, including which two teams would represent their conferences in The Big Game, who would take home the MVP and what teams would breakout in a big way. 65 predictions were made, some with the requisite “if it isn’t X, then Y” double dips and the most interesting thing for fans of the Dallas Cowboys was that they weren’t mentioned at all. Not once. Has the malaise brought on by Jerry Jones’ inability to manufacture hope among his team’s fanbase finally soured the media from including Dallas in every conversation? Dallas didn’t garner a single thought in the entire lengthy article. There was no wild predictions they would breakout in the first year under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, no mentions of Dak Prescott or Micah Parsons as an MVP candidate. More strangely, when given the opportunity to share one move they’d like to see a team, any team, make this offseason, the Cowboys weren’t even thrown a bone in that scenario. It seems no one has much faith, or interest, in the Cowboys resurrecting themselves in 2025. Meanwhile, NFC East rivals Philadelphia and Washington, both of whom Dallas will need to overtake within the division, were in predictions left and right. Four analysts had the Super Bowl champions returning to try and defend their title, and two others have penciled Washington in. That’s on the strength of the Commanders young star quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was predicted by three different analysts to win MVP. He garnered more votes than both Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, and obviously three more than Prescott. Shipping WR Tee Higgins with Daniels came up a couple times in moves the analysts would love to see happen, but there was no such love for getting Prescott a weapon to add onto CeeDee Lamb. It seems there’s not much belief in the Cowboys making a stunning offseason move. And that runs in parralel to many offseason prediction lists so far this month, which rarely if ever attach one of the bigger name free agents heading to Dallas. Instead, most of those center around where Osa Odighizuwa would fit, or where Zack Martin might land if he doesn’t retire. Some even speculate where Parsons might get traded to. All in all, this is just another reminder that, at least for now, no one is buying anything Jones and company are selling about the 2025 Cowboys.

2025 Free Agency: Cowboys would be wise to re-sign this former MVP reidhanson KaVontae Turpin enters the 2025 offseason a restricted free agent. Coming off his most successful season as an NFL pro, Turpin stands to cash in the very near future. The Dallas Cowboys are expected to bring Turpin back this coming season, but under what terms? The landscape is clouded a bit by that modifying term, restricted. A restricted free agent is a player without a contract but with only three years of accrued service. Their team still has a certain level of control they can exert in the form of a tender. There are three types of these one-year contract offers;  first-round, second-round and right-of-first refusal tenders. If another team tried to sign the tendered player away from the Cowboys, the other team would be required to send back appropriate draft pick compensation. The first two tenders are aptly named, requiring first and second round compensation. The third tender gives the Cowboys the right to match any offer, and if it’s not, it would give Dallas Turpin’s original draft value. Since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, there would be no compensation. Teams generally go the tender route if they feel noncommittal on the player or if they want to bide time while they negotiate a long-term deal.  Biding time is what the Cowboys did with Terence Steele back in 2023 and it’s what they should do again in 2025 with Turpin. Assuming the former USFL MVP isn’t delusional in his contract demands, there’s no reason a long-term deal can’t be agreed upon. Turpin is a Pro Bowl kick and punt returner who can shift the balance of a game in an instant. He’s also an offensive chess piece who can be used a variety of ways and is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. The gravity Turpin pulls when he’s on the field is impossible to ignore. Even as a decoy or secondary option, Turpin makes an impact on offense. His 5-foot-9, 153-pound frame is cause for durability concerns, but it’s important to point out he’s only missed one game in three years. Last season Turpin posted career highs in returns, runs, and reception, and held up for all 17 games. If there’s a workload limit his slender frame can’t handle, the Cowboys have yet to find it. As a downfield receiver Turpin has provided mixed results. He’s not a physical player who’s going to battle for the ball, but he is someone who can create in space working routes underneath. Ideally slotted as WR4 or WR5, Turpin is a special package player who’s deployed in specific ways that play to his strengths. As a rushing option Turpin has a career 60 percent success rate, making him one of the most effective rushing options in the NFL. Again, his workload needs to be managed given his slender build but one or two runs a game with one or two fake handoffs a game could be both effective and sustainable. With Brian Schottenheimer’s expected use of motion at the snap, Turpin can be used to spread defenses and widen rushing lanes, in much the same way Kyle Shannahan has used Deebo Samuel over the years. Turpin provides a special skillset to the Cowboys that’s not easily replaced. He impacts special teams and both phases of the game on offense. He’s proven his playmaking ability as well as his durability. At age 28 he’s older than most restricted free agents but still well within his prime. The Cowboys would be wise to lock him up for the long-term. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]