Notable headlines surrounding America’s team.

DeMarcus Lawrence should be a priority re-signing for the Dallas Cowboys – Mario Herrera Jr, Inside The Star

Get it done, Jerry.

DeMarcus Lawrence has been a cornerstone of the Cowboys’ defense since he was drafted with the 34th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Over his career, he has developed into an elite run defender with pass-rushing skills. With 61.5 career sacks (all in Dallas), Lawrence has consistently shown to be a reliable defensive end for the Cowboys.

His leadership extends beyond the field. As a veteran, Lawrence plays a key role in mentoring younger players on the defensive line and has been a calming and guiding presence in the locker room.

Re-signing Lawrence would ensure that the Cowboys continue to have a strong voice on defense who understands the culture and expectations of the team.

Tank of All Trades

Lawrence might not have gaudy sack numbers, but he has a level of consistent, tough play on the defensive line, and he has reached 61.5 career sacks in his 11-year career with the Cowboys.

In 2024, he had just 3.0 sacks, and hasn’t hit double-digit sack numbers since racking up 10.5 sacks during the 2018 season. However, most of his impact is felt in the run game.

We are in an era where rushing the passer is glorified, but rush defense is often overlooked. Lawrence has a well-rounded skillset, and his ability to consistently set the edge has been an invaluable benefit for the Cowboys defense.

2025 NFL Draft: Heisman finalist, top prospect will have Top 30 visit with Cowboys – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire

Keep Jeanty on your list of potential selections.

Boise State’s running back Ashton Jeanty will be part of the 2025 spring circus.

ESPN recently dropped an insider article based on things learned during this week’s scouting combine, and among the talk from Chris Fowler is that Jeanty will have a Top 30 visit with the Cowboys.

Star Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is lining up Top 30 visits, including the Bears and Cowboys. Jeanty did not perform drills at the combine, but he got encouraging results from his medical testing in Indy, I’m told. He had an elbow injury last season that shouldn’t affect him long term.

Jeanty is expected, by many draftniks, to be the first running back selected in April’s draft. He’s seen as a similar runner as Marshawn Lynch, an absolute bear for defenders to bring down while also having home run potential. Jeanty was the entirety of Boise State’s offense this past season, finishing second to Colorado’s Travis Hunter in Heisman Trophy voting.

Cowboys insider hints Osa Odighizuwa deal may cause breakout star to leave Dallas – Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat

If true, it was a fun run, Rico.

Odighizuwa is expected to sign a contract that paints him as one of the best pass-rushing interior defenders in the game. While talks are ongoing, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the total value of the contract could eclipse $90 million over four years.

A third-round pick in 2021, Odighizuwa has missed one game in his career and ranked top five among interior defenders last season in QB hits, pass-rush win rate and pressures. The rumored price is lofty, but that is the going rate for very good players at the position.

Odighizuwa’s deal won’t fully handicap the Cowboys financially, but it could force them to make tough calls on other free agents. The latest rumblings out of Indianapolis strongly suggest that may be the case with one of the team’s breakout stars.

Cowboys free agent RB Rico Dowdle may leave Dallas after breakout 2024 season

“The Cowboys are meeting with the agent of DeMarcus Lawrence on Friday, who also serves as the agent of Lewis and other free agents including running back Rico Dowdle and defensive end Chauncey Golston. With only so much money to go around before the Cowboys will bump up against the $279.2 million salary cap for 2025, it is expected that Dowdle and Golston could land bigger deals elsewhere.”

Cowboys beat reporter Nick Harris

While that does not confirm Rico Dowdle – or Chauncey Golston – won’t be back, it seems both players will have strong markets once free agency opens.

Cowboys have a leg up in Cooper Kupp trade rumors as Jerry Jones plays chess – Kinnu Singh, FanSided

Maybe Jerry will make the right move.

The Cowboys are expected to be in the market for a No. 2 wide receiver to play alongside CeeDee Lamb. That could make them the ideal landing spot for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp if his price drops enough, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

The Cowboys hired former Oregon co-offensive coordinator Junior Adams as their wide receivers coach in early February, and he could prove to be the determining factor in acquiring Kupp from the Rams.

Kupp crossed paths with Adams during his time at Eastern Washington, where Adams was the wide receivers coach. Kupp called Adams “the best there is” and said that no other coach had a greater impact on him, per USA Today.

Four years ago, Kupp paced the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16), then capped off the triple-crown campaign with a Super Bowl MVP trophy. In the NFL, four years can seem like a lifetime. Kupp’s past three seasons have been interrupted by injuries, and he’s struggled to return to form.

Cowboys 2025 offseason roster preview: Safeties – Jess Haynie, Blogging The Boys

Taking stock ahead of free agency.

Under Contract

Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson

Potential Departures

Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell

Israel Mukuamu

While technically not under contract, Juanyeh Thomas is highly unlikely to depart as an exclusive rights free agent. The Cowboys only need to offer him the league minimum to keep his rights for this year, and there’s no reason to think that they won’t. While a relatively minor knee injury ended his season early, Thomas is expected to be all the way back and continue his emergence on defense.

In fact, some have even suggested that Dallas should move Thomas into a starting role over Donovan Wilson. They could get back about $5.9 million in cap space off Wilson’s deal which would be useful at other positions, while arguably suffering little-to-no loss in performance with Thomas’ promotion. With Wilson having just turned 30, there is reasonable concern that a player who relies so much on physicality is going to start seeing a rapid downturn in play.