How Watt's new deal impacts Parsons' next contract
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USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
Ranking all position groups, Cowboys have $127 million in cap spending across in top 3
Dallas did a lot more than it typically does during this most recent offseason. They added a 10-sack veteran defensive end, traded for multiple starting defenders, and added depth to the offensive line and defensive front seven. The Cowboys roster will be outstanding if healthy, with six All-Pros along with Osa Odighizuwa, DeMarvion Overshown, and Cooper Beebe as players who tht kind of potential. Still, the Cowboys have never been able to put together a complete roster like the Philadelphia Eagles or San Francisco 49ers have had over the last few years. While some position groups are spectacular, others have holes in need of step ups. Here are the rankings of Cowboys positions from best to worst. Defensive Ends The edge rushers top the list with Micah Parsons being the superstar supplemented by another double-digit sack artist in Dante Fowler Jr. Three second-round options in Marshand Kneeland, Sam Williams and the recently signed 2025 pick Donovan Ezeiruaku on rookie deals with loads of potential. Dallas has $40 million on the offseason books at the edge. Wide receivers The wideouts rank second, and like defensive end, superstar CeeDee Lamb elevates the entire position. He is paired with a genuine freak show outside receiver in George Pickens, and they combine to be one of the top duos in the NFL. The depth behind them is limited but includes a former second-round pick who has never had quality quarterback play and a speed option who has made a ton of plays on limited touches. Dallas has $35 million on the offseason books at the edge. Quarterbacks Dak Prescott had a down year and another injury, but he was second in MVP voting and an All-Pro in 2023. They finally have a backup with a ton of potential to work after trading for Joe Milton and Will Grier as a veteran QB to try and replicate Cooper Rush's past success. Dallas has $52.5 million on the offseason books at the edge. Linebackers This position has a ton of talent and potential. They are being paired with the top linebacker developer in the NFL, Matt Eberflus, so they should reach their full potential for Dallas. Overshown was voted a top 10 linebacker, but he will be out most of the year. Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, and Marist Liufau all need to step up until he returns, and they all possess the raw talent to do so when channeled correctly. Offensive line Dallas has one of the best interior groups in the league with All-Pro Tyler Smith, first-round pick Tyler Booker, and second-year center Beebe. But the OL isn't in the top three because their tackle play was atrocious in 2024. Terence Steele could bounce back after struggling under former offensive line coach Mike Solari, and Tyler Guyton has the traits to be an excellent left tackle, but he needs to be stronger mentally. They have good depth with Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, Robert Jones, and Asim Richards. Tight ends Jake Ferguson had a down season, but injuries to himself and the quarterback were a significant factor in that. Brevyn Spann-Ford is a 6-foot-7, 280-pound blocking option. John Stephens Jr., Rivaldo Fairweather, and Tyler Neville are young players who could stretch the field, and Luke Schoonmaker took a significant jump from his rookie year. The position isn't higher because it's more potential than substance, thus far in their careers. Cornerbacks The corners would be higher, but injuries significantly reduce the ranking. If it's Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel Jr., Josh Butler, and Kaiir Elam with Caelen Carson and Israel Mukuamu as the depth guys, they could be as high as third in these rankings. Where the team stands going into the season is too unknown to put them higher. Running backs Some rankings would have running backs last, but Dallas has figured out the correct way to build the room: acquire cheap veterans and utilize the draft to build out the unit. Looking around the league at how many Day 3 draft picks produce as rookies, Jaydon Blue could do a good job as an explosive runner who can catch the ball. Javonte Williams is young enough to bounce back from injury, and with another year of healing, a better offensive line, and coaching staff, the unit should improve overall as well. Safety Safety is challenging because while many teams would consider starting one of Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Juanyeh Thomas, or Markquese Bell, none of them would be viewed as impactful defenders who could significantly improve a defense. The Cowboys have multiple competent safety options, but no impactful ones. Defensive tackle DT is the worst position on the team, even though Odighizuwa is a top-five pressure player at the position. The issue is that he is a poor run defender, and the team has no quality options to play next to him. Mazi Smith hasn't shown that ability to this point, Jay Toia is a seventh-round rookie at a position that typically takes a few seasons for players to develop, and Solomon Thomas is a more minor player like Odighizuwa, who isn't great as a pass rusher or a run defender. This is the only position where the team has one high-quality starter, and everything else is unknown. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
DeMarvion Overshown provides positive medical update
Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown tore the ACL, MCL and PCL in his right knee in Week 14, which put his entire 2025 season in jeopardy. Overshown always has had a positive outlook, and it appears the medical staff has given him a positive update. 'Good news from the Doc! We getting active THIS szn,' Overshown wrote on Instagram. It remains to be seen when that will be. Overshown will start training camp on active/physically unable to perform and likely will move to reserve/PUP before the season as he continues his rehab into the season. He tore the ACL in his left knee in the preseason before his rookie season in 2023, missing the season. In 13 games last season, Overshown totaled 90 tackles, an interception, five sacks, four passes defensed and a forced fumble.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
6 players on roster bubble before Cowboys training camp begins includes first-round pick
The Dallas Cowboys rarely make big splashes in free agency, but this offseason, they made significant signings and trades to bolster the team's depth. The roster bubble in Dallas doesn't normally consist of veterans who have already contributed, but rather young players whom fans were hoping could develop into impactful players at positions of need. The last few seasons, players like Justin Rodgers, Isaiah Land, and John Ridgeway were on the bubble. This year, veterans will surf the bubble just as much as rookies. The Cowboys will look to determine which positions require extra bodies and which don't have depth, then strike a winning balance for the 53-man roster. Here are two defensive options and four offensive players who are on the bubble this training camp. LB Damone Clark Damone Clark has 24 starts with the Cowboys for two different defensive coordinators, playing over 1,300 defensive snaps and nearly 500 special teams plays. He has never been able to solidify his spot as one of the top guys at the position, however. Dallas continued to draft players and sign veterans to play ahead of him, and this offseason, they signed Jack Sanborn, traded up to draft Shemar James, and acquired Kenneth Murray through a trade. Dallas now has depth at the position, and Clark is in the final year of his deal. If the team wants to be shrewd, they could let Clark go and keep a James and or a Justin Barron to protect them from being stolen off waivers. Sanborn, Murray, Marist Liufau, James, and Barron can hold the spots on the 53-man roster until DeMarvion Overshown returns from injury. DE Payton Turner Payton Turner is the other defensive player on the bubble for Dallas. The position he is playing makes it challenging because the team has Micah Parsons and Dante Fowler Jr. as starters. They also have three, young, top 50 picks at the position. Turner was a first-round pick, but hasn't started a game yet because he was injured early on. He only played 15 games in his first three seasons before getting in 16 last year. He has potential, but at a position with two double-digit sack players as starters and multiple young investments, the Cowboys may need to give snaps to their other options, making Turner the odd man out. IOL T.J. Bass T.J. Bass hasn't been on the roster bubble since signing as an Undrafted Free Agent(UDFA) in 2023. He has played in 30% of the offensive snaps and started five games in his two years in Dallas. He looked like a possible Zack Martin replacement as a rookie, but regressed last year. This spring the Cowboys signed Robert Jones, who started 17 games for the Miami Dolphins, along with Saahdiq Charles and Hakeem Adeniji, who can all play at guard. They also drafted Tyler Booker in the first round, brought back Brock Hoffman, and they have Nate Thomas, who can play both offensive tackle and offensive guard. Bass could end up making the team, but unlike the last two seasons, it isn't a certainty that he is on the 53-man roster. RB Deuce Vaughn The Cowboys added two veteran running backs and two draft picks, so Deuce Vaughn would typically be off the 53-man roster, but his former coach is now the offensive line coach here. With a sponsor in the room, Vaughn may make it. If the team keeps one veteran from Jevonte Williams and Miles Sanders, and only Jaydon Blue makes the team as a rookie, Vaughn could sneak on the team with Conor Riley speaking up for him. He is on the bubble at best. WR Parris Campbell Parris Campbell is in the battle for sixth receiver, only if Dallas decides to keep one. Jalen Brooks and Ryan Flournoy are players who fit the roles of George Pickens and Jonathan Mingo, so making the roster might make the position redundant. Campbell and Jalen Cropper are smaller, shifty options Dallas doesn't have. CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin can do some of those things, but it isn't their specialty. Campbell adds a speed option who can bring what Turpin does, but with a higher quality of play at the position. He has always had the talent, but Campbell continually gets injured, and that is the question the team must answer. Should they risk losing someone elsewhere to keep a speedy receiver who is often on the shelf? TE Princeton Fant Princeton Fant played in two games as a rookie as a special-teams contributor and then eight games in 2024. He was a depth piece on offense at tight end and fullback, but only had 14 snaps on offense. His special-teams snaps increased from 30 to 148, and this is what could keep him on the roster. Dallas has three players locked in. Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford, and Luke Schoonmaker. If Fant makes the team, it will be his special-teams contributions and the fact that he can play fullback if Hunter Luepke isn't able to play. The Cowboys could avoid taking a fourth tight end, but if they do, they might prefer an athletic, stretch-type option like Johnny Stephens Jr., Rivaldo Fairweather, or Tyler Neville. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
