Cowboys named potential ‘great fit’ for standout DL in NFL free agency- Josh Sanchez, Sports Illustrated

Dallas fans have certainly heard this before.

Pro Football Focus released a list of “one free agent every NFL team should pursue” and the Cowboys were linked to Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford, a former Texas Longhorns star.

“Ford isn’t one of the most touted free agents, but he had a terrific resurgence with the Chargers. His 85.1 PFF overall grade in 2024 ranked fifth among qualified defensive linemen, while his 78.8 PFF run-defense grade placed sixth,” the report read.

“Even if Dallas can keep Odighizuwa, adding the 29-year-old Ford would make for a great tandem on the inside.”

Ford was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent following the 2018 draft.

The former Longhorn spent five seasons with the Seahawks, where he recorded three sacks and 35 total tackles in his final season. He went on to spend one season with the Buffalo Bills, before signing a one-year deal with the Chargers in the 2024 offseason.

When does 2025 NFL free agency start?- Luke Norris, The Landry Hat

It’s time to look ahead.

February 18 – March 4: Franchise tag window is open

Beginning on Tuesday, February 18, and running through Tuesday, March 4, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, teams may designate franchise or transition players for the 2025 season.

Any player set to become an unrestricted free agent is eligible for this designation, and one of three tags can be used.

Exclusive tag: Under the exclusive tag, designated players cannot negotiate with other teams. Clubs must offer the average of the top five salaries at the designated player’s position during the current year or 120% of that player’s previous salary, whichever is higher.

Non-exclusive franchise tag: Under the non-exclusive tag, players can negotiate with other teams, but a team reserves the right to match any offer sheet. If the club decides not to match an offer, the team providing the new contract must also provide two first-round picks in return for signing the player.

Transition tag: Transition tags are similar to non-exclusive tags with a couple of exceptions. First, the salary is determined by the average of the 10 highest-paid players at a position instead of five. Second, if a player receives an offer and their team doesn’t match it, then they will not receive compensatory picks. The transition tag isn’t used nearly as often as the franchise tag.

College superstar Ashton Jeanty would “love” to play for Cowboys- Mark Heaney, Inside The Star

Jeanty would certainly add a spark to this team.

For Ashton Jeanty’s ideal scenario to come true, the front office has to share his vision. With the 12th pick in the draft, and needs all around the roster, they may see drafting a running back as a risk.

Dallas last drafted a running back in the first round in 2016, as Ezekiel Elliott came in and dominated the ground game.

In hindsight, however, the Cowboys would have been much better off selecting Jalen Ramsey in the first round, and Derrick Henry in the second. In a deeply talented running back class, Dallas could look to avoid that same mistake.

On the flip side, the Cowboys just need playmakers, and Jeanty is that and more.

When you remove CeeDee Lamb from the equation, Dallas’ weapons simply lack explosiveness.

Whether it’s Jalen Tolbert, Brandin Cooks, or the whole running back room, there isn’t a big hitter that can take the weight of the offense off Lamb’s shoulders. Jeanty, with his 2,601 yards and 30 touchdowns this season, would certainly change that.

If the Cowboys think Jeanty’s talent elevates his value beyond the average first-round running back, they may just pull the trigger and make his dream scenario a reality.

List of all Cowboys 2025 draft slots, including projected comp picks- K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire

Draft season has started for the Cowboys.

Smith, Armstrong and Biadasz should bring the Cowboys three extra fifth-round picks, while Pollard should bring a sixth. Fowler was at a seventh-round level, but the NFL limits teams to four comp picks a season.

Comp picks are officially awarded around the start of the new league year in March.

Here’s a look at the Cowboys’ full haul.

1st Round (12) – 12th

2nd Round (12) – 44th

3rd Round (12) – 76th

* 4th Round (12) – ~113th – Traded to Carolina Panthers for WR Jonathan Mingo

5th Round (11) – ~148th

5th Round Comp- ~168th

5th Round Comp- ~170th

5th Round Comp- 171st

6th Round (18) – ~186th

6th Round Comp – ~209th

7th Round (10) – 226th

The reason the Cowboys are making a massive mistake retaining Mike McCarthy- Connor Livesay, Blogging The Boys

Should Dallas consider looking elsewhere?

In the last four years, the McCarthy led Cowboys finished with a 15-17 record against playoff teams and a point differential of -45. The only two years they finished with a positive point differential in McCarthy’s tenure at head coach was with Kellen Moore as the primary play-caller and offensive coordinator. Since Moore’s departure, the Cowboys offense has struggled to keep pace with contending teams and win games against the top dogs in the NFC and AFC.

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Which leads to the biggest issue. McCarthy was brought in to get this team over the hump, and despite having the opportunity to do so, he’s failed. While this study was just done on regular-season games, when we take a deeper dive into the playoffs, it paints an even bleaker picture.

In the Cowboys 2023 playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys were dealt a 48-32 loss, at home, against a team most thought was the underdog coming into AT&T Stadium. In 2022, the Cowboys seemed to have turned the corner, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in the Wild Card round, before losing on the road to the San Francisco 49ers 19-12. In 2021, the Cowboys were again embarrassed at home by the 49ers in a 23-17 loss in the Wild Card round.