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Major Takeaways: New Cowboys coaches offer impressive insights, philosophies for '25

The Dallas Cowboys are entering a new era for the franchise, which began when they hired Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach earlier this offseason. The change at the top has also meant turning over almost their entire coaching staff as the club prepares to move forward.

Early assessments of the compiled staff have earned rave reviews, and that was before the coaches had a chance to speak publicly about their new roles and intentions. In their first media session, the staff painted a bright picture on what to expect from their respective units. Talk is cheap and the coaches will need their philosophies on the field to match their words, but it was a strong initial outing for the new staff in Dallas.

Many hoped Schottenheimer would be able to build a strong staff, a group that would change some of the culture with the Cowboys, which appears to be the case. It was a great start for the new hires, and something to be positive about as the offseason begins.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-coaches-media-session-takeaways/
 
11 is the Mic! Cowboys rage-baiters intensify focus on Parsons' podcast

Micah Parsons is under fire… again.

Media, fans, and NFL legends are up in arms over his podcast… again.

And Parsons clapped back… again.

At this point, it’s practically an offseason tradition. The recent comments by Lawrence Taylor and DeMarcus Ware are just parts of a tired refrain.

But this time, Parsons’ response had a slightly different tone. He took to X (formerly Twitter) with a pointed question:

“Lol I wonder do people hate my podcast because it’s actually good or do people hate it because it’s bad?? Because hella people in the NBA and NFL have podcasts and no one has a problem.”

Lol i wonder do people hate my podcast because it’s actually good or do people hate it because it’s bad?? Because hella people in the nba and NFL have podcast and no one has a problem
👀
👀
👀


— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) February 20, 2025
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Here’s the likely answer: Most critics don’t care whether Parsons’ podcast is good or bad. They know talking about it stirs the pot, and this time of year, in the NFL’s dead zone—where real stakes are nonexistent—Cowboys discourse is easy engagement farming.

Cowboys rage-baiting is tried and true. It’s low effort, high reward. When Dak Prescott was the favorite target, all it took was a conveniently low QB ranking to flood the mentions. But with Prescott out for most of the season due to injury, that easy engagement has to come from somewhere. Parsons’ podcast is polarizing, and unlike other Cowboys stars, he actually responds—making him an easy mark.

But here’s what people aren’t acknowledging: Parsons is a high achiever Cowboys fans should be proud of—maybe even an overachiever.

Despite the narrative that he’s “distracted” and needs to “focus on football,” Parsons is stacking up a career most players would kill for.

  • 2× First-Team All-Pro
  • 4× Pro Bowler
  • 52.5 sacks in 63 games
  • Top 5 in sacks among NFL linebackers in 2024—despite missing games

And he’s still regarded as being on pace to become a future Hall of Famer and the most dominant defensive weapon the Cowboys have deployed.

As for the so-called “distraction,” Parsons isn’t just hosting a podcast. He’s the President of B/R Gridiron, the first active athlete to hold such a position at a sports media company. He’s not just talking into a mic—he’s shaping content strategy, expanding Bleacher Report’s reach, and launching new shows.

Instead of questioning whether this is taking away from his game, maybe folks should be asking: How is he doing all of this at such a high level?

Two careers. Elite in both. Most people don’t see this level of success in a lifetime.

When Parsons accepted his new title with Bleacher Report last May, Warner Bros. Discovery and Bleacher Report held an event to welcome him to their offices. He shared this message with his new co-workers:

“I have a no-excuse rule. You’re either a go-getter, or you’re not. If you’re just doing enough, you’ll never be great.”

Criticism is easy. Learning from greatness? That takes effort.

Instead of nitpicking, maybe it’s time to take notes.

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/21/cowboys-micah-parsons-podcast-discussion/
 
Pick of the Litter: Cowboys options to draft RB could lead to Day 2 selection

One conversation the Dallas Cowboys are probably having this offseason is when to draft a running back. Whether free agent Rico Dowdle is retained or not, the Cowboys are in the market for a starting-quality ball carrier. Luckily for them, the 2025 NFL draft just happens to feature one of the most gifted classes in years.

Headlined by Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, the 2025 draft class is strong from top to bottom. The top four prospects look like stars in the making and game breakers capable of leading a ground game on Day 1.

Kaleb Johnson (Iowa), Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) and TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State) figure to be the next three off the board after Jeanty. In what order and how long after Jeanty is the real question.

Kyle Crabbs, a long-time draft analyst and current scout for 33rd Team, recently ran his official mock draft. In it he shows how big of a chasm there is between Jeanty and the others and who the Cowboys could be looking at when they go on the clock in the second round at Pick 44.

In this scenario Jeanty drops off the board at No. 6 when the Las Vegas Raiders select him with their first pick. It just so happens the next RB to get selected isn’t until the Broncos pick Johnson at 52. Hampton proceeds to get picked by the Chargers at 54 and finally Henderson gets picked at 62. It sets the stage for the Cowboys to be in a very advantageous position in the second round because they could have their pick of that elite second tier.

Obviously in Crabbs’ mock draft Dallas did not pick a RB, choosing instead to pounce on the value that Derrick Harmon, a defensive tackle from Oregon, offered on Day 2. It would be hard to argue with that logic since Harmon plays a position of need and comes with a tantalizing pass-rushing skill set too good to pass up at Pick 44. It also speaks to the depth of the draft and how many good starting quality RBs will be available late on Day 2 and into Day 3.

But for those who are gauging value and trying to prepare for various draft day scenarios this is an enlightening exercise to go through. If the Cowboys fall in love with one or two of the remaining RBs in that second tier, they may get their shot at him at Pick 44.

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Major Takeaways: New Cowboys coaches offer impressive insights, philosophies for '25​


ESPN advises Cowboys make $94.5 million move, give defender early extension​


Zack Martin's retirement after stellar 11-year career cements Cowboys' Ineptitude Era​



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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/21/mock-draft-cowboys-pick-rb-round-2-nfl-draft/
 
Former Saints 1st-round pick, $54 million-DT late addition to potential Cowboys free agency target list

Two things are not in alignment. When the Dallas Cowboys hired Matt Eberflus to be their new defensive coordinator, the impetus of having a strong, deep rotation at defensive tackle became paramount. Eberflus doesn’t like to blitz a ton, so having tackles who can penetrate and disrupt, as well as be strong against the run became a top priority for a team that hasn’t really focused on those needs in recent years.

Unfortunately, not only have the Cowboys DTs underwhelmed, they also don’t have many in the stable as their in-house free agent list is littered with folks who play that position. Of the five DTs who made the 2024 opening roster, only Mazi Smith is currently on the team’s payroll, and the 2023 first-round pick has disappointed in his two seasons. Dallas is going to need to find help from the outside.


A new name has been added to the list of potential free-agent targets for Dallas, as Cincinnati has released 30-year old DT Sheldon Rankins. Rankins, a former first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints, spent just one season in the Queen City, playing just seven games thanks to injury and illness.

Rankins has spent about half of his career as a starter, with a lull from 2019 through 2021 where he was a backup for the Saints and NY Jets. He returned to a starting role for New York in 2022, Houston in 2023 and started all seven contests he appeared in for the Bengals in 2024.

Over the course of his nine-year career, Rankins has made over $54 million in the league. Releasing Rankins saves the Bengals his $9.6 million salary and leaves $2 million of dead money on their 2025 cap.

Rankins averages 4.5 sacks a season and has 30.5 over the course of his career. His Pro Football Focus grades have fluctuated, but in his last full season posted a career-best 74.7 pass-rush grade in 2023 with the Houston Texans.

If he’s willing to come down in price, Rankins might make a good fit as a rotational DT in Dallas.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/22/cowboys-free-agency-sheldon-rankins-saints-bengals/
 
2026 Comp Picks: 5 Cowboys free agents who should impact formula

The Dallas Cowboys are rarely active in free agency. Whether it’s re-signing their own or shopping the market for others, the Cowboys typically take a frugal approach to the NFL’s most expensive time of the season.

It’s become commonplace over the years for Dallas to lose more free agents than they sign during the early portions of free agency. Such an approach has caused the Cowboys to miss out on clear and obvious pathways to improvement. It’s also given the franchise low-cost roster building assets useful for a team handcuffed by their budget.

By losing more quality free agents than they’ve gained, the Cowboys are allowed to take advantage of special safety net designed to compensate the NFL’s biggest free agent losers. Compensatory draft picks are extra picks sandwiched into the later rounds of the annual draft which are created to be part consolation prize and part insurance policy.

With compensatory picks, teams who are unable to afford to keep their own players or sign quality outside players, still have a way to build a roster by way of the NFL’s most affordable method – the NFL draft. Each year the league distributes 32 compensatory picks, landing anywhere from Round 3 to Round 7. Their exact placement is based on a formula that looks at salaries, playing time, and postseason awards. The better the player, typically the higher the compensatory pick, as long as they aren’t cancelled out by an incoming signing that equals their value.

Over the years the Cowboys have been masters at maximizing their compensatory picks. They have altered their free agent strategy with compensatory picks in mind in an effort to maximize their returns in the draft. The NFL has capped total compensation at four picks and the Cowboys look intent on getting that max every year possible. It doesn’t mean they can’t sign any quality free agents it just means they need to take a four player net loss during the pre-draft free agent period of the offseason.

In 2025 the Cowboys have a six pack of players who should offer compensatory returns if allowed to leave. Again, the most Dallas could receive in a single year is four compensatory picks.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-potential-compensatory-free-agents-2025/
 
NFL Player Engagement offers offseason training in a variety of careers

Since its implementation in the 1990s, the NFL’s Player Engagement (NFLPE) program has continued to evolve and expand the number of ways it prepares players for on-field success, off-field success, and life and careers after they hang up their cleats.

Their most recent rollout, the 2025 Offseason Programs, provide current and former NFL players with experiences that introduce them to careers in coaching, media, business, gaming, and more.

The programs kicked off this weekend in Indianapolis with the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy, which runs through Feb. 24. Participants are learning strategies to excel as intercollegiate coaches. From there, the NFL’s development tour will continue across the country through July.

Each event will give participants direct access to industry leaders, practical training, and networking opportunities. Whether it’s learning the art of storytelling in Hollywood, gaining financial literacy in New York, or training for a career in sports broadcasting, these workshops are designed to ensure that players’ success extends beyond the field.

A Diverse Playbook for Career Growth​


One of the standout opportunities is the Broadcasting & Media Workshop (April 8-10) in Los Angeles. With many players transitioning into media careers, this program provides essential training in on-air presentation, production, and storytelling. Participants will work with top media professionals to sharpen their skills and gain a competitive edge in the industry.

For those interested in other forms of media, the NFL x Hidden Empire x Skydance Career Tour (March 4-6) will allow players to step into the world of film production, creating and acting in short films alongside industry professionals. Meanwhile, the NFL x EA Sports Career Tour (March 11-12) offers a deep dive into the gaming industry, a field where many athletes have found second careers.

For players looking to strengthen their financial future, the NFL Bizweek Workshop (March 26-28) will focus on personal finance and post-football career development. Similarly, the NFL partnered with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy for the NFL x LVMH Career Tour (March 31-April 1) which will give participants an inside look at luxury brand management and marketing.

The league’s commitment to impact is also evident in the Social Justice Town Hall (April 22) at the NFL Draft in Green Bay, where players and thought leaders will collaborate on ways to enact change in their communities. Virtual webinars in May will further support players in philanthropy, venture capital, and technology.

Finally, the Personal Branding & Social Media Workshop (July 12-13) in Inglewood will round out the offseason initiatives, equipping players with tools to build their brands and maximize their online presence.

The NFL is strengthening its commitment to preparing players for opportunities beyond the game. Whether they are planning their next move, expanding their skill sets, or positioning themselves for life after football, these programs prove that the league is investing in its athletes’ futures, not just their time on the field. For players looking to expand their careers, the offseason is now an opportunity—not just a break.

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/20...s-offseason-training-in-a-variety-of-careers/
 
Cowboys' Schottenheimer stands alone at 2025 scouting combine in more ways than one

With the onset of the NFL scouting combine, the unofficial start of the league year has descended upon the people. Front offices and player agents will accidentally bump into each other during the weeklong event in Indianapolis and do their best not to discuss the myriad of free agents who may be looking for new teams.

Of course, all of this will be done under the veil of conversations about players who are currently under contract, but those in the know, know. Free agency has now started and all of those deals which are announced as soon as the starting gun on the new league year fires are forged during the scouting combine.

Read: 2025 NFL Scouting Combine dates, times, location, how to watch

One thing that is above the board is the chance for front office executives and coaches to speak to the media, with all 32 teams getting a podium for a media scrum. This will be the first time new Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is going to be inundated with national reporters, after moving up from offensive coordinator to replace Mike McCarthy.

Schottenheimer will meet with the media on Thursday, 2/27 at 3:30 pm; the only team representive scheduled for that day as all other teams will go on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Unlike other teams, though, the Cowboys front office will not have a coordinated appearance for a media scrum. Dallas is one of just three organizations without a GM date/time of availability.

Rest assured, though, fans will hear from owner/GM Jerry Jones. Most years, Jones holds court for the media aboard his mammoth traveling circus of a bus that wheels into Indy every year.

Expect the same in 2025.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/23/cowboys-schottenheimer-jones-scouting-combine-schedule/
 
Cowboys Headlines: Bell eyes big return, Parsons contract talks yet to start, trading for Cheetah?

Speculation season is in full swing. The lull between the Super Bowl and the scouting combine is always rife with what-ifs, mock drafts, and hypothetical trade proposals, and there are a few of all of them in this collection of news items from around Cowboys Nation. We’ll tell you why trading away the defense’s top talent may be just crazy enough to be a real possibility, we’ll reveal which superstar playmaker one Cowboys legend thinks Dallas should go after, and we’ll identify a suddenly-available veteran free agent who could help in an area of big-time need. We’ll also look at draft targets to consider at running back and defensive tackle, and we’ll go through some potential options for filling Zack Martin’s massive shoes at right guard (including the one move no one is talking about).

Micah Parsons is no stranger to speculation, this offseason more than ever. We’ve got the latest on why his highly-anticipated contract talks haven’t even started yet, and we’ll get into why everyone loves to pile on Parsons over his controversial side hustle doing podcasts. All that, plus a look at the most athletic college prospects in this year’s class, and we recap the most encouraging tidbits to come out of the first media appearances for the new Cowboys coaches. But we’ll start with a rising defensive star who was dealt a tough break in 2024… and why he thinks it’s just setting him up for success.

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-headlines-markquese-bell-micah-parsons-tyreek-hill/
 
Is trading CeeDee Lamb financially possible for Cowboys? Recent WR swap history

Let’s get this out of the way early. No, the Cowboys aren’t looking to and aren’t going to trade CeeDee Lamb. This is an exercise looking at the wide receiver market in a Marvel “What If?”-style look at the football multiverse.

If the Cowboys were looking to trade Lamb, what kind of haul could they get for him? Lamb has been tremendous since joining the Cowboys five years ago. He’s made four straight Pro Bowls and three-straight All-Pro teams, two of them First-Team. In 2023 when he had a franchise QB all season, he led the NFL in receptions with 135, and was finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting.

Suffice to say, the wide receiver market would be popping if Lamb were in it. Which again, he isn’t and won’t be.

But what kind of compensation could Lamb bring?

Looking at recent wide receiver trades, there’s a good sense as to the value that is placed on true No. 1 wideouts.

Recent WR Value in Trades​


The first trade to look at already involves the Cowboys, who acquired Amari Cooper from the Raiders in a straight swap for Dallas’ 2019 first-round pick. As this was an in-season trade, there was no confirmed pick, but it ended up being the No. 19 overall selection.

Cooper had a strong start to his career, but his numbers do not compare to Lamb’s production.

During that offseason, the New York Giants traded star WR Odell Beckham to the Cleveland Browns. There were three starters thrown in as well, but the total compensation (No. 17 + No. 95) basically worked out to the No. 13 pick in the draft based on trade value chart points.

Beckham, based on playing just 16 games over the prior two seasons, was no longer considered at the level Lamb currently exists.

The following year saw the infamous Vikings-Bills trade that sent Stefon Diggs to New York State and saw Minnesota land Justin Jefferson. The actual trade was for four picks, which equated to be around the No. 19 pick in total value.

At the time of the trade, Diggs had never made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team. Another exchange for a player slightly under Lamb’s level.

2022 saw a ton of WR movement.

Tyreek Hill was sent from Kansas City to Miami for picks No. 29, 50 and 121, along with fourth and sixth rounders in the next year’s haul. All together, the compensation was worth around No. 12 in the first round.

Hill is a great comparison to Lamb, as he was six-for-six in Pro Bowl appearances and three-time First-Team All-Pro. He’s the ceiling.

Davante Adams was traded that year as well, for the No. 22 and No. 53 picks, which equate to the the value of No. 13 overall.

Adams was substantially older than Lamb, but had made five straight Pro Bowls and was named to two consecutive All-Pro First-Teams.

The third trade that year was the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring AJ Brown from Tennessee for the No. 18 and No. 101 picks. That equals around the No 16 pick.

At the time of the trade, Brown’s career high in catches was 70 and yards in a season was just 1,075.

WR Salary Impact on Trades​


Adams and Hill were rewarded with top-of-the-market extensions when they landed with their new teams, as did Brown. Diggs had to wait two seasons for a new deal once in Buffalo. Beckham was just one year into his deal when he was traded, so he played that out with Cleveland.

The Cowboys had 2.5 years of control over Cooper before he was able to land a new contract.

Lamb’s contract is currently top of the market and only one year in, so his scenario would likely mirror Beckham’s where he’d play it out in his fictional new city.

Without having to pay the signing bonus, his acquiring team would sort of be be getting a discount, along with the fact that 2025 is the last of Lamb’s guaranteed money. His contract wouldn’t negatively impact any trade value.

Lamb’s Trade Value​


All of the trades above landed the trading team pick values between the No. 12 and No. 19 selections. The two closest comps as far as league accomplishments, Adams and Hill, both landed at the top of that scale.

If the Cowboys were interested in trading CeeDee Lamb, they’d likely be able to land compensation in the range of the No. 12 overall pick; which just so happens to be where Dallas is picking this year.

Impact of trading Lamb on Cowboys cap​


Surprisingly, the Cowboys could theoretically absorb trading Lamb away and coming out in a better cap scenario.

Lamb’s deal included base salary guarantees for 2024 and 2025, but as a trade his 2025 salary wouldn’t leave any dead money as the acquiring team would pay his base salary plus game-day bonuses (total $27.85 million).

Lamb’s original signing bonus was $38 million, of which $7.6 million was on last year’s cap and another $7.6 million already accounted for in this year’s cap.

That means that the remaining $22.8 million would accelerate onto this year’s cap, which is less than his base salary. Dallas would be without the weapon, but there would be cap savings in addition to the trade compensation.

Altogether though, if the Cowboys traded him this offseason, Dallas would have paid $40 million to Lamb for his 2024 season, which clearly is not ideal.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/23/cowboys-ceedee-lamb-trade-value-contract-implications/
 
5 picks that make sense for Cowboys on Day 3 of the 2025 draft

The Dallas Cowboys are among the few teams regularly selecting starting-level players on Day 3 of the draft. Jake Ferguson, Donovan Wilson, Jalen Brooks, and Chauncey Golston are examples of players who played many snaps last season for Dallas. They also drafted Dak Prescott and DaRon Bland, two All-Pro players, on the draft’s final day.

But over the last two years the Cowboys haven’t added the depth they typically do. Eric Scott, Jr. and Viliami Fehoko were drafted in 2023 and are already off the team. The 2024 Day 3 selections hardly played despite the team being ravaged by injuries.

The draft can be strange. Medical issues, flawed interviews, or an off-the-field issue can drop prospects, while a good combine can raise guys thought to be later-round picks. It makes Day 3 hard to judge this early in the process, but here are options who could be available for Dallas, a team that needs another draft like in 2022 when they landed Ferguson, Bland, and Damone Clark.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-day-3-draft-targets/
 
5-Round Mock Draft: Cowboys grab next Lynch, next Deebo back-to-back

What do the Cowboys need this offseason? That’s the core of the journey right now, as free agency comes close to fruition. The Cowboys have the ability to create loads of cap room in a couple strokes of a pen, but the real question is whether they even want to spend in free agency. It’s been a while since they invested heavily in the market and the internal promotion of Brian Schottenheimer doesn’t scream all-in.

Too soon? Well, the reality is Dallas is likely going to need to hit home runs in the draft in order to make a real impact on their roster, and that was the attempt here in this five-round mock draft run on Pro Football Focus.

Dallas needs help in a ton of places, but getting help on offense to compliment the expensive parts they have at quarterback in Dak Prescott and receiver in CeeDee Lamb makes the most sense. The Cowboys already have the world’s best edge player and two All-Pro cornerbacks. They’ll need to grab help at defensive tackle, a barren position, but should do so in free agency instead of waiting on draft picks to develop.

The immediate help comes in the form of skill players.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-mock-draft-jeanty-savion-williams-wilum-tuten/
 
Cowboys prioritize this free agent negotiation ahead of Micah Parsons extension

The Dallas Cowboys have plenty of things they’ll need to take care of this offseason. It’s a dizzying number of decisions that began with their coaching search and will end with their signing of a slew of undrafted free agents followin three days of drafting. In between those two events sits free agency, of which the Cowboys have not been willing participants recently.

This offseason, though, Dallas has no choice. They simply have too many important pieces who are free agents. On Sunday, Stephen Jones shared with The Dallas Morning News that Odighizuwa is up first when it comes to offseason negotiation priorities for the club.

Whereas last offseason focused on whether or not key members of the club would see extensions, as Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb approached the final year of their deals, this year is about guys who can sign anywhere.

Except for one big name. Micah Parsons finds himself in the same boat Prescott and Lamb did, staring at the final year of his current deal. The record-breaking edge rusher will play under the fifth-year option if no extension can be reached. But with that in their back pocket, the Cowboys are choosing to priortize someone they don’t have the luxury of waiting with.

DT Osa Odighizuwa is going to be well sought after if he hits the open market when the legal tampering period starts on March 10. Although he doesn’t have sacks in abundance, he creates QB pressures like few others from the defensive interior, and appears ready to blossom to greater heights.

The Cowboys have begun negotiations with free agent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.

Talks of an extension for Micah Parsons will follow…

… “We have had negotiations with Osa,‘’ Jones said. “I just think Osa is a really good football player.

“He’s an important piece.‘’
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Both players are a part of the team’s mammoth 2021 draft haul, with Parsons’ first-round status giving the club the option year as leverage. He’s currently on the books for $24 million in base salary. Odighizuwa is expected to approach that number in average annual salary and as the scouting combine kicks off this week, his agent is surely going to receive the flowers from other interested teams.

Parsons is expected to command between $35 million and $40 million in his new deal, becoming the highest-paid non-QB in the league. Prescott enters this offseason with the biggest average salary in NFL history, clocking in at $60 million per season. Lamb is the second-highest paid WR of all time, at $34 million a season.

The NFL announced earlier in the offseason the new cap number would be around $279.5 million in 2025.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/24/cowboys-odighiwua-parsons-negotiations-2025/
 
Replacing Agent OO97: Cowboys could ink these two DTs for the price of one free agent

Let’s say the Cowboys turn up their nose at the idea of signing Osa Odighizuwa to a massive contract extension many predict he’ll command. Let’s say they take that money saved on Odighizuwa and spread it across two outside free agent defensive tackles instead.

Yes, that’s a laughable proposition for Dallas Cowboys fans familiar with the front office’s spending habits, but it’s an idea worth exploring regardless. While the Cowboys front office prefers to spend on their own veterans rather than use money on outside free agents, for the purpose of this exercise we’ll pretend they have open hearts and open minds to all possibilities. Since the DT position is currently a blackhole of ineptitude in Dallas, spreading the wealth might be worth it to them. It’s in the name of “more bang for the buck.”

Predicted by Pro Football Focus to garner a four-year, $85 million contract, Odighizuwa is expected to command $21,250,000 per season on his next deal. It’s a jaw dropping figure, to be sure, and one many have called outrageous given Odighizuwa’s modest output as a pro. To critics the idea of spreading that wealth elsewhere makes more sense, even if it’s farfetched, so for them we explore the alternative.

Using PFF’s same salary prediction model we can see who the Cowboys can sign for roughly the same dollar figure than Odighizuwa. Levi Onwuzurike, 26, was Detroit’s breakout 3-tech in 2024. The former second round pick posted a 12.5 percent pass-rush win rate last season and could effectively pick up where Odighizuwa left off. He’s predicted to command a manageable two-year, $16,500,000 contract on his next deal, so he’ll be half the cost of Dallas’ departing free agent. The only downside is Onwuzurike has a history of back injuries and has missed 25 games since joining the NFL four years ago.

At 1-tech DT the Cowboys could then sign standout B.J. Hill from Cincinnati (something they should do anyway). Hill is expected to command a two-year, $20,500,000 contract in free agency. The combination of Hill and Onwuzurike is less annually than Odighizuwa by himself, and theoretically feasible to a franchise like Dallas who penny pinches.

At 6-foot-3, 311-pounds, Hill isn’t the biggest DT in the land, but he is effective. Pairing the two DTs in the defensive interior would elevate the Cowboys defensive line considerably. Assuming both could stay healthy, they could more than make up for the reliable Odighizuwa who would leave in this scenario. The Cowboys would also add a rookie or two in this DT-rich draft class, effectively revamping the Cowboys’ biggest weakness in just a single offseason.

The idea of the Cowboys spending big money on outside free agents may seem farfetched but that doesn’t mean it’s an unreasonable solution. It’s just another interesting scenario to weigh this free agency period as the Cowboys look to become playoff contenders again.

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Cowboys prioritize this free agent negotiation ahead of Micah Parsons extension​


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Cowboys' Schottenheimer stands alone at 2025 scouting combine in more ways than one​
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/24/b-j-hill-levi-onwuzurike-free-agent-cowboys-targets/
 
Report: Top draft prospect linked to Cowboys will not do on-field drills at combine

If the Cowboys- or any other team, for that matter- want to see the top running back in this year’s rookie class work in real time ahead of the 2025 NFL draft, they’ll have to travel to southwestern Idaho to do it.

Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty will reportedly not participate in on-field drills at this year’s scouting combine, which kicked off Monday. The 21-year-old will instead only do medical evaluations and team interviews while in Indianapolis, and save his workouts for Boise State’s pro day.

That news comes from a report by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who cited Jeanty’s agent as the source.

Running backs are set to arrive in Indianapolis on Tuesday, with their on-field workouts not slated to begin until Saturday.

Jeanty finished the Broncos’ 12-2 season with 2,601 rushing yards, the second-highest single-season total in college football history. He was a unanimous All-American, won both the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award, and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

The former Frisco, Tex. high school star is widely expected to be a first-round draft pick and has been linked to the Cowboys in numerous mock drafts.

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Running back Rico Dowdle led the Cowboys last year with 1,079 yards on the ground, over 63% of the team’s total rushing yards for the season. But he’s set to hit free agency, with no guarantee he’ll be brought back. The club’s second-leading rusher, Ezekiel Elliott, finished with just 226 and was released prior to the season finale. No other Cowboys player had more than 95 rushing yards for the entire season.

Jeanty will be the latest in a growing number of college prospects in recent years who are electing not to perform for teams at the combine’s neutral site, opting instead to wait until those same NFL coaches and scouts invariably come to the more controlled environment at their own school, where they can run on turf they’re used to and in a setting more like the one they’ve been practicing in.

The date for Boise State’s pro day has yet to be announced, but it is expected that most- if not all- NFL teams will send a representative to watch the electrifying Jeanty work.

The Cowboys currently have the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft.

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/24/cowboys-ashton-jeanty-combine-workouts/
 
8x Super Bowl winner thought just one Cowboys player ranked best among peers

2024 was a down year for the Dallas Cowboys, and with the 2025 league year just weeks away, most fans want to move past the calamity and hope for better days. Those good days will only go as far as the offense can take them, and to do so, there needs to be a bonafide weapon at the disposal of the passing game.

Fortunately, the Cowboys have locked down wideout CeeDee Lamb for the foreseeable future. Lamb proved to be the only bright spot in the passing game in 2024, proving quarterback proof. For any concerns about Lamb’s leadership and effort, what he did after losing Dak Prescott and suffering a shoulder injury that impacted him in multiple games down the stretch proved his toughness and value.

That’s why it’s no surprise Lamb landed on the 2024 All-Belichick team, released earlier in the month.

Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots and owner of two fists full of Super Bowl rings, is headed to the college game as the new head coach of UNC. However he works as an analyst of the NFL all season and as such, offered better insight into the game than most could ever dream of.

Belichick included Lamb as one of nine receivers, as the only Cowboys representative.

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/24/cowboys-ceedee-lamb-bill-belichick/
 
Stephen Jones: Cowboys look to draft QB, ready to let Trey Lance walk

The Trey Lance Experiment in Dallas appears to be over.

After giving San Francisco a fourth-round draft pick in 2023 to acquire the young quarterback, the Cowboys appear to be ready to move on from 2021’s third overall selection.

Lance was a largely unproven commodity when the Cowboys made the move. In many ways, he still is, having seen only limited time on the field during his 18 months in Dallas, even after 2024’s season-ending injury to starter Dak Prescott.

Lance made four game appearances and started just once, in the regular-season finale versus Washington in January. As a Cowboy, he went 25-of-41 passing for 266 yards and an interception. He added another 41 rushing yards on 11 carries.

But after a grand total of 98 snaps in games that actually counted, the Cowboys have seen enough and will let Lance become a free agent.

Team executive vice president Stephen Jones all but confirmed the change of direction Monday in Indianapolis as the NFL’s annual scouting combine kicked off.

“We took a shot a Trey and wanted to do that,” Jones told The Dallas Morning News. “We think the world of Trey. But us having Dak signed up for the long-term, I think he’s probably going to be looking for something different.”

The Cowboys apparently are, too. Jones went on to say that a new quarterback will be on the team’s shopping list in this year’s draft, with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and QB coach Steve Shimko looking for a new project arm to sit behind Prescott.

“You know, I think one of our goals is to get a young quarterback in the draft,” Jones said. “I don’t know where that’s going to be. That’s why we gave a [fourth-rounder] for Trey. It seems like all the quarterbacks, even guys we have in the fourth round, go in the first. They always go so much higher than what you think.”

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Cooper Rush has served as the primary backup for Prescott for most of his eight years as a pro and gone 9-5 as a fill-in starter, but he’s also set to enter free agency. The club is bracing for the longtime understudy to receive considerable interest on the open market.

“You know how much we think of Cooper,” Jones said. “We just don’t know what he’s going to cost.”

Will Grier had his contract extended in early January and is the only quarterback other than Prescott the Cowboys currently have on the roster.

And Prescott will be coming off that partial avulsion of his hamstring suffered in November. While he has been seen recently without crutches or a brace, the highest-paid player in the NFL said, 12 weeks post-surgery, “I’m really looking to amp it up and gather all my confidence.”

But whether he’ll really be 100% for training camp- or even the regular season- remains to be seen. It’s not unthinkable that the team goes into the 2025 season with Prescott still ramping back up to form, Grier as QB2, and a brand-new rookie as the emergency third-stringer.

It’s a thin plan at the most important position on the field, but it seems the Joneses see no easy way around it, despite hints that the organization would be more aggressive in free agency than in years past.

“When we’re paying Dak what we’re paying him, unfortunately we do have to go cheap there.”

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2025/02/24/cowboys-stephen-jones-trey-lance-quarterback-draft/
 
New Coach, New Life: Cowboys $3 million fifth-round pick could be reinvented, or cut

NFL careers don’t always progress in straight lines. For many prospects making the jump from college to the pros, development can be an up and down affair throughout the first few years. This roller-coaster can obviously be frustrating for the player and team, but it’s also tough on a fanbase eager to find answers. Damone Clark, a fourth-year linebacker out of LSU, is such player for the Dallas Cowboys.

Winning First-Team All-SEC honors, Clark was regarded by many as one of the top college linebackers in the country. Wearing the celebrated No. 18 jersey for the Tigers, Clark was a respected presence on the LSU defense, earning high marks both on and off the field. Clark was expected to come off the board early in the 2022 NFL draft, that is until Cowboys team doctors discovered a herniated disk at the NFL combine.

Clark’s medical condition required spinal fusion surgery just prior to the draft. The procedure put his rookie season and career in doubt, causing him to fall into Day 3 of the draft. Eventually the team that first discovered the spinal injury was the one who drafted him, with Dallas selecting Clark No. 176 overall in 2022.

The long-term prognosis soon began to look good for Clark, and the Cowboys appeared optimistic they’d even be able to get him onto the field at some point in his rookie season. Low and behold, Clark contributed in 10 games that first year, surprisingly starting in five. The future was bright, and it seemed Dallas had another late round steal on their hands heading into 2023.

But Clark struggled in his second season, missing assignments, failing in his run fits and struggling in coverage. He started all 17 games, but he was unreliable and inconsistent on Dan Quinn’s explosive defense.

2024 was supposed to be a bounce-back year for Clark, but again the young ‘backer struggled. Clark participated in 14 games under the Mike Zimmer-led Cowboys, but he only started two of them. Playing primarily special teams, Clark contributed fewer defensive snaps in 2024 than he did as a recovering rookie two years prior. The rollercoaster had taken a downturn and now Clark stands on the brink of not even making the roster in 2025.

The Cowboys could save more than $3 million by cutting this once-promising prospect over the offseason. With a couple notable outside veterans set to hit free agency, it’s possible the Cowboys could decide the safety of signing a declining veteran is more attractive than the unknown someone like Clark provides. The Cowboys LB ranks are thin so the Cowboys can’t afford to take any unnecessary gambles at the position. Banking on Clark is certainly a gamble.

But new defensive Matt Eberflus could change things for Clark in Dallas. Eberflus is a LB guru and while demanding, he’s been known to turn water into wine from time to time. If he can tap into Clark’s potential and develop the aspiring star into the player the Cowboys thought he would be, it could be a win-win for the Cowboys and Clark.

Dallas is understandably bullish on young LBs DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Luifau. But Overshown is recovering from a significant knee injury and Liufau is still learning the ropes. The Cowboys need a couple complementary pieces to fill in the gaps and hold down the fort while those two work things out. At just 24-years-old, Clark still has time to develop. The question is will that be with the Cowboys?

Eberflus’ presence gives Clark, 6-foot-3, 240-pounds, a bit of blank slate to work with. Talented young players with the size and length of Clark don’t come around all the time so if the new DC in Dallas thinks he can make Clark work, his $3,385,639 cap hit in 2025 may be a bargain. What’s clear is that figure is far too much to pay a glorified special teams player so it will be up to the Cowboys to determine whether this rollercoaster ride is on the way up in 2025 or stuck down on the ground.

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More 2025 Season!​

Report: Top draft prospect linked to Cowboys will not do on-field drills at combine​


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Replacing Agent OO97: Cowboys could ink these two DTs for the price of one free agent​
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/20...-life-dallas-cowboys-linebacker-damone-clark/
 
Cowboys Headlines: Stephen Jones on Micah, Lawrence, Odighizuwa, and being 'selectively aggressive'

The first batch of prospects has arrived in Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine, but the real fireworks for Cowboys fans came from Stephen Jones. Reporters peppered the team’s chief operating officer with questions on a variety of topics, and Jones- as usual- gave the kinds of answers that will be picked apart and analyzed for days on end as everyone tries to figure out how the Dallas front office will really approach this critical offseason. We’ve got what the co-owner said regarding Micah Parsons’s contract talks, the possibility of keeping Osa Odighizuwa, the future of DeMarcus Lawrence, a change in the Cowboys QB room, the plan for replacing Zack Martin, and whether or not the team will be active in the trade market this year.

We’ll also touch on one top mock-draft target who won’t be strutting his stuff in Indy, we’ll reveal our 2-for-1 idea for how to salvage the D-line if Odighizuwa walks, we’ll check out which other Cowboys will be the most sought-after free agents, and we’ll look at a five-round mock haul that addresses a whole lot of needs. But we start this news wrap-up with the new two-word phrase that could be the story of the Cowboys’ 2025 offseason… if anyone can figure out what it actually means.

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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/li...wrence-osa-odighizuwa-selectively-aggressive/
 
Complete list of 2025 NFL scouting combine participants to be poked, prodded, picked apart

The NFL scouting combine has finally arrived, with players from all over the country descending on Indianapolis to be poked, prodded and picked apart by representatives of all 32 NFL teams. Each club has sent their contingents to meet with and interview players they’ve identified as potential picks, while watching their on-field drills and waiting for medical evaluations in hopes of constructing air-tight draft boards.

Running through March 3, the league recently finalized its list of participants for 2025. A total of 329 players will attend this year’s event. Here’s the complete list of prospects, organized by position.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-scouting-combine-participant-list-2025-draft-cowboys/
 
One free agent each NFL team should want to sign in 2025, Cowboys target LB

We’re less than a month away from the start of NFL free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 12. But the legal tampering window opens two days before that on March 10 at 12 p.m. ET, where teams will be able to negotiate with free agents before the official start of the new league year.

The 2025 salary cap hasn’t been set yet, but it will land between $277.5 and $281.5 million, according to NFL.com. A number of NFL teams have some work to do over the next month when it comes to building their 2025 rosters.

Our NFL Wire editors identified one pending free agent (at the time of publication) that each team should sign to help improve their roster. And it seems like guard Trey Smith and edge rusher Josh Sweat will be in high demand.
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Source: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/cowboys-nfl-prime-free-agent-targets-2025/
 
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