NFL Notebook: 2025 Dallas Cowboys Preview

A tumultuous offseason for the Cowboys hit its peak just last week, when they traded Micah Parsons, one of the best edge rushers in the NFL to Green Bay. This follows a series of key personnel changes that included parting ways with head coach Mike McCarthy, who had produced three straight 12-5 regular seasons before slipping to 7-10 last year.

But neither McCarthy, nor his recent predecessors, have been able to do anything about going deep into the playoffs. The once-proud Cowboys have not even reached the NFC Championship Game since their 1995 Super Bowl triumph that crowned a dynasty.  

What’s going on in the always-entertaining world of Jerry Jones? Let’s try and get a handle on it…

THE KEY CHANGES

Jones promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be the new head coach. While Brian’s father Marty is one of my all-time favorite coaches, this was a curious decision. Brian is 51-years-old and a lifelong assistant that’s never really been a hot head coaching candidate. With last year’s Cowboy team finishing 21st in the league for points scored, he wasn’t exactly at the top of everyone’s list.

The trade of Parsons for a package that primarily focuses on draft picks makes me wonder if Schottenheimer isn’t essentially being set up to fail (not intentionally, but as a practical matter), similar to what may have happened to Jerod Mayo in New England last season. The logic, if it’s true, would be that the front office knows this isn’t their guy, but don’t want to bring their guy in until some retooling has been done.

In fairness to Dallas, they made a separate trade to get a pretty significant piece that could help them win now–wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Pickens can be something a mercurial personality, that’s not exactly unprecedented for receivers in Big D and Pickens led the league in yards-per-catch just two years ago. He can stretch the field and quarterback Dak Prescott is healthy again.

Dallas is also going through a makeover at running back, where veteran free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders will get a crack at some playing time. If they don’t pan out, the Cowboys drafted local hero Jaydon Blue, a star in the University of Texas backfield last year.

There’s also an injection of new personnel on the defensive line. Kenny Clark, a respectable tackle, was the one part of the deal with Green Bay that can help right away. Dallas used a second-round draft choice on defensive end Sam Williams. They join a unit where Osa Odighizuuwa is pretty good in the interior.

EXPLOSIVE TALENT

When Prescott is healthy, he can be as good as it gets, at least in the regular season. In 2023, he played at an MVP level. Last year, he only started eight games. Pickens joins a receiving corps that includes CeeDee Lamb, one of the most consistent targets in the league. Jake Ferguson is reliable at tight end. If Dallas can run the ball, they’ll be potent, because they can certainly throw it.

The interior of the offensive line holds the key to the running game. The Cowboys have solid players at center with Cooper Beebe and left guard Tyler Smith. They invested a first-round draft choice in another guard, Tyler Booker from Alabama. With the tackle positions a little spotty, Dallas is going to need to run inside to control tempo.

A DEFENSIVE DEBACLE

Ultimately though, and there is no way nice way to say this—the defense is a train wreck. They were 31st in the league for points allowed last year and just traded their one difference-making player. Even if the defensive line pans out, there’s no one who can disrupt a game like Parsons, the linebackers are a mess, and the secondary is below average. Even if the offense plays well, I don’t see how they keep up.

OUTLOOK

Betting markets are listing the Over/Under on Cowboy wins at 7.5. It makes me wonder if Vegas Insider, where I check, has updated that figure since the Parsons trade. Is this really a .500 team? As alluded to at the top, are they even trying to be, with or without Schottenheimer? To try and guess their intentions is try and attribute logic to a front office that has often functioned without it. But I’d be very surprised if they don’t come in Under that number. Brian better have some of his daddy’s ability to overachieve.