Every year, it seems, the Cowboys watch the offseason market get reset for some position just as one of their own players comes due for a deal. This offseason, it’s Micah Parsons and the edge rushers and the guy who set the bar thinks Parsons has earned the top spot. But next year, we could be repeating the same drama with DaRon Bland. We’ll tell you who is about to cause Bland’s number to explode, but we’ll also spotlight a possible cornerback fix for this year from the spring league, and we’ll look at a prediction that would bring a familiar name back to the secondary.
Elsewhere, we’ll profile several Cowboys players who are on the verge of big things in 2025, from an undrafted tight end who could render a second-round pick expendable to a rising star at linebacker and a young rookie who’s getting a crash course in how to play in the pros. We’ve also got personal news for several Cowboys: one fan favorite welcomes a bundle of joy, a newcomer takes one final bow in front of his former home crowd, and a two-time coordinator finds himself in the winner’s circle in an entirely new sport.
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Sauce Gardner is on the verge of a new deal in New York, with a new payday somewhere north of $30 million a year. That would suddenly become the starting point for Bland’s representatives, who will be fishing for a new contract for the Cowboys cornerback following this season.
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Harris, a 29-year-old veteran, led the spring league in interceptions and has been a consistent playmaker for the Arlington Renegades. He’s undersized, but after excelling in both the UFL and the XFL before that, maybe it’s worth taking a look to see if he can be a short-term insurance policy at an injury-depleted position in Dallas.
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Parsons getting a record-setting bag before Week 1 feels like a safe bet. And Joe Milton turning heads in the preseason wouldn’t be a shocker. But how about a late-summer reunion with veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore? It wouldn’t be that crazy.
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Myles Garrett hasn’t been the league’s highest-paid defender for long, but he apparently has no issues with handing the crown off to Parsons already. “I think he deserves whatever he’s earned. I mean, the guy is special,” Garrett said over the weekend. “Once I got the chance to train with him, I’ve seen his work ethic, I’ve seen how he attacks the weights, running. He’s 100 percent committed to his craft and getting better every day, and [he’s] someone who produces on the field and has that level of dedication to the game. He should get every penny he’s owed.”
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Brevyn Spann-Ford had “an incredible offseason,” according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer and could be on his way to becoming a real weapon in the Cowboys offense. Starting tight end Jake Ferguson also raved about his work ethic, leading many to believe the undrafted free agent is a rising star in Dallas.
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Dallas isn’t allergic to walking away from younger players who haven’t worked out. It may be worth testing the market to see if Luke Schoonmaker can bring anything. The second-round pick from 2023 looks bound to wind up as TE3 on the depth chart, but he may do better with another club who’s willing to part with, say, a Top-150 pick.
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The acclimation to life in pro football is all mental right now for Tyler Booker. With teams still in the non-contact phase of the offseason, Booker is leaning on his linemates in order to learn the job in theory before the pads go on. “We’re building great chemistry,” he said. “If I ever have a question right before the snap, they’re able to help me out and lead me in the right direction. But I’m trying to make sure that that doesn’t become a habit.” He also has a long list of football mentors, including former Cowboy George Hegamin and current Titans lineman JC Latham.
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Prescott didn’t suddenly get bad at quarterback last season, yet he had an overall poor year. The blame can be pinned more on sloppy offensive line play (especially from the tackles), a dreadful rushing attack, an offense that relied way too much on CeeDee Lamb, and a really bad defense. The issues that plagued the Cowboys in 2024 have all been addressed in some form or fashion, but was it enough?
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Second-year linebacker Marist Liufau looks primed to make a big jump in 2025. He was a one-man game-wrecker in the Cowboys’ final minicamp practice, picking up where he left off at the end of last season. He has an unteachable nose for the ball and brings an explosive downhill element the Cowboys have needed in their linebacker room for years. And now, he’s no longer learning the ropes.
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Washington landed offensive tackle Josh Conerly in the first round. Philadelphia selected defensive standout Jihaad Campbell. The Giants got two opening-round picks, but it’s Abdul Carter who looks like the second coming of Micah Parsons. He could prove to be particularly troublesome for the Cowboys’ first-round pick from last year, Tyler Guyton, and make the tackle’s improvement in Year Two absolutely essential.
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Oveshown and his fiancée welcomed baby Texas Lee on Sunday, Father’s Day. It’s been a big offseason for the recuperating linebacker; the couple just announced their engagement in March. Overshown says he is hoping to return to the field on Thanksgiving Day versus the Chiefs.
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The new Cowboy was an avid Broadway supporter during his three seasons with the Jets; producers thanked him last week by letting him return for a one-night cameo role in the award-winning musical based on the life and songbook of Michael Jackson. “I am so grateful to MJ for making this dream come true and for the support over the past few years,” Thomas said. “It’s truly an honor to be able to witness the greatness of these performers.”
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Zimmer has owned a ranch for over a decade. One of his horses, Not This Boy, cruised to a seven-length victory at Churchill Downs over the weekend. The win came with a cash purse of $134,000.
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