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[Dallas Cowboys]

The Cowboys are ‘open’ to trading one of their first round picks

The Dallas Cowboys are letting teams know they are open for business. On Monday at the NFL combine, Stephen Jones said the team is “open” to moving one of their first-round picks for a player.

Stephen Jones said the Cowboys are open to trading one of their first round picks. pic.twitter.com/2cum2FZg5e

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) February 23, 2026

Being open for business also comes with a caveat for Jones and the Cowboys—it has to be for the right player and the right fit. When the Cowboys traded away Micah Parsons, they desperately wanted defensive tackle Kenny Clark to be a part of that deal. Before acquiring Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, the Cowboys already had their sights set on him in the offseason as a player they wanted in the building.

The Cowboys won’t just trade for anyone, and they have also shown restraint, avoiding overpaying in recent history. There are a few names floating around that could make sense to move a first-round pick for that would help fill a need for Dallas. Maxx Crosby has made his feelings known about the current state of the Las Vegas Raiders and could want out. Could 12th overall move the needle enough, along with a future draft pick, to acquire the star defensive end?

How about in the secondary? NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah threw out a trade scenario where Dallas gets Trent McDuffie from Kansas City in exchange for the Cowboys’ second pick in the first round (20th overall). McDuffie would give Christian Parker a chess piece to move around at the nickel position or on the outside.

Just because a trade doesn’t happen before the draft doesn’t mean the Cowboys can’t move one of the picks on draft night. The Philadelphia Eagles were able to acquire A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans during the first round, which seemed like an underpay for someone of Brown’s talent at the time. Teams can get desperate on draft night and could raise the value of Dallas’ first-round picks the further this process goes.

Obviously, they could move a pick during the draft to get more picks. They would have to see how the board is playing out, but with two picks and no day two ammunition, that could make the most sense for a trade.

Dallas has shown they are confident in their ability to draft players, so it’s very likely they stick and pick with both selections in the first round. But if the right opportunity presents itself to make the team better, it’s good to know the front office is willing to negotiate and use their draft picks as bargaining chips.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...st-round-draft-pick-stephen-jones-maxx-crosby

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Hard to hate on Javonte Williams’ new deal with Cowboys

Jul 26, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys said they wanted running back Javonte Williams to return in 2026, and by golly, they meant it. On Saturday, Williams agreed to a new three-year, $24 million contract to continue his lead role in the offensive backfield. And while every deal will have its critics, this one is hard for even some of the firmest “don’t pay RBs” believers to hate on.

There’s certainly a case to be made that Dallas is still spending too much to retain Williams. After all, look at what they got out of him last year for just around $3 million. Whether it’s Javonte in 2025, Rico Dowdle the year before, or Darren McFadden in 2015, the Cowboys have had a knack for getting solid rushing production at minimal costs for their top RB. Some out there would have rather seen Dallas let Williams walk and find their next salvage claim from among this year’s veteran free agents.

There is a certain strategic marriage, especially in terms of the salary cap, between that philosophy and how the Cowboys manage other parts of the roster. When your offense already has the NFL’s most expensive player in QB Dak Prescott, a highly-paid receiver in CeeDee Lamb, another you’re supposedly trying to keep in George Pickens, and you keep investing premium draft picks in your offensive line, something’s generally got to give somewhere. Throw in the team’s clear need to revamp and upgrade the defense, and the idea of spending any extra pennies at RB can almost feel counter-productive.

That said, we have to look at Williams’ new contract in the grand scheme of RB market value. Many have already compared it to the deal that Bears RB D’Andre Swift signed in 2024; virtually identical at three years, $24 million total, and $14 million guaranteed. The only difference is that Williams got $16 million guaranteed, which doesn’t matter much even if he doesn’t play out the full three years. Using that deal as a template, here’s why you may have to call this a win for the front office despite your philosophical views.

The key thing to remember is that a deal signed in 2024 doesn’t represent the same total cost as one in 2026. The salary cap increased 9.32% in 2025 and is expected to go up another 8-9% this year. The 2024 cap was $255 million and should come in around $302-$304 million when officially announced. So essentially, despite a nearly 20% increase in overall spending power, the Cowboys were able to keep this deal even with a precedent from two years ago.

When he signed his new contract, Swift had just turned 25 and was coming off his first Pro Bowl season in 2023. He’d turned in 1,049 rushing yards, 39 catches for 214 additional yards receiving, and six total touchdowns for the Eagles. His new deal came from the Bears, so it would mean a change in offensive scenery.

Williams does turn 26 this April, so he is a year older than Swift was, but was no less of a performer. In 16 games last year, he totaled 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, plus 35 catches for 137 more yards and two more scores. His new deal comes from the same team that he broke out with, meaning a higher chance of continued performance.

Scheme fit is another reason that Williams has value in Dallas. This team likes to do a lot out of single-back formations, and Williams has proven he has the vision and ability to adjust to blocking but also the pure power to neutralize initial contact. While the Cowboys do use a lead blocker at times, they had either a third WR or second TE on the field 83% of the time in 2025. Williams has to be trusted to make his own plays and he did that very well in 2025.

Williams is also a very strong pass protector, which is important for those offensive looks and for the increased play-action calls under Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams. His game is well-rounded for all of the different things that the Cowboys like to do, making him an ideal RB1 for this particular scheme.

Finding that same kind of guy for $8 million per year wasn’t going to be easy, if even possible. Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III are the top two backs in the current crop of projected free agents, though the reigning Super Bowl MVP may get re-signed by Seattle before the market opens. Both should get at least $10 million per year, which would move them into the top-10 for RB contracts. Williams is now tied with Swift for 16th on that same list, despite finishing 2025 ninth in rushing yards and eighth in touchdowns.

Again, if you only want Cowboys RBs to make $5 million or less for the rest of time, then this deal probably doesn’t make you happy. But when you look at the grand scheme of the salary cap, how Williams performed last year, and what he actually got compared to his peers, it’s hard not to applaud the work of Dallas’ front office on this one. We’ll see how Williams does after getting paid and as the years and miles add up, but at least it’s one 2026 offseason question that has been firmly answered.

Do you like the deal or not?

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...liams-new-deal-free-agent-compariosn-contract

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Offseason plans orbit around finding a way to keep George Pickens

Feb 2, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens during NFC practice at the NFL Flag Fieldhouse at Moscone Center South Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cowboys on Pickens contract: ‘We love him, want him here’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com​

Any version of the Cowboys as a contending team in 2026 includes George Pickens back for another season.

Speaking to reporters from the start of the NFL Combine, executive vice president and director or player personnel Stephen Jones gave insight into the latest on Pickens, and more.

Jones noted “it takes time” when negotiating a deal with so many different machinations and that will be near the top of the market once it’s done. He went on to double down on the fact the Cowboys “want Pickens here” and that they “love him” and “think the world of him”.

For his part, Pickens has already made it clear he’d like to remain in Dallas, having already built an intense chemistry with All-Pro talent Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, as well as the locker room as a whole, and Jones views that “as all a plus” in their upcoming contract talks.

Should Pickens receive the franchise tag, there are questions outside the building regarding if he’ll decide to play under it.

Jones rightfully notes the Cowboys have “had people play under the tag” previously, such as Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence and Dalton Schultz, but that they’ve also “done deals with people that have a tag” — specifically Prescott and Lawrence, who both saw their last tag rescinded due to a new contract.

For the purposes of bookkeeping, it’s key to note Pickens would forfeit $28 million in fully guaranteed salary and be forced to miss an entire year of football if he is tagged and, absent a deal by mid-July, choose to not play under it.

That doesn’t sound as if it’s something the Cowboys are currently concerned with, particularly considering they feel they can get a deal done with the newly-crowned Pro Bowler coming off of a 1,400-yard, nine touchdown season, career-highs in both categories; and Jones says that, if push comes to shove, the Cowboys can still “do everything we need to” if they’re tied to a $28 million franchise tag, seeing as they can free up more than $130 million in restructures alone that do not require a player’s permission.

Stephen Jones: Dallas Cowboys ‘leaning toward’ placing franchise tag on George Pickens – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys​

Would having Pickens play yet another season on an expiring contract be a good usage of the Cowboys franchise tag?

The window for NFL teams to place the franchise tag on players opened last week and officially closes on March 3rd. If the Cowboys want to keep Pickens around and don’t have a long-term deal in place by then, well, obviously it makes sense to tag Pickens to at the very least buy time.

As far as wide receivers are concerned, the franchise tag value is expected to come in around $28M once things are official and set in stone. That is south of the $30M APY that Pickens’ representation reportedly hoped to get when he first joined the team, but it stands to reason that he would clear that on a hypothetical new deal.

It goes without saying that this is the biggest story going on with the Cowboys at the moment. Until Pickens has officially been tagged or has a new deal, it is going to be a thing.

Credit Jerry Jones, the Cowboys’ offseason is off to a strong start – Shane Taylor, Inside The Star​

Whether or not the Cowboys spend on outside free agents will be the real story of the offseason, but so far the moves they’ve made are solid.

The Cowboys made a move early in the offseason, for a guy fans love and wanted to return, in a deal that got done quietly and quickly, for money that is rational and responsible but also respectful of the impact the player makes.

The best thing about the deal is that it all happened without any nonsense, any ridiculous headlines, any non-football anything at all.

This feels like the third or fourth consecutive positive development of the offseason for this franchise. Without trying to argue with me, please tell me where I am wrong about this?

More Work To Do

Now look, Jerry should be far from done. The defense still needs help, badly.

They need to work on getting a deal done with George Pickens, and rework a little bit of the Dak Prescott deal, that, yes, can be done and create a lot of cap space.

They got two of the biggest things done before they even hit the free agent period and the draft month, meaning they can go into the next two months having a full understanding of what the biggest issues for this team still are and not have to worry about seven different things.

They need to try and get some personnel for Parker on the defensive side of the ball, but now they don’t have to worry about trying to get a deal done with both Williams and Pickens.

Cowboys’ blockbuster George Pickens trade looks more lopsided by the day – Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat​

The best part about the Cowboys having George Pickens is the way it stabilized the top of the depth chart at wide receiver, a position the team can’t afford to take a step back at right now.

Pickens was one of the best receivers in the NFL last season, ranking sixth with 93 catches, third with 1,429 receiving yards, and eighth with nine touchdowns. Everything that was said post-trade came true: Pickens was a perfect fit with Prescott and the ideal complementary wideout for CeeDee Lamb.

A historically bad defensive season is the only reason the Cowboys missed the playoffs. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks the Steelers could make a move for Tyreek Hill, whose status for 2026 is up in the air as he recovers from a catastrophic knee injury.

“The Steelers could be in play. They’ve got DK Metcalf, and what, Calvin Austin III? No offense, he’s not Tyreek Hill,” Florio said.

Steelers are desperate for a WR after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys

Hill is now a free agent after being released by the Miami Dolphins. There are worse options available, but pursuing Hill would be a sad encapsulation of the Steelers’ repeated attempts to cling to relevancy.

It’s why they hired Mike McCarthy to replace Mike Tomlin rather than a younger head coach. It’s why a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers will be their starting quarterback next season, if he doesn’t retire, after ranking 28th with a 43.8 percent success rate and 22nd with a 0.077 EPA per play, per RBSDM.

The Steelers thought trading for and extending D.K. Metcalf was an adequate plan to replace Pickens. Metcalf caught just 56 passes for 850 yards and six touchdowns. That’s a highly underwhelming stat line for the game’s fourth-highest-paid wide receiver at $32.9 million per year.

Top 101 NFL free agents of 2026: Who are the best players available? – Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com​

The Cowboys land a top-five player on this list with Pickens, but also a veteran that many fans want back on defense.

Rank 2

George Pickens WR · Age: 25

Pickens’ 2025 season was him cashing in on all that talent that was obvious since his days at Georgia. Whether he continues to perform at that level is up to him; whether he stays in Dallas is not.

Rank 101

Jadeveon Clowney Edge · Age: 33

No one has earned his role as Mr. 101 more convincingly than Clowney, a near-annual fixture on this list. I thought that run was over before he started sacking fools straight off the couch in 2025, just like he’ll do for the next 25 years.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...nt-george-pickens-stephen-jones-franchise-tag

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Brandon Aubrey and Dallas negotiating top dollar contract for kickers

Brandon Aubrey seeking larger deal from Cowboys, sources say – Todd Archer, ESPN​

Just how much is Brandon Aubrey worth?.

The Dallas Cowboys and the agent for Pro Bowler Brandon Aubrey are in agreement that he should be the highest-paid kicker in the NFL. The disagreement is by how much.

The Cowboys have offered a deal for Aubrey that is more than the league-high $6.4 million average per season for Kansas City’s Harrison Butker, sources told ESPN. However, Aubrey’s agent, Todd France, has asked for a deal closer to $10 million per season, according to sources.

The negotiations started last season but have not progressed.

“It’s been a journey,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday without getting into the specifics of the talks, “but we hadn’t been able to get to a point where we can all agree, so it hadn’t gotten done. But we’d love to get him done.”

Aubrey is set to become a restricted free agent. The Cowboys are likely to place the second-round tender on Aubrey at a cost of close to $5.8 million. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent, so if the Cowboys put the right-of-first-refusal tender on Aubrey, they would not receive any compensation in return if they did not match an offer made by another team.

The only restricted free agent to leave a team for a second-round pick was Wes Welker, who was ultimately traded to the New England Patriots from the Miami Dolphins for second- and seventh-round picks in 2007.

While using the restricted free agent tender would have Aubrey under contract only for 2026, the Cowboys could use the franchise tag on him in 2027 to effectively keep him out of free agency.

Why Javonte Williams avoided free agency: ‘Feeling the love in Dallas’ – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com​

Getting a deal done with Javonte Williams was perfect for all parties involved.

In less than two weeks, Javonte Williams could’ve had the chance to negotiate with any other team in the NFL as a free-agent running back.

Turns out, he was already where he wanted to be.

“Yeah I could’ve,” Williams said of negotiating and listened to other offers. “But it’s about just being here and being around everybody. I feel the love here. This where I wanted to be.”

Williams officially signed his three-year, $24 million extension on Tuesday at The Star in Frisco. Like always, he didn’t have much to say, only that it was excited to be in this position. Let’s not forget just a year ago he was an unrestricted free agent and signed a one-year deal in Dallas.

“At the beginning of the season, I didn’t even know how it was going to go,” said Williams, who was splitting time with Miles Sanders and rookie Jaydon Blue was also in the mix. “But I feel like it worked out for both sides. Everything was good. I’m just blessed.”

Williams finished the 2025 season with a career-high in both rushing yards (1,201) and touchdowns (13).

When asked if he’s ready to take the offense to the next level, Williams grinned and said “you know it.” But he definitely wants to keep the same group intact.

When Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones called Williams over the weekend to congratulate him after the deal had been agreed to, the running back had a subtle request for the boss.

“Yeah when Mr. Jones called me, I was like … Keep GP, too.”

10 players Cowboys fans should watch at the NFL Combine: Defense, defense, defense – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News​

It’s all about the defense when it comes to the Cowboys’ draft plans.

Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

This week is a make-or-break week for many prospects on the field. It’s also pivotal off the field, as well. McCoy is a great example. McCoy is considered one of the best cornerbacks in the draft despite missing the entirety of the 2025 season. McCoy suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout in January 2025. Defensive backs, like McCoy, are set to have medical examinations on Wednesday. If the results are positive, especially about his chances to start in training camp, then McCoy could be a fit for the Cowboys at pick No. 12. If there are concerns with the medical evaluation, then the Cowboys, in theory, could balk at making him their top pick. The Cowboys need an instant impact player with their first-round pick.

LSU CB Mansoor Delane

New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker has developed impressive and highly talented young corners in both of his last two jobs. He did it in Denver with Pat Surtain II, an eventual Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. He did it with the Eagles after they drafted back-to-back corners to open the 2024 draft. Both players played a role in the team’s Super Bowl win. Delane could be his next project. Delane is known as a fantastic cover corner. He didn’t allow multiple receptions to any player he covered in 2025. Pairing Delane (or McCoy) with second-year outside corner Shavon Revel and DaRon Bland could help the Cowboys improve a secondary that struggled last season.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

Styles is considered the top off-ball linebacker in the draft. In case you didn’t watch last season for the Cowboys, that’s a significant area of need for them heading into 2026. A marriage between the two would make sense, right? That is if he’s still there. Interestingly enough, Styles is reportedly planning on doing on-field workouts, which is something many top prospects shy away from at the combine. Based on his athleticism, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Styles thrive in that area.

Cowboys coaching staff adds renowned pass rush trainer to mix – Angel Torres, Cowboys Wire​

Brian Schottenheimer continues to add talented coaches to his defensive coaching staff.

Less than a week after announcing their coaching staff was finalized, the Cowboys have added another name to the defensive side of the ball, adding Brandon Jordan as a pass rush specialist consultant.

Jordan is the CEO of Brandon “BT” Jordan Trench Performance and has made a name for himself training defensive lineman, many of whom have played on NFL rosters.

He is now tasked with reviving a Cowboys pass rush that ranked 24th with 35 total team sacks. The Cowboys did not have a single edge player to rank in the top 20 in pass-rush-win-rates, although Dallas did have three interior lineman make the list with Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, and Kenny Clark.

Jordan began his coaching career back in 2012 as an assistant offensive lineman coach at Missouri S&T before taking on a graduate assistant position at McKendree University working with the O-line and tight ends in 2013.

He later moved on to Austin Peay University where he transitioned to the defesive line during the spring of 2014. After a two year stint at John Ehret High School for a few seasons, Jordan participated in the Bill Walsh diversity coaching fellowship program with the Arizona Cardinals.

In 2022, he was hired by Michigan State University as a pass rush specialist and took the same role with Seattle a year later. He then took the same position with the Denver Broncos last season and now adds the Cowboys to this impressive resume.

Denver led the league in sacks in 2025 with 68 QB takedowns almost doubling the amount Dallas recorded. in 2024, the Broncos recorded 63 sacks which was also tops in the NFL and coincides with his arrival to the team. Denver ranked 22nd in sacks with 42 in 2023.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ct-kickers-combine-prospects-javonte-williams

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Draft day gaps and what the Cowboys have gotten in return

The Dallas Cowboys are once again entering another draft with a hollow spot in their selection sheet. For the third consecutive year, the wheeling and dealings of the front office have left a massive void between their selections. This recurring lack of draft capital has become a trend for the Cowboys, forcing the brain-trust to sit on their hands while everyone else is stocking up on draft goodness.

There was a time not so long ago when the Cowboys were stingy with their draft capital. While they did trade a first-round pick for Amari Cooper in 2018, it’s been essentially crickets for the better part of a decade in terms of shipping off premium draft capital. In fact, in the Jerry Jones era, the Cowboys have navigated a draft gap of 70 spots or more on only three previous occasions. They happened in 2010, 2012, and 2014. In those years, the team was aggressive in its pursuit of specific targets, willingly sacrificing quantity for what they perceived as elite quality.

In 2010, the strategy of consolidation actually paid massive dividends for the franchise. The Cowboys moved up just a few spots in the first round to secure wide receiver Dez Bryant, and they later moved up just a few spots again in the second round to snag linebacker Sean Lee. Both players became All-Pro anchors on different sides of the ball. Bryant turned into one of the best receivers in the league and eventually became the franchise leader in receiving touchdowns with 73, while Lee solidified himself as one of the most instinctive defenders in recent history with over 800 career tackles. It is rare to see a team gamble twice in the same weekend and hit the jackpot both times, proving that sometimes it pays to go and get your guy.

The 2012 draft provides a darker cautionary tale regarding the cost of moving up. The Cowboys traded away their second-round pick to the St. Louis Rams, jumping to pick six for LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. This move was a double disaster, as Claiborne struggled with injuries and performance throughout his tenure in Dallas, while the team simultaneously missed out on All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, who reportedly would have been the team’s second-round selection had they kept their pick.

That mistake didn’t prevent them from pulling the trigger in 2014 with another aggressive move when they traded away their third-round pick to divisional rival Washington to move up in the second round for DeMarcus Lawrence. This trade helped solidify the defensive line for a decade, as Lawrence developed into a multi-Pro Bowler and one of the best run-stopping ends in the league. With over 60 sacks during his 11 years with the Cowboys, Lawrence proved that a missing third-rounder is a small price to pay for a foundational pass rusher.

There is a distinct difference between those historical gaps and the current trend. In 2010, 2012, and 2014, the missing picks resulted from draft day trades where the Cowboys reacted in real time. In contrast, the last three years consist of circumstances where the Cowboys entered the draft season already missing those picks due to trades made during the season prior.

The primary culprits for the empty fourth-round cupboards over the last two years were the acquisitions of Trey Lance and Jonathan Mingo. Dallas surrendered their most precious Day 3 picks, first, for Lance, only to see him stall out as a developmental project who provided zero impact on the field. Similarly, the trade for Mingo cost the team valuable draft capital for a receiver who struggled to find a role in the offense. Wasting mid-round picks on players who cannot even crack the game-day roster is not a winning strategy.

This year, the Cowboys are missing their second- and third-round picks because of a couple of major acquisitions. The trades for playmaker George Pickens and defensive anchor Quinnen Williams have taken up a huge chunk of draft capital; however, both players have proved to be excellent returns on investment. Unlike the flyers taken on unproven young players, these moves brought in established stars who immediately improved the starting lineup. It is much easier to justify a quiet Friday night at the draft when you already have two established studs on the roster.

Recently, the Cowboys have consistently taken risks by trading away quality draft picks for either a proven veteran or a speculative gamble on a young player with untapped potential. While these moves sometimes result in All-Pro additions, they also come at the expense of the cheap, young depth required to sustain a competitive roster. There’s always going to be a tradeoff, but when you put everything on the table, it’s hard not to be pleased with their overall returns.

All-Pros: Dez Bryant, Sean Lee, DeMarcus Lawrence, George Pickens, and Quinnen Williams

Oopsies: Morris Clairborne, Trey Lance, and Jonathan Mingo

Seems like trading away premium draft capital has served them well overall.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...des-day-2-gap-george-pickens-quinnen-williams

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Brandon Aubrey shuts down reported contract offer

Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey calls reported contract offer ‘fake’ – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys​

Brandon Aubrey says a new contract offer didn’t happen.

Things have escalated with Brandon Aubrey.

We are only at Wednesday, but this week has likely felt long for the Dallas Cowboys relative to their kicker. On Tuesday it was reported that they have an offer out to make him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL at a rate of $7.5M annually, and the Dallas Morning News even reported that Aubrey turned that down in the name of wanting $10M per year.

The thing about that report is… someone disagrees with it.

Brandon Aubrey called the reported Cowboys offer ‘fake’

Nowadays players have an opportunity to defend themselves on social media. They can take to different platforms and share their opinions, and on Wednesday that is exactly what Brandon did.

View this post on Instagram

This is an Instagram Reel where 105.3 The Fan was discussing the report from the DMN. Aubrey responded with one word and called it ‘fake’ which suggests that it was not real.

Klayton Adams looking to ‘seek the edge’ for Cowboys’ offense – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com​

An insight into how the Cowboys will attack offensively in 2026.

INDIANAPOLIS – In 2025, the Cowboys offense was among the best in the NFL under new head coach and play caller Brian Schottenheimer as well as offensive coordinator Klayton Adams.

The benefit that Dallas’ offensive staff had in their first year together was the unknown. Schottenheimer hadn’t called plays since his final year as offensive coordinator of the Seahawks in 2020. Adams was a first-time coordinator who got to help design concepts for the first time. Heading into year two, Adams and the staff know they need to stay ahead of the curve now that there’s a year’s worth of film on their offense for opposing teams to study.

“That’s a conversation that we’re constantly having,” Adams said. “People, I’m not sure where it came from, but everybody’s got this term like ‘Oh, we’re going to run it back, or ‘we’re just going to roll it back out there,’ and to me, that’s the worst mindset you can possibly have, is ‘Alright, here’s some stuff that worked last year, let’s just try it again.'”

“Having said that, you’ve also got to understand what your core building blocks are and who you are as an offense, and that’s going to change a little bit every year as well. But in my opinion, if you just go back out there and you’re like, ‘here it is,’ there’s too many good football players in this league and too many good coaches in this league for that to work. So you’ve constantly got to be trying to seek the edge and find the sharper points of how you can get better.”

As the Cowboys have begun and continue their self-scouting process in the offseason, one of the places that Adams has used to draw inspiration for innovative tweaks to the offseason were Dallas’ interviews for their defensive coordinator position, which was filled by Christian Parker.

“Just hearing specifically how some of the teams that we were playing against are trying to defend us, and some of the things that concern them or worry them, is good for me to hear,” Adams said. “Because quite frankly, I’m not always thinking of it from that same perspective.”

“So just hearing some of the things that people are saying, ‘Hey, this is what kept me up at night,’ or ‘this is what we’re really worried that you guys were going to do.’ It just gives me thoughts and ideas on how we want to attack and use those guys going forward.”

Dallas Cowboys Coaching Staff Left Meaningful Impression on Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell – JD Andress, Sports Illustrated​

One of the best edge rushers in the NFL draft is liking what the Cowboys have to offer.

There are very few things that fans of the Texas A&M Aggies love more than their beloved school, but for some of them, one of those things might be their NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Being able to cheer for an Aggie legend and their favorite NFL team would be icing on the cake for many fans, and that could be a possibility if Cashius Howell was picked by Jerry Jones and his staff when the NFL Draft happens in April.

Howell recalled his interview with the Cowboys during talks with the media before the NFL Combine, and how his skill set would transfer to “America’s Team” at the next level.

Staying In Texas?

Howell is preparing for the NFL Combine, ready to show off his physical abilities after dominating at the college level this past season. Before that, though, he had a formal interview with the Cowboys, part of the process for the teams and players to have early conversations in the process.

“They put in a small install for me,” Howell said of his interview with the Cowboys. “But you know, within that install, I definitely feel like you know, I’d be able to adapt and effectively play that role in a 3-4 defense at that level.

Dallas Cowboys rumors: Mock drafts now have a consensus for Cowboys – Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times​

Are we starting to get a consensus for the Cowboys in mock drafts?

Mel Kiper of ESPN has Dallas going for its biggest position of need, cornerback, and taking LSU’s Mansoor Delane 12th, then coming in at 20th with Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.

[…]

Consider Delane to be part of a new consensus. NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice also has Delane, by all accounts the first cornerback off the board, going to the Cowboys in his mock draft.

He writes: “Smooth, sticky and savvy in coverage, Delane’s a no-brainer pick for the team that just fielded the league’s worst pass defense. While the Cowboys allowed 251.1 passing yards per game, Delane gave up 163 on the season. That figure comes courtesy of PFF, who also credited the LSU cover man with the lowest passer rating allowed in coverage last year at 31.3. Friendly reminder: 39.6 is the passer rating of the hypothetical quarterback who spikes the ball every play. “

Filice also has the Cowboys taking Mesidore at 20th. He writes: “After trading Micah Parsons last August, the Cowboys could lose Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler Jr. and Sam Williams in free agency. Donovan Ezeiruaku, last year’s second-round pick, flashed a well-rounded game in Year 1, but he needs some help on the edge. Mesidor might be gone by the time Dallas goes on the clock at No. 20, but the Miami product’s advanced age (turns 25 in April) could push him down the board. On the plus side, he might have the most advanced pass-rushing arsenal in this draft after six seasons (and 52 starts) at the college level.”

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...contract-offer-fake-klayton-adams-mock-drafts

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Marcus Dixon is ideal DL coach hire for Christian Parker’s defense

The Dallas Cowboys have set a new direction for their defense for the fourth year in a row. They hired and recently introduced first-time defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The insights into what Parker’s defense will look like that came from the press conference have put the former rival Philadelphia Eagles coach back in the headlines as the face of a defense that desperately needs this reset. Prior to Parker taking the podium with head coach Brian Schottenheimer though, it’s easy to forget that Parker was already busy building his coaching staff for the position groups, along with many of the positive reviews these hires have drawn.

One hire that warrants paying closer attention to within the now-clearer picture of the Cowboys defense is Marcus Dixon as defensive line coach. Dixon spent the previous two seasons in the same position for the Minnesota Vikings. His hiring helps the Cowboys maintain a streak of having at least one former player of their own on the coaching staff every year since 2007. Dixon never did appear in a regular season game for the Cowboys, but they were the team that gave him his first chance in the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2008. Two years later Dixon made his pro debut in 2010 for the New York Jets, appearing in games for them through 2012. Brian Schottenheimer was the Jets offensive coordinator for two of these seasons in 2010-11.

The view-from-ten-thousand-feet take on the Cowboys hiring Dixon as defensive line coach was that while the team didn’t get their chance to hire Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, getting a member of his staff that had any level of influence on a front seven for Minnesota known for wreaking havoc on games is close to the next best thing. If the Cowboys get this best case scenario from a coaching perspective on the defensive front from Dixon, and see Parker’s expertise on the backend pay off, they’ll have the cohesion on defense they’ve been seeking for a long time now.

Of course, Cowboys fans should be cautious about having too high of expectations for this type of defensive coaching success having great immediate results. A similar approach with Mike Zimmer and Al Harris together on staff brought expectations that were never met by the Cowboys secondary in 2024, and last year Matt Eberflus’ background at linebacker paired with bringing in his own personnel at the position did next-to-nothing to help the Cowboys be even competent in the middle of their defense – or anywhere else for that matter.

This is where the personnel and talent acquisition process must improve for the Cowboys to match the buzz around their coaching hires and field a defense that can help this team reach the playoffs in 2026.

Dixon is replacing Aaron Whitecotton, who had a significant role with the Cowboys in his one season as DL coach. Whitecotton was the coach on the field in charge of real-time adjustments for the final few games of 2025, when Eberflus moved up to the coaches box to call plays. It’s far too early to know if Dixon will be able to develop into a similar role, but even with inheriting a lot of the players coached by Whitecotton last season that will remain key players up front, there are reasons to believe the scheme starting point that Dixon will work in within Parker’s scheme is a major positive.

Reading the tea leaves of Parker’s opening remarks to the Dallas media, along with his résumé that speaks for itself when it comes to developing some of the top defensive backs in the game, the Cowboys area of emphasis to bring in better players will likely be in a secondary in need of a reset.

From multiple years of the Trevon Diggs/DaRon Bland duo that never fully worked out, along with fresh blood needed at safety beyond Malik Hooker and pending free agent Donovan Wilson, the time is now for the Cowboys to revamp their secondary. This could be the case despite waves of Cowboys fans being adamant the best way forward for the defense is still to address the obvious needs in the secondary, but maximize last offseason’s work at defensive tackle by making a splash at defensive end and rounding out a front that can form a defensive identity with their pass rush.

The Cowboys do have two first round picks to possibly make this splash at defensive end, but no second- or third-round picks at the moment. This severely hinders their chances to use draft chips as compensation in a trade to get a proven pass rusher, and spending a mid-round pick at defensive end is not often the best way to get an immediate impact player. The Cowboys could use their 12th and 20th overall picks to possibly trade up higher in the first round to get a more day-one ready pass rusher, but then the idea of only coming away from the first night of the draft with one new player for a defense that needs several seems less than ideal. Defensive line feels like the position the Cowboys will have to do the most selling of their current players, and bringing back internal free agents, to have a group they can still believe in while holding onto the resources needed to improve elsewhere.

This is specifically where Marcus Dixon will have his chance to shine right away. We know now that the “base” look in Parker’s defense will be a 3-4, which in familiar layman’s terms means that pass rush responsibility comes from stand-up players off the edge, be it traditional ends capable of doing so or rushing linebackers.

A couple of examples of 3-4 structures that Christian Parker is likely to use that have some "4-3 spacing." https://t.co/rVBuxjCdTC pic.twitter.com/xHqXpJM5Aj

— John Owning (@JohnOwning) February 19, 2026

In 2024 with the Vikings, linebackers Jonathan Greenard led the team with 12 sacks, and do-it-all linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel was right behind with 11 and a half. As opposed to having a standout defensive end that was a constant on the field, three defensive tackles in Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, and Jerry Tillery all played over 40% of the snaps for that defense. The Cowboys will be looking to keep their stable of defensive tackles on the field at a similar if not higher rate, with Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, Solomon Thomas, Jay Toia, Quinnen Williams, and Perrion Winfrey all at Parker/Dixon’s disposal.

Last season for Brian Flores’ defense, the Vikings again had a trio of defensive tackles stand out with Jonathan Allen, Jalen Redmond, and Javon Hargrave. Although pure EDGE player Dallas Turner led them with eight sacks, Van Ginkel had seven, linebacker Eric Wilson had 6.5, and Redmond from the tackle position had six.

Flash back to a year ago, and the Cowboys offense was praised all offseason for coaching hires that aligned clearly with the exact visions Schottenheimer had as play-caller for the evolution of the offensive scheme as a whole. The results were evident right away, with the Cowboys offense being multiple, playing with attention to detail, matchup-focused, flexible on a week-to-week basis, and most importantly high scoring. The Cowboys are looking to recreate this exact coaching structure so far this offseason but on defense, and no example stands out more clearly right now than the experience and fit for defensive line coach Marcus Dixon within Christian Parker’s defense. Parker’s defense will be multiple in its fronts, and so too were Brian Flores’ overall defenses with the Vikings that Dixon coached in.

Whether or not the Cowboys can put enough of the right players on the field to make this coaching matter for a defense that lacks the equivalent of a CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, or Tyler Smith foundational-type building block compared to Schotty’s offense remains to be seen. Still, at this early junction of the offseason, there is room for cautious optimism around the way Dallas is approaching this latest defensive rebuild. The glaring missing piece for a team that’s scored plenty on offense for two seasons in a row but missed the playoffs both times, there is a lot riding on Parker being the home run hire he’s been made out to be. Being that guy will require the position coaches to shine as well, and watching what Dixon does with this opportunity will be paramount.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...-line-coach-christian-parker-defense-3-4-base

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Dallas intends to place a tender on RFA T.J. Bass

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 21: T.J. Bass #66 of the Dallas Cowboys runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cowboys show how they really feel about backup player that might just end up with a larger role than expected – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports​

T.J. Bass will be back in Dallas in 2026, unless….

The Dallas Cowboys are making a surprising decision when it comes to one overlooked free agent that hasn’t been on many fans’ minds lately: interior offensive lineman T.J. Bass.

Bass, a backup guard for the Cowboys who has filled in nicely when asked to start, is a pending restricted free agent. And the latest report shows how the team really feels about him.

Cowboys to ‘tender’ Bass

The Cowboys are planning to use a second-round tender on Bass, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The tender is projected by Over the Cap to be worth $5.81 million.

The tender serves as a one-year offer that allows Bass to negotiate with other teams, but if another team makes an offer, the Cowboys have the right to match it. If they decide not to, they are entitled to receive a second-round draft pick from the team signing Bass. In practice, it very rarely comes to that.

The surprise doesn’t come due to the Cowboys wanting Bass back—the young offensive lineman has 10 career starts to his name. Rather, the surprise is in the fact that they’re willing to pay over $5 million for a player who has been a backup in his first three years with the team.

But it reveals two things: The Cowboys really value Bass and they believe other NFL teams could see him as a starter if he was to hit the open market. A second-round tender ensures his stay in Dallas.

Additionally, the move serves as an insurance policy in case they shake up the offensive line and need a new starter at left guard.

Cowboys free agency rumors: Dallas expected to pursue Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean – RJ Ochoa, Blogging the Boys​

The Cowboys have been linked to their first external free agent so far this offseason.

Nakobe Dean is a name Dallas will reportedly target

Clarence Hill reported early on Thursday morning (or late Wednesday night depending on how you view things) that the Cowboys are expected to pursue Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean in free agency.This makes a ton of sense. There is the Christian Parker factor, there is the fact that Dallas has a need at linebacker (we all want to believe in DeMarvion Overshown, but even if he stays healthy the team does not have many options beyond him). It really just feels like a matter of when they will pursue him, not if.

Philadelphia selected Dean out of Georgia during the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. His athleticism has been what people have valued about his game for a long time, but his injury history may lead to him actually being a bit of a bargain (relatively speaking) in free agency this year.

— Familiarity with the defensive coordinator
— Fills a position of need
— A potential bargain

That should music to the ears of Dallas Cowboys’ fans everywhere.

Marist Liufau being moved to edge rusher by Cowboys, Parker – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com​

Marist Liufau at edge? How do we feel?

INDIANAPOLIS — Marist Liufau is in for a major change heading into the 2026 NFL season, his third in the league for the Dallas Cowboys. Having fired out of the gate as a rookie third-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2024 as the eventual green dot for Mike Zimmer, a change of on-field scenery might be a good thing after a Year 2 slump.

To be fair though, that slump was largely rooted in a disconnect between Liufau and former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the latter being hellbent on giving the majority of the linebacker reps to Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray, even while DeMarvion Overshown continued his recovery on injured reserve.

Liufau will be released from his cage by Christian Parker, however, with head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirming an earlier gem given to DallasCowboys.com from newly-named insider linebacker coach Scott Symons from the 2026 NFL Combine: Liufau is changing positions.

“Marist Liufau, we’re gonna move him to outside linebacker,” Schottenheimer declared, speaking from the 2026 NFL Combine. “That kind of fits his strengths, right? 
He’s got length, he’s got long arms and he’s really good at disrupting the ball.”

It’s bombshell news for a player who made his name as one of the nation’s best inside linebackers at Notre Dame, and it arrives after the Cowboys’ decision to waive fellow inside linebacker Logan Wilson (two moves that hint largely at the possible emergence of Justin Barron alongside Overshown Shemar James).

And while the length is evident, as Schottenheimer noted and film/measurables readily prove, Liufau is going to have to add some extra chunky peanut butter to his sandwiches and smoothies to bulk up; and to be ready for what outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe has planned for him.

3 Offseason moves the Dallas Cowboys must make to climb the ladder in the NFC East – Matt Lombardo, Substack​

Will Mansoor Delane make it to 12?

Draft Mansoor Delane at No. 12 overall

One thing that Jones the general manager has done well in recent years, is hitting in the draft. However, stressing positional value here is going to be critical, in order for the Cowboys to quickly and dominantly rebuild the defense.

Avoiding a need at linebacker, Dallas would be wise to emerge from the first round with the best available edge rusher and cornerback on the board when they go on the clock, with the choice at No. 12 being decided by which player ranks higher on their overall board.

That cornerback could be Mansoor Delane.

Delane, 6-foot and 190 pounds is the kind of long cornerback Parker is used to thriving with in Philadelphia, with nearly ideal measurables to emerging star Quinyon Mitchell, and last season at LSU had a downright fantastic season.

During his final year in Baton Rouge, Delane only allowed 14 receptions and Pro Football Focus lists him as the No. 3 ranked cornerback in the nation, with a 90.7 coverage grade.

Delane would be a plug-and-play starter capable of making an immediate impact while serving as a cornerstone both of Parker’s system and the Cowboys’ broader defensive rebuild.

Schottenheimer on George Pickens’ long-term future as a Cowboy – Todd Archer, ESPN.com​

Brian Schottenheimer speaks on George Pickens future in Dallas.

INDIANAPOLIS — The first offseason of Brian Schottenheimer’s time as Dallas Cowboys head coach in 2025 was spent dealing with the drama surrounding Micah Parsons and a contract extension.

As Schottenheimer enters his second offseason, the potential drama shifts to Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens, who is likely to receive the franchise tag by next Tuesday’s deadline and could skip the offseason program and potentially training camp.

“This is going to play out the way it’s supposed to play out,” Schottenheimer said Thursday from the NFL combine. “GP loves football. And my relationship with GP doesn’t change. Just like it didn’t change with CeeDee [Lamb] or Dak [Prescott] or those guys who were going through certain things. It’s all part of the process. It’s the business side of it. Hell, I was talking to CeeDee last night. It doesn’t change.”

Asked if Pickens will be with the Cowboys for the long term, Schottenheimer said, “I hope so.”

Pickens would make roughly $28 million in 2026 on the franchise tag. Once he is tagged, the Cowboys would have until July 15 to work out a multiyear agreement. Dallas has until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to put the tag on Pickens or he will hit the open market.

The Cowboys have been scheduled to meet with his representatives at the combine this week.

Schottenheimer said he has not spoken with Pickens since the season ended but plans to do so soon.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...e-agent-tj-bass-george-pickens-draft-prospect

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys fan discussion: Where in the world are Blogging the Boys’ readers?

Nov 30, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; General overall view of AT&T Stadium with the Dallas Cowboys logo on the video board during an NFL football game between the Washington Redskins and the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We’re in that slow period between the Super Bowl and the new league year where it sometimes feels like the NFL world has ground to a halt. And that makes it a perfect time to ask: Where in the world are our Blogging the Boys readers?

We don’t want or need your address or any personal details — sharing just the state is fine, or city and state if you’d like to be more specific. Same thing if you live abroad – if you’d like to just share the country, that’s cool, and if you want to share more details like the city or region, that’s totally up to you.

Join the conversation!​

Sign up for a user account and get:

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And now it’s your turn to scroll down to the comments and let us know where you are! We’ll update this list as locations are shared.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dallas-cowboys-discussion/197602/survey-where-do-cowboys-fans-live

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Dallas places franchise tag on George Pickens

Cowboys place nonexclusive franchise tag on WR George Pickens – Todd Archer, ESPN​

The Cowboys now have a placeholder to get a long-term deal done with George Pickens.

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys did what they were long expected to Friday, placing the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens to secure his rights at least through 2026.

The NFL set the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million on Friday, making Pickens’ salary guarantee $27.298 million for next season if he chooses to play on it. While working out a long-term deal remains a possibility, the two sides have until July 15 to get a new contract finalized or, by NFL rule, the player must play on the one-year deal or choose to hold out.

The Cowboys used the nonexclusive tag designation on Pickens, sources told ESPN, which allows him to talk to other teams when free agency begins March 11. Should Pickens sign an offer sheet with another team, the Cowboys will have the right to match the offer or decline to do so and receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

The Cowboys met with Pickens’ representatives Thursday at the NFL scouting combine. The talks were described as more general than in-depth.

Schotty on Aubrey contract talks: ‘He wants to be here. We want him here’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com​

Will Brandon Aubrey play in Dallas in 2026?

INDIANAPOLIS — George Pickens and the franchise tag is certainly the prevailing headline for the Dallas Cowboys from the 2026 NFL Combine, but it’s not the only one. Another also involves contract negotiations, but with All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey, who is also set to hit free agency — should the Cowboys allow it.

The thing is, they won’t, because Aubrey is a restricted free agent (Pickens is unrestricted) and, as the two sides will continue negotiations heading into the beginning of March. Speaking from the NFL Combine, head coach Brian Schottenheimer had an exclusive Q&A with DallasCowboys.com that touched on the temperature of those talks.

“When you build the right culture here, the players want to stay,” he said of Aubrey. “Players want to be here. And so, as the negotiation and the business side of it happens, the good thing for me, and the good thing for us — the Cowboys Organization — is knowing that Brandon doesn’t want to go anywhere.”

The feeling is mutual from the team’s standpoint.

When Stephen Jones spoke from the very same NFL Combine a few days prior, he made it clear talks are well underway, and have been for a while now, but the work continues because Dallas wants what is arguably the league’s best kicker to stick around for the long haul.

Cowboys defensive coordinator’s first project? Second-year corner Shavon Revel – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News​

Year two is extremely critical for the development of Shavon Revel.

INDIANAPOLIS — Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, gave credit to new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker for a large part of his initial NFL development. Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean recently said Parker was instrumental in helping him and Quinyon Mitchell go from rookies in 2024 to instrumental pieces of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run.

All three were successful projects that helped launch Parker from a position coach to a 34-year-old defensive coordinator for the Cowboys.

It begs the question: Who will his next project be? Could it be a first-round pick like LSU’s Mansoor Delane, or the Tennessee tandem of Jermod McCoy or Colton Hood?

Maybe the answer is already on the roster.

“I think he’s got one on the team he loves in [Shavon] Revel,” Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said from the NFL scouting combine this week.

It’s a name the Cowboys keep bringing up, indicating their high hopes for the second-year corner.

Revel’s rookie season was an interesting one. He didn’t practice with the team until October. He didn’t make his NFL debut until mid-November. Revel showed some flashes, but also some rookie struggles, especially when it came to zone coverage for a corner who thrived at East Carolina in press-man coverage situations.

Stephen Jones: George Pickens ‘very fired up’ about remaining a Cowboy after tag – Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire​

George Pickens and the Cowboys appear to be on the same page.

The Cowboys using the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens didn’t come as a surprise when it was announced on Friday, although the revelation that it’s the “non-exclusive” variety caught more than a few observers off-guard.

The exact price of that tag has also been settled, with the league officially setting the 2026 salary cap. What was once projected to be a $28.8 franchise tag for locking down a wide receiver for a year is now slightly less, at $27.3 million.

But both the owner who will be stroking that check and the first-time Pro Bowler who will be on the receiving end of it are apparently thrilled nonetheless.

“Jerry [Jones] had a great visit with him yesterday,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said Friday on The Rich Eisen Show, relaying a conversation that had taken place between the two on Thursday. “He was fired up that he wasn’t going to be going anywhere. We understand, too: economically, guys probably would prefer a long-term deal. But the franchise tag, economically, is not bad either. But he was very fired up about his future with us. We felt like he wanted to be in Dallas; he certainly said that to Jerry yesterday. Jerry just said he was on cloud nine that he was going to be a Cowboy again.”

Position changes for Marist Liufau, Donovan Ezeiruaku hint at Cowboys scheme changes – David Howman, Blogging The Boys​

Things will look quite differently for the Cowboys defensively under Christian Parker.

Christian Parker has been hard at work since taking over as the Cowboys defensive coordinator, finalizing his staff just earlier this week. Now, he’s moving onto the next stage: reshaping the defensive roster. Thursday brought a report that Dallas is expected to pursue Eagles free agent linebacker Nakobe Dean, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer also confirmed position changes for both Marist Liufau and Donovan Ezeiruaku.

Brian Schottenheimer just confirmed that LB Marist Liufau and DE Donovan Ezeiruaku will be moving to Outside Linebacker under Christian Parker’s 3-4 scheme. #dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/EqYsrXyGPf

— Nicole Hutchison (@nhutchisontv) February 26, 2026

The move is hardly surprising for Ezeiruaku, as the outside linebackers in a 3-4 defense are typically going to be more oriented towards edge rushing. For example, last year the Eagles listed Jaelan Phillips, Nolan Smith, and Jalyx Hunt as outside linebackers even though they did effectively the same thing that Cowboys defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney, James Houston, and Ezeiruaku himself did in 2025.

The surprising move, though, was for Liufau.

The former Notre Dame linebacker wasn’t exactly known for his pass rushing skills coming out of college. He had 40 total pressures and eight sacks during his entire college career; there were 49 EDGEs with more pressures last year, and 39 had 8+ sacks.

Liufau was more known for his run defense at Notre Dame, specifically his hard-hitting play style. Dane Brugler of The Athletic had this to say at the time:

After a broken ankle sidelined him for the 2021 season, he ripped off 25 straight starts to finish his Irish career and was often the most energetic player on the field. With his closing burst and physicality, Liufau plays through contact well and punches above his weight class when working downhill. His explosive energy helps him cover a lot of ground in a hurry, although he needs to play with better anticipation and control to be a playmaker in coverage and as a tackler.

Overall, Liufau has intriguing traits with his length, burst and violence, but he must improve his play instincts to balance out his relentless play style. He should shine as a “core four” special teamer in the NFL while he gets coached up for a chance at meaningful defensive snaps (similar to the Las Vegas Raiders’ Divine Deablo).

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...g-george-pickens-non-exclusive-brandon-aubrey

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Dallas Cowboys discussion: Have you ever met a Cowboys player or coach in real life?

Aug 22, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer smiles during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

We’re beyond the Super Bowl but not quite to the start of the new league year so it’s a somewhat quiet time in the NFL. Let’s pass the time by talking about the Dallas Cowboys.

Where’s the most random place you’ve run into a Cowboys player or coach, and who was it?

Join the conversation!​

Sign up for a user account and get:

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You could always tell us about any experience you’ve had meeting a Cowboys player (or multiple players if it’s happened more than once) in real life.

Scroll down to the comment section below to weigh in with your experiences.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...-life-experiencese-autographs-fans-discussion

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Dallas restructures contracts ahead of free agency

Dallas Cowboys Restructure Contracts Of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb – Chris Rosvoglou,Yahoo Sports​

The Cowboys are getting ready for free agency.

With NFL free agency set to begin on March 11, the Dallas Cowboys have made a few notable restructures this Saturday.

The Cowboys cleared $6.5 million in cap space last week by releasing Logan Wilson. They acquired the veteran linebacker prior to the trade deadline this past season. That move left the Cowboys at roughly $30 million over the cap. Well, that’ll no longer be the case.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced that Dallas restructured the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and offensive guard Tyler Smith this Saturday. Those moves will clear up $66 million in cap space, which should put “America’s Team” in prime position to spend big this offseason.

“The Cowboys will restructure the contracts of QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and G Tyler Smith, which will create $66 million of room,” Schefter said. “Jerry Jones said the Cowboys will rework the contracts of DTs Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa, who are scheduled to count around $63 million against the cap.”

Cowboys’ Will McClay on NFL Combine: ‘traits get you in trouble’ – Reid D. Hanson, Cowboys Wire​

Dallas Vice President of Personnel explains why focusing on traits only is a recipe for disaster.

The Dallas Cowboys, like every other NFL team, was in attendance in Indianapolis this past week for the annual NFL scouting combine festivities. In what has been often referred to as “the Underwear Olympics”, the combine allows teams to accurately measure, interview, and drill willing participants. Since college programs can’t always be trusted to deliver accurate information, this process is extremely important to NFL teams as they gauge key traits.

Cowboys VP of Player Personnel, Will McClay, recent spoke with 105.3 The Fan to offer some insights into the draft process and how he deals with issues like traits, plainly stating, “traits get you in trouble.” It’s easy to think of recent examples of traits getting the Cowboys in trouble. In 2017 they drafted Taco Charlton over T.J. Watt and traits were a big reason why. Even though Charlton was more projection than Watt, he had the more translatable size and skillset. A mistake was made.

In 2023 the Cowboys chased traits again, drafting someone from the top of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Mazi Smith. His traits trumped the film and the Cowboys paid dearly for it. These hard lessons are likely what led to McClay adding, “traits are nothing if you don’t know what to do with them.”

McClay didn’t imply in any way traits weren’t important. He values testing as much anyone it seems. He simply added a caveat to things when he stated players needed to know what to do with their traits. In the case of Smith, he was a supremely unique blend of size, speed and athleticism who could never put things together. Traits without supporting film don’t work, just like film without supporting traits doesn’t work. For instance: a college pass rusher who wins off the line through speed moves around the edge is primarily dependent on speed and explosiveness.

3 pass rushers at the NFL Combine to keep an eye on – Bryson Treece, Inside the Star​

Pressure, pressure, and more pressure. The Cowboys shold have these edge rushers on their radar at the combine.

The NFL Scouting Combine is under way in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over the course of the next few days, there will be hundreds of prospects that run through drills, meet with teams, and dream of a future in the NFL. Among these, of course, are dozens of pass rushers who are hoping to prove that modern games are no longer just about mechanics.

They are about grit, hard work, and determination. No matter how one spins it, multiple NFL teams need pass rushers who will get into opposing back fields, no matter what. These three prospects, in particular, will be interesting names to watch as the combine unfolds.

Keldric Faulk

Keldric Faulk, coming out of Auburn, is six-foot-six and 285 pounds, an impressive specimen for a 20-year-old. While he is still working with his hand work and needs to be more explosive at the point of attack, his body is NFL ready. His brute strength will help him get a start in the NFL and he will make some fine plays based on his raw ability alone. Expect Faulk to be selected late in the first round or early in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Akheem Mesidor

Fresh off of winning a National Championship with Miami, Ahkeem Mesidor is ready for the next step in his football career. The six-foot-three, 265-pound pass rusher is already 25 years old and has played four years of college ball. While strong and powerful, Mesidor may be undersized for many NFL teams. However, he plays the run game extremely well and can have some success on schemed-up plays that see him move inside to attack offensive guards.

Cowboys must avoid risky NFC linebacker at all costs in free agency – Jared A’Latorre, The Landry Hat ​

Even though Dallas needs a linebacker they can risk it on this player.

Linebacker should be at or near the top of the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason priority list. There are plenty of intriguing options in both free agency and the draft, but there’s one name they should steer clear of: Green Bay Packers veteran Quay Walker. The Packers drafted Walker back in 2022, and at one point, he looked to be one of the next premier players at his position. Now, Walker is an unrestricted free agent, and the Cowboys need to avoid him at all costs.

Walker’s year-over-year decline in Pro Football Focus grades is hard to ignore. Even in 2024, it was a tale of two halves, as his average grade jumped 18% from 54.7 over his first eight games to 64.5 across the final six. That late surge doesn’t completely erase the broader downward trajectory. And in 2025, Walker arguably had the least effective year of his career with a 48.5 PFF grade that ranked 74th out of 88 players at his position. PFF numbers aren’t exactly the make-or-break benchmark for a player, but this is all Cowboys fans need to see.

PFF ranked Walker as the 140th free agent on their big board. Just for reference, that’s two spots behind Tyler Huntley, the backup quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. “Walker’s time in Green Bay didn’t match his first-round selection with a 46.0 overall PFF grade through four seasons. He particularly struggled in coverage in 2025, permitting 653 yards when targeted, the fifth-most for any linebacker. Teams approaching Walker could be interested in his age (25) and low missed tackle rate, but his collegiate abilities have yet to fully translate at the next level.”

Walker has an athletic frame, but he’s struggled mightily in coverage in his career. His career-high of 128 combined tackles last season may look impressive, but his unreliability in coverage isn’t worth it. The Cowboys could’ve used Walker last season to make up forKenneth Murray’s horrendous field vision, but they really need a true field general and a potential jack-of-all-trades if they truly want to change this defense.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...-restructures-free-agency-will-mcclay-combine

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys 2026 draft: DE Keldric Faulk scouting report

AUBURN, ALABAMA - OCTOBER 18: Keldric Faulk #15 of the Auburn Tigers reacts during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We continue our 2026 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at Auburn edge defender Keldric Faulk.

Keldric Faulk​

DE
Auburn
Junior
4-star recruit
6’6”
285 lbs

History​

As a true freshman, Faulk played in all 13 games and grew from rotational rusher into a midseason starter. He finished with 35 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, and he registered his first career sack in the Music City Bowl. That season ended with SEC All-Freshman honors.

In 2024, he had the breakout that put him on early-round radars. He registered 45 tackles, 11 TFL and seven sacks in 12 games. The standout performances came against Cal with back-to-back sacks and a team-high eight tackles. Another monster day was at Georgia where he made seven tackles and another two sacks, and won SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week against Kentucky with another two-sack game.

In 2025, his role shifted and the box score cooled, but the why here matters when reading his stats. He started all 12 games again, served as the team captain, and posted 29 tackles, five TFL, two sacks, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Faulk was moved around more this season, including interior looks, yet he still flashed impact while remaining a core run-defense piece and leader.

2025 Statistics​

556 Defensive Snaps
30 Total Pressures
1 QB Hits
29 Total Tackles
5 TFL
2 Sacks
4 PBU
1 FR
4 Penalties

Snap by Postion​

A-Gap- 2%
B-Gap- 8%
C-Gap- 28%
OLB- 60%

Awards​

2025: Third-Team All-SEC
2023: SEC All-Freshman Team

Scorecard​

Overall– 88.8
Speed- 77
Acceleration- 87
Agility- 71
Strength- 93
Tackling- 74
Run Defense- 96
Pass Rush- 70
Coverage- 70
Discipline- 92

THE GOOD​

• Prototypical length and frame for an NFL edge
• High-end run defense
• Elite at setting a firm edge, locks out with extension, squeezes gaps, and holds up against down blocks
• Power profile as a rusher
• Wins with long-arm, bull-to-shed, and elite speed-to-power to collapse the pocket
• Violent hands and grip strength to control reps
• Versatility across fronts
• High end motor and competitiveness
• Continues to plays through contact, keeps working on extended reps
• Leadership and character indicators

DE Keldric Faulk
Auburn

THE GOOD #DallasCowboys #NFLDraft #Scouting pic.twitter.com/tPzTgXTMNE

— Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 26, 2026

THE BAD​

• Bend is only average for a true edge defender
• He’s more of a pocket-collapser than a win-the-corner speed rusher
• Pass-rush sequencing and counters need refinement
• First-step explosiveness isn’t elite
• Sack conversion can be inconsistent
• He creates pressure and disruption but doesn’t always close cleanly when the quarterback climbs
• Due to his height he’ll pop up and lose leverage, especially against low, powerful tackles or when trying to shed in tight space.
• He is scheme-dependent. Teams that need a wide-9 speed merchant may see him as a less natural fit.
• 2025 production dip will be a discussion point

DE Keldric Faulk
Auburn

THE BAD#DallasCowboys #NFLDraft #Scouting pic.twitter.com/rhFlBMKLpA

— Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) February 26, 2026

THE FIT​

Faulk fits best as a base 4-3 defensive end who can slide inside on passing downs, in a scheme that values edge-setting first and then lets him hunt with power as a rusher. He’s at his best when you let him play square and long on early downs, locking out with his reach, controlling the tackle and squeezing run lanes.

SUMMARY​

Keldric Faulk is a long, powerful, high-motor front-seven defender who projects best as a 4-3 base end or 5-tech where his length and play strength can set firm edges and squeeze run lanes while he develops into a more consistent pocket-collapsing rusher. His tape is defined by a strong point of attack. He locks out, controls blocks, and plays with good leverage for his height, plus flashes of disruptive power as a pass rusher that showed up most clearly in his 2024 breakout season. The main improvement points are rush craft and consistency. He’s more power-and-effort than bend-and-speed, so he needs better sequencing and counters when tackles neutralize his first instinct, and he’ll be evaluated on whether his 2025 statistical dip was role-driven or a limitation in creation.

Overall he profiles as a high-floor run defender with ascending pass-rush upside, an early NFL starter-type in the right front with the ceiling to become a quality number two edge who generates steady pressures if his plan and finishing keep trending upward.

PRO COMPARISON​

Carlos Dunlap

BTB OVERALL RANKING​

15th

CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING​

15th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...faulk-scouting-report-edge-rusher-run-defense

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Jerry Jones plans to re-work contracts of their DT trio

Jerry Jones quietly confirms what Cowboys fans knew all along about Kenny Clark – Lior Lampert, The Landry Hat​

If the Cowboys want to make moves this offseason, restructuring is inevitable.

It was initially reported that the Cowboys will restructure quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and left guard Tyler Smith’s deals. Then, Jones revealed that the plan is to do the same for Dallas’ defensive tackle trio of Clark, Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa.

“I want you to know that the only way to push more [out] is for me to go borrow some of my future, OK?” Jones said (h/t ESPN’s Todd Archer). “Expect me to go borrow some of my future.”

Jerry Jones all but tipped the Dallas Cowboys’ plans to keep Kenny Clark

Why would a club that doesn’t have many good players on Clark’s side of the ball cut a proven veteran like him? A Cowboys squad that ranked last in opponent scoring and 30th in total defense in 2025 can’t afford to let talent walk out the door.

While Clark is no longer the elite run-stuffer we saw earlier in his career, he remains effective at getting to the quarterback. The 30-year-old recorded 44 pressures, 34 hurries and three sacks across 17 games this season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s No. 21 pass-rushing interior defender (72.4) out of 134 qualified options.

Moreover, and perhaps more notably, new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker has discussed the importance of the nose tackle position in his scheme. More specifically, he spoke about Clark’s dominance during their overlapping stints with the Green Bay Packers. They have an established rapport and a proven track record of success working in unison that makes separating them even harder.

Cowboys will spend over $13 million on rookie class, here’s cap impact- K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire​

It’s time to salary cap watch.

They’ll of course need to solve more than $56 million worth of conflicts if they want to be players in free agency and add talent to their current roster. And from there, they’ll need to have enough room to sign their rookie class.

Dallas, thanks to having two first-round picks in the Top 20, but no more selections until No. 112, currently are set to spend $13.7 million in cap hits for 2026 salaries for their rookies. They don’t need to create that much additional space, though.

Each NFL team has a rookie pool based on their picks, and Over The Cap has calculated that number based on comp pick projections that will be finalized over the next week. But because of how the offseason cap is calculated, not every draft pick is going to add to the compliance calculation.

In the NFL offseason, when teams can carry up to 90 players on their roster, only the Top 51 salaries count towards cap compliance. Those numbers, plus dead money from players who had bonus money pushed beyond their time on the teams roster, compose that actual number.Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

So any player whose deal lands him outside of a team’s Top 51, doesn’t have a material impact on the cap. And when players do land inside that Top 51, they are pushing another player out of the calculation; so only the difference between those cap hits is what gets “added” to the cap.

3 NFL Combine Storylines Cowboys Fans Should Pay Attention To – Mark Heaney, Inside The Star​

With the combine in the books, here is the impact on Dallas’ draft outlook.

1. Ohio State’s Sonny Styles May Be Out Of Cowboys’ Grasp

If you’re an NFL fan at all, odds are you’ve heard about Ohio State’s Sonny Styles dominating the combine in virtually every aspect.

His size measurements were off the charts, his athletic testing was other-worldly, and his on-field drills performance looked as good as his tape suggests he is. I had him as a top-five player in the class coming in, and I think that may become the standard.

What does this mean for Dallas? You can definitely ignore any mock draft that has him heading to the Cowboys with the 20th pick. That will not happen.

As far as the 12th pick is concerned, he may have elevated his stock too much for that to be realistic, either. It’s too early to say for certain, and his lack of “positional value” may help give Dallas a shot, but the odds aren’t in their favor.

Cowboys Get Bad News on Potential All-Pro Trade Candidate- Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated​

The Maxx Crosby hopes continue to dwindle.

The latest news from Jeremy Fowler has now dampened those feelings. Fowler said there’s no indication that Crosby will ask to be traded, and added that he’s expected to stay with the Raiders.

“It’s somewhat quiet on the Maxx Crosby front. This is a layered discussion because a team source said a few weeks ago that Crosby’s chances of returning were relatively small. But he doesn’t plan to request a trade. He’s tight with Raiders owner Mark Davis, and he probably wouldn’t garner a Micah Parsons-like trade package (two firsts and a key player),” Fowler wrote.

“He wants to win, which might not be in the cards for Las Vegas in 2026. Some teams I’ve spoken to believe he will remain with the Raiders — for now.”

Fowler also quoted an NFC executive, who said the price for Crosby is too high, and added that there’s a belief the Raiders have no interest in making a move. “I think the price is too high. I’m not sure they really want to move him at this point. But that could change,” the unnamed executive said via Fowler.

NFL insiders share Cowboys rumors from the combine- Brandon Loree, Blogging The Boys​

Rumblings about free agency.

Jerry Jones held court on his bus during combine week and talked to media members about how the team will be active in free agency. The majority of their moves could come on the defensive side of the ball as Dallas gets their new defensive coordinator the pieces he needs to run his defense.

Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Cowboys was the first to report the Cowboys’ potential interest in Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean. Fowler doubles down on that idea.

The Cowboys are crafting a detailed free agency plan to bolster their defense. The new scheme under coordinator Christian Parker needs replenishment. Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean is someone to watch as a green-dot player in the middle of the defense.

Dean has been with the Eagles for four seasons after being drafted in 2022. When healthy, Dean has shown flashes of the player people viewed as the one he could become coming out of Georgia in college. The biggest concern with handing him a big contract is his health.

Out of 68 possible games, Dean was on the field for just 47 of them. He’s battled injuries throughout his young career, so if he’s expected to be the one leading Dallas’ defense, Dean has to be on the field more than he’s shown to this point.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...e-work-contracts-kenny-clark-quinnen-williams

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys free agency: Maxx Crosby linked to Dallas as possible trade destination

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 19: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on as he stretches prior to an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It feels like the Dallas Cowboys are going to make a move or two in free agency. Yes, we have gotten our hopes up before only to have them dashed at the very end. For all we know the team will sit out the early phase and sign a handful of players at the end. That would be par for the course.

The Cowboys are acting a bit differently this offseason, though. It is objectively fair to say that they are stepping forward with a bit more purpose than in years past. That purpose may not lead to significant change in overall operation, but it might.

The Cowboys are being linked to Maxx Crosby again​

Prior to last season’s NFL trade deadline there were some who wanted to see the Cowboys trade for Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby. They did not do so, but they did make a big-time swing in landing defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Crosby remains a potential trade asset for the Raiders, and given that they hold the number one overall pick, it may make sense for them to commit to a rebuild of sorts. This is something that Albert Breer pondered on and he noted that the Cowboys are among the teams keeping tabs on Crosby’s availability.

There’s also logic to the idea that it’s time for Crosby, who very badly wants to win, and the team, to move on. The Raiders will almost certainly have a rookie quarterback playing in the fall, and it could take a year or two to get the roster to where it needs to be. Would Crosby still be in his prime then? Would the Raiders be able to get the same price a year or two from now that they might bring home this week?

These are the questions the Raiders will have to ask themselves, weighing keeping one of the NFL’s best players against having more capital to build a team that Fernando Mendoza has a great chance to grow with.

We should know soon enough which path the Raiders are taking, with teams like Dallas, Chicago, Baltimore, Buffalo, New England, Philadelphia and the Rams keeping tabs on his availability.

There are seven teams listed in the “keeping tabs” category here so Dallas being mentioned is hardly worth jumping out of your seat. It is a tale as old as time for these big names to be connected to the Cowboys only for them to wind up being traded elsewhere.

For what it’s worth, the Cowboys have pretty low draft capital to work with in the name of any would-be trade for Crosby. They have picks 12 and 20 overall in the first round, but they do not hold any second- or third-round picks. You could argue that they could maybe trade future draft capital, but they cannot trade a first-rounder from next year as they are frozen what with Dallas owing the New York Jets the higher of their eventual two selections (the other belongs to the Green Bay Packers from the Micah Parsons trade).

Could Crosby be had for one of the first-round picks this year and something else? Maybe. Anything is possible.

Are you holding out hope? Will you allow yourself to? Or do you think this is a ton of nothing?

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...cy/198491/maxx-crosby-rumor-trade-free-agency

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Post combine updates includes the Donovan Ezeiruaku injury

Jan 4, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (41) leaves the field after being ejected during the third quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Recapping top Cowboys headlines from 2026 NFL Combine – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com​

The Cowboys offseason focus continues to be on defense, but they’ll need to find depth at EDGE with Donovan Ezeiruaku sidelined.

Quick hitters:

Cowboys outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku underwent offseason hip labrum surgery and will likely miss most of the spring offseason program. The expectation is he’ll be ready to return to the field when Dallas heads to training camp in Oxnard, California.

Brian Schottenheimer announced last Thursday that the Cowboys will be moving Marist Liufau to outside linebacker, citing his arm length and ability to disrupt the ball as reasons for the change. Liufau told DallasCowboys.com’s Nicole Hutchison that he felt “great and so excited” about the change and vowed he is “going to give it all I got.”

One of the early goals for new DC Christian Parker is finding the Cowboys’ defensive play style, which he believes is necessary to put together before getting into the scheme.

Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay discussed his approach to building Dallas’ roster with the players that DC Christian Parker is looking for: The best players they can find, not necessarily those that are scheme specific, saying “If you can build a team with the best football players that have the traits that fit any system, you have a chance to continue to have success.”

3 winners, 2 losers from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine – Shane Taylor, Inside The Star​

The Cowboys have a wide range of options at linebacker, from combine standout Sonny Styles, to Jacob Rodriguez, or free agent Nakobe Dean.

Winners

So one guy that helped his case that is projected to go in the 2nd or 3rd round, was Jacob Rodriguez, a standout linebacker from Texas Tech and winner of the 2025 Bronko Nagurski, Butkus, and Lombardi award.

Now the Cowboys do not have a day two pick, so that is an issue, but if they end up trading George Pickens or doing something else they could get their hands on one.

Rodriguez ran a 4.57-second 40, with a 38.5-inch vertical. During his on-field work, everything he did was smooth at 6-foot-1, 231 pounds.

Another guy that turned heads was Sonny Styles clearly, which is the guy that I wish would fall to Dallas, but it won’t happen.

Despite carrying the most weight by any LB at the combine, he tied for the fastest marks in the group with a 99th% 4.46s 40 and 1.56s 10-yard split.

He also had a 43.5” vertical that was 3.5 inches higher than the rest of the LBs. Man, I would do anything for the Cowboys to get their hands on him somehow in April.

5 combine winners who should be of interest to the Cowboys – Brian Martin, Inside The Star​

Two defensive backs to keep an eye on for the Cowboys and Christian Parker to target, who both performed well at the combine.

S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

No formal visit with the Cowboys

Thieneman’s impressive performance at the combine has boosted his stock from a potential fringe first-rounder to probably a first-round lock. He was a standout in every drill he participated in and may have solidified himself as the second-ranked safety in this year’s draft class behind Caleb Downs. His versatility to play in the box or deep, as well as in the nickel could be exactly what Christian Parker is looking for to play that Cooper DeJean role. Don’t be surprised if he becomes a favorite for them at 20 or if they trade down a few spots.

CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

Formal with the Cowboys

With several of the top CBs choosing not to participate at the combine, Johnson took advantage of the opportunity and boosted his draft stock as a result. He was expected to be an early second-round pick prior to his outstanding performance of the combine, but now could be viewed as a fringe first-round draft pick. As a formal visitor, we already know the Cowboys are showing some interest in him despite coming from a smaller collegiate program. That in itself could mean the interest is real, possibly making him a late first-round option.

Cowboys could benefit from combine’s biggest disappointments dropping – Reid Hanson, The Cowboys Wire​

Some top-end talent may have tested out of the Cowboys reach in the first round, but others could be a steal on defense with the 12th or 20th overall picks.

While elite testing for someone like Styles works against the Cowboys’ best interest because his RAS pushes him too far up the board, players like Bain and Howell now stand a realistic chance of falling to the Cowboys’ pick locations of 12 and 20 respectively.

Short arms aren’t ideal on defensive end prospects.

Arms are generally an important measurement for pass-rushers because they represent one of the main lines of defense against toolsy offensive tackles. Pass protectors who win the reach battle can lock on and neutralize would-be pass rushers with relative ease. Short arms on a pass rusher invites this disadvantage.

At the same time Bain and Howell each represent two of the best pass-rushing talents in the class. Given their extremely poor arm measurements it’s likely they were losers of the arm length battles throughout their college careers, yet they still found a way to succeed. It’s a true battle of film vs projection with these two prospects.

The poor measurements will very likely knock Bain and Howell down some teams’ draft boards this spring. Even though both rushers’ film showed arm length has not been an issue, measurements like this are about projection to the next level.

Will McClay recently explained, “traits can get you in trouble” when discussing athletic testing, yet he himself is known to set preferred thresholds at various positions. It’s difficult to tell where he stands on this specific issue. In data collected between 2011 and 2023, the shortest armed pass rusher the Cowboys have drafted checked in at 32.1 inches. Short isn’t a gamble Dallas usually makes, yet, pass rushers of this quality rarely fall into their laps.

Jerry Jones on Brandon Aubrey: Cowboys have ‘good offer on the table’ for star kicker – Kevin Patra, NFL.com​

Having a contract situation play out this publicly for a kicker is so Cowboys.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last week that the club has a standing offer to the restricted free agent.

“I think he’s outstanding,” Jones said, via the team’s official website. “Love his story, love the fact that the story is with the Cowboys. We feel good that what we are talking about is an appreciation of what he can do for us. That’s a way of, not trying to negotiate with anything I might say here, but we’ve got a good offer on the table for him.”

Aubrey famously played soccer, not football, in college and went on to play briefly in the United Soccer League before being released in 2018. In 2022, Aubrey joined the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL. From then on, his trajectory skyrocketed. He joined the Cowboys in 2023 and has since been one of the most accurate kickers in the league, with a booming leg that makes 60-plus yarders look routine.

The unconventional journey to the NFL leaves Aubrey financially disadvantaged. In three years, he’s made less than $3 million total ($2.695 million, per Over The Cap).

The kicker won’t hit the open market unfettered either. As a restricted free agent, the Cowboys can place a tender on the kicker to ensure they get something in return if Aubrey were to sign with another team. A second-round tender would pay the kicker $5.8 million. The Cowboys would receive a second-round pick

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ates-donovan-ezeiruaku-injury-draft-prospects

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

How an incentive-laced deal could make Nakobe Dean the right linebacker target for the Cowboys

After years of being famously frugal in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys have hinted that they are ready to open the checkbook to repair a defense that struggled significantly last season. Owner Jerry Jones has been vocal about this change in direction, recently stating that he would venture to bet that they spend more money in free agency this offseason than they have done in the past, even if it means borrowing more of tomorrow’s salary cap resources.

One name that has surfaced as a primary target for the Cowboys is Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean. Despite dealing with some injury setbacks, Dean has put up some impressive per-snap production numbers over the last two seasons. In 2024, he recorded a career-high 128 tackles along with three sacks and a game-clinching interception. He followed that up last season with four sacks and two forced fumbles spread across 10 games, proving that his disruptive ways weren’t a fluke.

Dean brings a specific set of strengths that would immediately upgrade the Cowboys’ linebacker room. He is very instinctive and can diagnose plays quickly, often meeting ball carriers at the line of scrimmage before they can find a clear running lane. His efficiency as a blitzer is particularly noteworthy, as he frequently uses his low center of gravity to slip past larger offensive linemen, firing into the backfield like a missile. Beyond his physical play, his leadership and communication skills are highly valued, as he was the green dot signal caller for the Eagles in 2024, even with All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun right beside him.

Bringing Dean to the Cowboys feels like an obvious move because of how well he already fits with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The changes coming on defense require inside linebackers to be highly versatile and capable of playing in space. In this system, linebackers must possess the range to cover sideline to sideline while also having the strength to take on interior blockers. Dean’s experience in the Eagles’ aggressive front makes him a natural schematic fit for what Parker wants to build in Dallas.

New defensive systems can be difficult, and bringing in one of your former players is a good way to fast-track the learning process. The Cowboys have done this before with other new defensive coordinators, first by signing Keanu Neal for Dan Quinn and then Eric Kendricks for Mike Zimmer. Dean following Parker just feels like a no-brainer.

The Eagles have Baun and last year’s first-round pick in Jahaad Campbell, so retaining Dean doesn’t seem very likely, meaning he’ll be hitting the free agent market soon. And even though he’s flashed some great performances recently, his price shouldn’t be all that high, and that is directly related to his extensive injury history.

Over the last three seasons, he has dealt with a foot injury, a torn patellar tendon, and a recurring hamstring issue. This creates a risky situation for the Cowboys, as they are already managing the health of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who has missed significant time over the last two years with multiple knee ligament tears. Relying on two talented but injury-prone linebackers to anchor the middle of the defense can be risky, and it could leave the team extremely thin at the position down the stretch of the season.

Despite the health risks, Dean represents the exact type of high upside playmaker the Cowboys need to revitalize their defense. His ability to lead a huddle and disrupt both the run and pass games would fill a massive void in the current roster. As the team looks to move away from its historically passive approach to the open market, Dean stands out as a player who can provide immediate dividends if he stays on the field.

The Cowboys are notorious for constructing creative, incentive-based deals that could mitigate some of the financial risk should injuries resurface, while also landing them a quality player if they don’t. It could set the stage for a reunion between former Eagles who can help get the get their linebacker group back on track.

Whether it's rushing the passer or defending the run, Nakobe Dean has been one of the most efficient per-snap linebackers over the last two seasons. Health is his only kryptonite. pic.twitter.com/HRLixQOy38

— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) February 28, 2026

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...deal-nakobe-dean-linebacker-target-free-agent