Granted, injuries always happen, and given that the Cowboys are already out of the playoffs, it’s not the end of the world that an important player would be out with an injury. But, the team would probably still like to win their upcoming games, and injuries don’t help.

Cowboys Star Out for the Season

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to an ongoing shoulder injury, the Cowboys announced on Thursday, December 26. That means Lamb won’t be at the last two games of the regular season for the Cowboys.

Lamb injured his shoulder back in November but kept playing through the injury. A statement from the Cowboys says that testing shows Lamb’s injury is now worse and that he will need treatment. However, Lamb won’t need surgery, according to the team, so that’s a silver lining.

The Dallas Cowboys’ statement reads, “Additional examinations and scans this week on CeeDee Lamb’s shoulder have determined that his injury has now progressed to a point that he will be listed as ‘out’ for the remaining two games of the season.”

The statement continues, noting, “He will undergo a process of treatment and rehabilitation for his shoulder, is not currently expected to require surgery and is projected to make a full recovery.”

The Cowboys and Lamb inked a four-year, $136 million extension in August, ensuring the star wide receiver would stay in Dallas with quarterback Dak Prescott for the foreseeable future.

Even playing through his injury, Lamb’s numbers have been stellar, with the player counting 1,194 yards and six touchdowns in 15 games this season.

ESPN notes that Lamb isn’t the kind of guy who’s easy to replace.

“Replacing Lamb will be difficult,” ESPN stated in a December 26 feature on the news. “Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert will be their top two wide receivers with Jonathan Mingo, Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys could elevate Jalen Cropper or Kelvin Harmon from the practice squad.”

“Lamb became just the third player in NFL history with 100 receptions in three of his first five seasons, joining Michael Thomas and Brandon Marshall,” ESPN added. “Only Thomas (510) has more receptions in a player’s first five seasons than Lamb’s 496.”

Micah Parsons Praises CeeDee Lamb

Also speaking on Thursday, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons sang Lamb’s praises.

“He might be the best receiver I’ve seen,” Parsons said according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. It doesn’t get much better than that compliment. Parsons added, “He’s QB-proof. I’ve seen him get 1,000 (yards) with Andy Dalton. I’ve seen him get 1,000 with Dak Prescott. I’ve seen him get 1,000 with Cooper Rush.”

He also said that, “You give grace to all these other wide receivers and say they’re not producing because they don’t have their quarterback. CeeDee has shown time and time again that he can do it with anybody throwing him the ball.”

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Maybe it’s McCarthy who, despite the Cowboys’ underwhelming 7-8 record, holds some power over the team’s front office. That’s because rumors have begun to rumble that if the Cowboys let McCarthy walk, he will have other suitors on the coaching market.

While most of the top coaches expected to be available in the offseason are coordinators, maybe the most sought-after option is former Titans coach Mike Vrabel. After him, there are not very many experienced coaches expected to be on the market in the offseason, especially with Bill Belichick having taken the job at North Carolina.

Already, we can say for sure that New Orleans, the Jets and Chicago will be looking for a coach. Jacksonville is almost a sure thing, and some teams willing to make a change after one year–the Patriots, Raiders and Titans–could be added to that mix. And there may be some established coaches who are KO’d after disappointing years, like Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland, Mike McDaniel in Miami, or Brian Daboll of the Giants.

And from veteran USA Today writer Jarrett Bell comes this notion: Those teams could come after McCarthy as their next coach. Bell had a stern warning for the Cowboys about McCarthy’s future.

Mike McCarthy Proactive About New Jobs?

Bell pointed out that McCarthy hired well-respected agent Don Yee last April, which could put McCarthy in the arena for new jobs if the Cowboys don’t come through with an extension. Bell wrote, “What if McCarthy, with his contract up, decides that he’s had enough of the intense scrutiny that comes with coaching arguably the most high-profile team in the NFL?

“With his experience, a resume that includes a Super Bowl victory with the Packers and three straight 12-win campaigns with the Cowboys, and a track record for bringing out the best in quarterbacks, McCarthy could be a hot item on the open market.”

Cowboys Under Pressure

The pressure has been rising in recent weeks to Jerry Jones and the Cowboys to give McCarthy an extension, especially as the injury-ravaged  team has managed to rally together and play better than the sum of its parts. The Cowboys have won four of the last five games, which would be five straight if not for a fumbled punt late in a loss to the Bengals.

Said Jones about the situation this week on Dallas radio (via ESPN):

“We’re just talking about what is positive right now. We started the conversation talking about how good a job I think with the circumstances that we’ve been dealing with, how good a job that the coaching staff is doing. It’s led by Mike McCarthy. And that’s what we’re doing. I’m saying just what I’m saying. I’m very impressed with how this team and how it’s playing, and the level of tenacity, and I’m impressed with the fact we’ve got a lot of young players getting a lot of experience out there. The future looks bright there with those players.”

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While this season may be a wash, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has a positive indicator for the future.

Dak Prescott Says He’ll Be ‘Fully Ready for Offseason Workouts’

During Sunday Night Football on December 22, the Cowboys played a strong game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and pulled off a win, with a 26-24 victory. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush led the team to the win, but it’ll also be nice when Prescott is back.

During the NBC broadcast of the game, the commentators gave an update on Prescott and how he’s doing with his season-ending injury. The camera moved to Prescott while Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth talked about the time the quarterback has missed this season. Then, they chatted with sideline reporter Melissa Stark, who discussed what she and Prescott talked about ahead of the game.

Stark said that Prescott said he recently got off of his crutches and will start running in about a month. She also said that Prescott said he would be primed for offseason workouts.

Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, “NBC’s Melissa Stark said Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (hamstring) told her he got off crutches last week. He’s about a month away from starting to run. Prescott is adamant that he will be fully ready for offseason workouts in April.”

Tommy Yarrish, who covers the Dallas Cowboys for the team’s official website, also shared a video on X of Prescott walking without crutches and noted, “Here’s a good sign: Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott walking under his own power on the sideline #DallasCowboys.”

It’s a good sign that Prescott is continuing his narrative that he feels he’ll be ready to go during the offseason.

Prescott Motives Teammates From Sidelines

Even when Prescott isn’t on the field with his teammates, he works to keep them motivated from the sidelines.

“For me, it’s about knowing my teammates more than just their numbers and knowing their family,” he said during an interview with Anne Erickson for Heavy Sports, which was in conjunction with Prescott’s holiday charity campaign with Dick’s Sporting Goods. “Knowing what motivates them and why they’re inspired really more than motivated.”

He added, “So for me, being from the sidelines, able to just spark those conversations. Maybe say their kid’s name. Maybe, ‘Hey. Let’s go get this money.’ Whatever it is that I know motivates or inspires that guy to be better.”

Prescot also said that, “This is when everything that I preach about the camaraderie or the culture of the brotherhood that we have or the leadership that I’ve invested long before now really comes into play with my teammates. The fact of knowing them more than their numbers and being able to get in with them off the field to lock them in on the field.”

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And that might mean getting honest about one of the Cowboys’ top moves of the 2024 offseason–drafting Tyler Guyton with a first-round pick. Guyton has been injured and was always going to be a bit of a project as he adjusted to the NFL, but when he has been on the field, his struggles are obvious.  At Pro Football Focus, Guyton grades out with a 50.0 mark, which ranks 74th out of 80 tackles in the NFL.

Guyton is only 22, and the Cowboys obviously are not going to give up on him. But they also can’t go into 2025 with Guyton as their only choice on Dak Prescott‘s blind side.

Cowboys Could Use a Veteran LT

That’s why the folks at Bleacher Report have a suggestion for Dallas: Sign veteran tackle Cam Robinson this offseason with an eye toward giving him the job on the left side next year, giving Guyton more time. Robinson is wrapping up a three-year, $54 million contract he signed with the Jaguars, and was traded to the Vikings at the deadline.

Writes B/R: “Tyler Guyton struggled this season, especially in pass protection. While the rookie could turn it around in year two, Dallas should consider bringing in a veteran for some competition at left tackle. That will help keep its Super Bowl window open and make sure Dak Prescott, who will be coming off an injury, stays upright.

Tyler Guyton Having Penalty Issues

Guyton has struggled with penalties, getting whistled for 12 penalties this season despite playing only 68% of the team’s snaps. Robinson, by way of comparison, has played 89% of his teams’ snaps, and has committed nine penalties—four of which were false starts after he went over the Minnesota, where he had to adjust to Sam Darnold’s cadence.

Coach Mike McCarthy called the Cowboys’ offensive line penalties “alarming” earlier this season. he has since baffled Cowboys fans by not starting Guyton for the past three weeks, instead using him in rotation with Chuma Edoga. McCarthy said he is an advocate of “competition.”

“Balance is great; it’s healthy,” said McCarthy last week. “Healthy competition is always good, you know. Chuma (Edoga) is coming back today too, so just to see the four tackles get out there and compete, I think it’ll be really good for us.”

It might make sense, then, for the Cowboys to ensure there is competition next year, too.

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So as speculation swirls around McCarthy’s future, Garrett surely has more insight to offer than most. And he spoke about it during the Cowboys’ surprising win over the Buccaneers on Sunday night, with a pretty clear message for McCarthy: Win the last three games, or you’re probably out.

“I don’t think Jerry Jones has made up his mind yet. I think he’s going to evaluate these last three games and make a decision from there,” Garrett said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “There was an assumption coming into this season that McCarthy’s future would be based on playoff success. They’re 6-8, out of the playoffs, and the team has regressed. So I see these last three games as critical. If they win three to go 9-8, and end on a strong note, I could see them continuing.

“But if they lose three against tough opponents and finish 6-11, I think that’s a harder sell to the Dallas Cowboys’ fan base.”

Mike McCarthy Has Been on the Hot Seat All Year

McCarthy and the Cowboys took care of the first game on the docket with the surprising win over the Buccaneers despite coping with significant injuries. Dallas has now won four out their last five games to go to 7-8, and run that would have been five straight wins if not for a special teams blunder on a punt in Week 14 against Cincinnati.

Given the way the team has played, even without star quarterback Dak Prescott and even with Jones having done little to add talent in the offseason, the case for the team keeping McCarthy is getting stronger. McCarthy is in the final year of his contract and has been the subject of job speculation going back to the playoff loss to the Packers in January.

A 3-8 start to this season seemed to ensure that McCarthy’s time with the Cowboys was ending.

Cowboys Saving Their Best for Last

McCarthy, for his part, has gotten his players to put their best foot forward even in dire circumstances.

“I just think that [effort] shows you who they are,” McCarthy said after the game. “I think everybody says the coach is always talking highly of the locker room — well, this is what I’m talking about. When I talk about, ‘It’s a great locker room,’ this is the definition of it. This is what a great locker room looks like. And it’s a mixture of men from all over the country, all over the world and different personalities. Obviously in circumstances [out of the playoffs] that we’ve discussed at length already. But when it came time to play, they played their asses off and I can’t tell you how proud I am.”

And Jones echoed that sentiment, raising ever-more questions about whether he could go through with moving on from McCarthy.

“Those guys came out and played as though they were fighting in the championship game to go to the Super Bowl,” Jones said afterward. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of them and the coaching staff. It really shows me something.”

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Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb Shows Off New Art

Lamb’s leg tattoos feature images of Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson, Malcolm X and Lamb’s No. 88, to name a few. This isn’t the first time Lamb has showed off his tattoos, either. Back in 2023, he revealed his black tattoos, which highlight NBA legend Kobe Bryant, plus others.

These tattoos take time, of course, to pull off in such an artistic way. The 2023 tats took about eight hours to do.

Lamb has been having a stellar year with the Cowboys. While the team is ranked 6-8, his record is far better than that showing implies, as he ranked third in the NFL in both catches (94) and receiving yards (1,089). He’s also scored six touchdowns this season.

In addition to Lamb ranking third in the NFL for catches and receiving yards, he became the first player in Dallas to notch four 1,000-yard seasons in his first five years. He also joined the great Michael Irvin as the only Cowboys with four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. What makes these feats even more remarkable is that Lamb is playing without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, who’s been out with an injury since Week 9. It’s possible these numbers would have been even higher if Prescott had been able to play all season.

Dallas Cowboys’ Star Battles Through Shoulder Injury

Lamb has also been dealing with a shoulder injury throughout the season, but that’s not getting in the way of his success.

“It’s a well-known thing that my shoulder is hurting, so I feel like these guys are definitely trying to put their best hit on me,” Lamb told reporters on December 16, per Jon Machota of the New York Times. “You gotta come a little harder than that.”

Lamb discussed his shoulder injury earlier this season, too.

“It’s more so pain, obviously the tolerance, range of motion is all there. I battled throughout the whole game,” Lamb said in September per the Dallas Cowboys, follow the Cowboys’ game against the Atlanta Falcons. “Granted I didn’t play the way I wanted to, but it is what it is, it’s going to take a little more to get me out.”

At the time, he added that the Cowboys have “still got to have that fighter’s mentality, and I’m a firm believer in it. Obviously you’re going to get hit in the mouth at some point, it’s all about how you respond.”

Lamb also discussed the importance of communication, stating, “We’ve connected, we’ve taken a lot of reps outside of practice just talking, communicating, getting on the same page.”

The Dallas Cowboys go up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, December 22, in hopes to snag a win, even though their out of playoff contention.

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According to Pro Football Focus, Odighizuwa rated a grade of 46.9 as a rookie, which ranked 89th out of 108 linemen. In his second year, he was a 68.2, which was 41st our of 127. Last year, he broke into the Top 20, with a 77.0 grade, which ranked 19th. This year, he is 24th overall, but has a pass-rush grade of 79.0, which is eighth in the NFL.

For a Cowboys team that has resisted paying its defensive linemen–and has paid a price for that–Odighizuwa  is a good candidate for a long-term contract, as he is set to hit free agency after this season unless Dallas locks him up to an extension.

Osa Odighizuwa Has Been Playing His Best Lately

At the Cowboys analysis site Blogging the Boys, though, they’re afraid that Dallas won’t mend its ways on how it deals with defensive linemen, and that could mean that Odighizuwa is playing his last season with the Cowboys.

Odighizuwa is playing his best football down the stretch of the season, and putting out some good tape for opposing teams looking for help at the position. And there are many.

Writes BtB: “With what he’s done this season, and the steady progression in his play, Odighizuwa is possibly looking at commanding a deal around $5 to $7 million annually. If he finishes strong in the last three games, he could be looking at double-digit numbers per year. As good as it is for him, it may be the opposite for Dallas.”

Cowboys Salary Cap Will Be an Issue, Again

The Cowboys have an expensive top part of the roster already, with Dak Prescott at four years, $240 million, CeeDee Lamb at four years, $136 million and edge rusher Micah Parsons likely to sign on the $35 million per year range. The Cowboys could be shelling out half their salary cap to those three.

That will make it tough to work out sensible deals for the other 50 players, especially if Odighizuwa does not agree to an extension and can put his services out to the highest bidder. At just 26 years old, he certainly will attract bidders.

Odighizuwa has already set a career high with 22 quarterback hits this year (he had 35 in three seasons before this) and is likely to set a new career high in sacks (he has 4.0 now). He’s on an upswing, but the Cowboys still probably will let him walk.

“If Odighizuwa is to hit the market, teams will come calling …” BtB notes. “He’s solid against the run, and he helps keep linebackers clean, and teams that see themselves as contenders will be willing to pay him for those services and pay him well.

“It would behoove the Cowboys to value defensive tackles as a high priority for once during the offseason and bring Odighizuwa back. However, with the way Dallas handles contracts, don’t be surprised if the 2024 campaign is his last with the Cowboys.”

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NFL rules permit teams poaching players off opposing practice squads if they are being signed to the active roster. The middle of the defensive line continues to be an area Dallas will want to address this offseason.

For now, Rogers offers great size at just over 6-foot-2 and 330 pounds to clog up the middle of the defense. Rogers was originally a seventh-round pick by the Cowboys in the 2024 NFL draft.

Back in August, Dallas released Rogers as the team finalized their 53-man roster. Rogers later signed with the Bengals where the rookie spent the majority of the season.

The Cowboys Drafted Justin Rogers in 2024 Before Releasing the Defender in August

Rogers began his college career with three seasons at Kentucky before playing his final year with Auburn. The defender’s best statistical season came in 2022 when Rogers notched a career-high 35 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. Heading into the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had a sixth-round grade on the Rogers.

“Rogers is a ‘what you see is what you get’ nose tackle with a girthy build and film full of fistfights where he gives as well as he gets,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft profile of Rogers. “He’s built low to the ground and plays with a terrific anchor to ward off block finishes and stay on his feet.

“He has decent length for his size but not enough to consistently shed blocks, despite possessing the power to stack single blocks. Rogers is a drain-clogging nose capable of muddying the A-gaps for teams looking for depth and help slowing the run.”

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on Justin Rogers: ‘We Still Consider Him One of Ours’

Despite releasing Rogers ahead of the regular season, the defensive tackle was a player who the Cowboys kept tabs on throughout the season. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy indicated the team is pleased to have Rogers back on the roster.

“Been keeping an eye on him,” McCarthy explained on December 19, per USA Today’s Todd Brock. “Fortunate to have the opportunity to bring him back.

“We still consider him one of ours. … Obviously, we thought enough of him to draft him, so it’ll be great to get him back into the mix.”

Cowboys Star Micah Parsons Is Expected to Play vs. Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football

The Cowboys are 4-point underdogs versus the Buccaneers in the SNF primetime showdown. Tampa Bay is looking to keep their playoff hopes alive as Dallas attempts to play spoiler.

Star pass rusher Micah Parsons popped up on the injury report late in the late week as the defender battled an illness. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Parsons is trending towards playing against the Bucs.

“Cowboys star LB Micah Parsons, who was dealing with a stomach bug and is listed as questionable with an illness, is likely to play today, source said,” Rapoport detailed in a December 22 message on X.

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Dak Prescott got hurt in Week 9 and has been out since, missing half the year with a hamstring injury. Lamb himself got hurt, too, injuring his AC joint in his shoulder, a painful injury he’s tried to play through. Through it all, Lamb has managed 1,089 yards receiving, the fourth time he has met that threshold in his career.

Still, it is not a typical Lamb season, especially not compared with last year, when he caught 135 passes and set a franchise record with 1,749 yards receiving. At Pro Football Focus, Lamb has graded out with a 75.9, which is decent, and ranks 29th out of 128 receivers (he was sixth last year).

Cowboys Lacking at WR

The problem for the Cowboys is that Lamb is the only receiver on the roster who ranks in the Top 90. No. 2 on the team is Brandin Cooks, who ranks 93rd at PFF. Jalen Tolbert is next, and he is the 100th-rated WR out of 128.

No one is more thankful for the presence of Lamb than backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who has managed to keep the team afloat in the wake of Prescott’s absence in large part thanks to Lamb, who has caught 41 of Rush’s 124 completions–nearly one-third–since Rush took over as the starter.

Said Rush this week: “I mean he is unbelievable. A couple of throws today he just takes for 20 yards, a screen here, a screen there. The adjustment he makes on the touchdown throw, it’s just elite-level instincts that a lot of guys don’t have at that level. He is just pretty easy to throw to and you have to get him the ball.”

CeeDee Lamb a ‘Quarterback’s Best Friend’

Going forward, of course, the Cowboys will need to make some major changes. The team is faced with a roster packed with free agents (including Cooks) next offseason, and plenty of areas that need addressing. But they’ll need to make sure that wide receiver is one of those areas, that the team has another pass-catcher to take pressure off Lamb.

Until then, the reliance on Lamb will continue.

“He’s just a tough, talented, dynamic football player,” coach Mike McCarthy said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “You can’t find enough ways to get him the ball. And the beauty of CeeDee is you can line him up in the backfield 10 times and hand it to him because he’s a natural runner with the football. … We just have to continue to find ways to get him the ball.”

“He’s a quarterback’s best friend. He’s easy to throw the ball to. He’s got great body control. When he gets even, he’s leaving with a DB. That’s what you look for in your No. 1 receiver. He’s everything you ever wanted and more.”

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Parsons and the Cowboys enter Week 16 needing the Philadelphia Eagles to top the Washington Commanders to keep them alive for a playoff berth. But even that situation can’t convert Parsons to an Eagles supporter.

“Nah, at this point, it’s [expletive] Philly, now,” Parsons told reporters on Thursday. “Even if we got eliminated, like, I got to crush Philly. [Expletive] them. I hate them now ‘cause I be seeing them just talking so much on socials. I don’t know, my Twitter page got consumed by Philly [fans]. Man, ugh. They say don’t look forward to some things, but I’m excited about the matchup [next week], too.”

Dallas has won three of its last four to move to 6-8. This week, they’ll face a hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers team before heading to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.

“I think I’m the best player in the world. I don’t throw numbers out there like that,” Parsons said. “I’ll see what they’re willing to give me.

It would be nice to be surrounded by good players. Players that will help me win championships, I’ll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn’t sound too fun to me.”

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa holds the title of the highest-paid defender in the league, earning $34 million annually. Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson surpasses that as the highest-paid non-quarterback, raking in $35 million per season with $110 million guaranteed.

Parsons wants to be compensated like one of the top players in the league. But he also wants the Cowboys to remain competitive.

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Now, it’s DeMarcus Lawrence, the bookend pass rusher to Micah Parsons.

Lawrence has not played since facing the Giants on “Monday Night Football” in Week 4, but he had been trying to rehab the Lisfranc foot injury he suffered that week to make it back before the end of the season. But the foot has not responded as hoped.

As former scout Brian Broaddus reported on Dallas radio, via SI.com: ““They tried their best to get him back. There was a couple times where I was passing by the field, watching him, and I felt like (he was working hard with Cowboys trainer Britt Brown). … But they just couldn’t get that (foot) where it needed to be, and it wasn’t worth the risk for them going forward.”

DeMarcus Lawrence Hitting Free Agency

That’s difficult, of course. But equally difficult is considering what might be next for Lawrence as the Cowboys remake their roster for 2025. Lawrence has starred at defensive end for the Cowboys for 11 seasons, and has four Pro Bowl selections to his credit. He has made 61.5 sacks in 141 games played.

Lawrence will be a free agent, coming off the final year of a three-year, $40 million contract he signed in 2022. He was excellent in 2023, posting a Pro Football Focus grade of 91, No. 8 in the NFL among all pass-rushers. But he will be 33 in April and the Cowboys have been looking to get younger across the board.

As the Cowboys analysis site Inside the Star wondered: “This issue here is that Lawrence is in the final year of his contract, and there are already looming questions for next season. Could that Monday night game in New York be his last game in a Cowboys uniform?”

Cowboys Could Be Priced Out of Free-Agent Market

There is a chance, of course, that the Cowboys bring back Lawrence, especially if he does not warrant a major contract in the free-agent market. The Cowboys have committed $240 million to quarterback Dak Prescott over four years, and $136 million to CeeDee Lamb over four years. They’ll be committing something in the range of $140 million over four years for Parsons next offseason, as he is due an extension.

The Cowboys will be committing almost half their 2025 cap space to three players, out of the 53 that will be on the active roster, not to mention dead cap hits and the practice squad. There will need to be savings, and if Lawrence does not take a discount to stay, he very well could have played his last down for the Cowboys.

Back in November, ESPN reported that a “strong open market” could emerge for Lawrence in free agency. That was before the injury lingered all season, but if it holds true, it could price Lawrence out of the Cowboys’ range.

Wrote insider Jeremy Fowler: “Dallas could commit to paying a different pass rusher — Micah Parsons — before anyone else at The Star. That inherently creates challenges to re-signing Lawrence, who should have a strong open market, though Dallas would of course leave the door open for discussions. Dallas has $8.7 million in 2025 void money from previously restructuring Lawrence’s existing deal.”

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That raised some questions about what, exactly, happened with Diggs, both in his rehab over the last year and throughout the course of this season. as veteran Cowboys beat reporter Calvin Hill said, “I can tell you that the Cowboys were not happy with the way he (Trevon Diggs) attacked his rehab.”

It would make sense that the Cowboys point the finger at Diggs. The team paid him a five-year, $97 million contract before last year, and now have yet to get a full season out of him for the second year in a row.

The injury could set up a drastic move on the Cowboys’ part–cutting Diggs. According to Spotrac, the Cowboys have an out clause on Diggs, after this season, which will cap his deal at $33 million and leave a dead-cap hit of $12.75 million. Perhaps the team was pointing the finger at Diggs as a set-up for eventually cutting him.

No matter the motivation or source of the report from Hill, Micah Parsons was not happy about any of it. “It really hurts me because I seen Tre suffer,” Parsons said on his podcast, “The Edge” this week.

Micah Parsons: ‘What Could He Have Done?’

Parsons lashed out at the report from Hill, and whomever it was with the Cowboys who told Hill that Diggs’ rehab was underwhelming:

“I seen the work he was putting in. So, to me, when people were talking about his rehab, Tre came back early from his ACL. He didn’t even miss a game in the season. We lost him in Week 3 of last year and we got him back in the beginning of camp. For people to say his rehab—Tre came back right. I think missed, like, the first week of camp, but by the end of camp, he was out there. Week 1, he had and interception. He looked like regular old Tre. He was out there practicing hard, working hard. …

“With his rehab, what could he have done with the injury he sustained? The cartilage had broke down. It was a cartilage issue that had broke down. It bothers me when people question the Trevon Diggs narrative or his rehab, how hard does he want to work, does he want to be there? Because I don’t know a guy who wants to be there more. When he’s talking to me and we’re talking about our futures and our lives, it’s always been about us, me and him, being here, Cowboys.”

Cowboys Say They Expect Trevon Diggs Back

On Monday this week, Cowboys VP Stephen Jones gave no indication of dissatisfaction with Diggs. He had two interceptions on the season, with 11 passes broken up in 11 games. Jones did say that Diggs probably will not be available for training camp next season, but did not hint that the team might let him go, either.

It’s worth noting, though, that at Pro Football Focus, Diggs had a grade of 56.6, which was 87th out of 118 corners, his lowest grade of his career.

“He was doing everything he can because he wants to play, he wants to compete, and he wants to contribute,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan radio in Dallas. 

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With Prescott out for the season, the team has been relying on backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who led them to a win on Sunday, December 15, against the Carolina Panthers, with a final tally of 30-14. During the Panthers game, Rush completed 18 of 29 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns. The team also has a backup quarterback in Trey Lance.

But, one NFL analyst and expert is looking ahead and says the Cowboys’ quarterback class may look different next season.

Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Could Find the Grass is Greener Elsewhere

In a December 15 piece for Bleacher Report, Matt Holder notes that Rush could be a real find if the Cowboys don’t keep him on next season.

So, where does Holder think Rush could land? He thinks a post-Sam Darnold Minnesota Vikings would be a good fit for Rush.

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They also failed to address it in free agency, where Derrick Henry was said to be all but set to sign if the Cowboys made him a credible offer. No credible offer came, of course, and the Cowboys instead merely re-signed Rico Dowdle and brought back aged veteran Ezekiel Elliott.

You know how it played out. Elliott was, and is, washed up. Dowdle, though, has shown he can be a useful back, now at 880 yards over 13 games, with a considerable chance to break the 1,000-yard mark despite being underused early in the year. In Dowdle’s last four games, he has 478 yards on 84 attempts, and for Dallas, when Dowdle rushes at least 19 times, the team is 4-0.

Still, the Cowboys’ miserly approach in the spring of 2024 will be costly in 2025, as they gave Dowdle only a one-year contract. He will be a free agent next spring, and will command much more than the  $1.25 million he got this season.

Najee Harris Has Been Consistent

Whether the team brings back Dowdle or not, it is clear that the NFL has shifted in recent years to put more of an emphasis on the running game–which means the Cowboys will need to spend a bit more on the position than they have in the past.

At Bleacher Report, the team is being advised to go after one of the top free-agents on the running-back market, Steelers star Najee Harris.

Cowboys Need to Make a RB Investment

Harris won’t come cheap. While the Cowboys might be inclined to simply keep Dowdle and add a low-cost backup in free agency or the draft, there’s the possibility that Dowdle will land a bigger offer elsewhere and necessitate the move for a player like Harris.

At Spotrac, the market value for Harris is set at $9.3 million, with a three-year, $27 million contract projected in free agency. That might be undervalued, too, especially after teams like the Ravens with Henry, the Packers with Josh Jacobs and the Eagles with Saquon Barkley were all rewarded handsomely for investing in running backs in free agency last year.

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There have been rumors that Martin may consider retirement this offseason. After 10 games, Martin’s year was cut short with a season-ending ankle injury. Barnwell’s ideal offseason plan for Dallas has the franchise replacing Martin, Brandin Cooks and Terence Steele.

“Allow Brandin Cooks to leave and expect to move on from Zack Martin and (potentially) Terence Steele,” Barnwell wrote in a December 12, 2024, story titled, “Offseason moves to fix the 49ers, Bengals, Cowboys and Jets.” “… The right side of the offensive line needs to be replaced, too. It’s unclear whether Martin will retire after battling an ankle injury in 2024.

“If the seven-time All-Pro guard wants to return, the Cowboys should bring him back, but they have to prepare for a world where he isn’t his usual self or isn’t on the field at all. They are usually content to target offensive linemen in the draft, so I expect their draft in this scenario will consist of defensive front seven players and offensive linemen.”

The Cowboys Would Take a $26.4 Million Dead Cap Hit by Releasing Zack Martin

Martin was previously on a six-year, $84 million contract that was slated to go through the 2024 season. The star agreed to restructure his deal which became a two-year, $36.8 million contract that runs through 2025.

If Martin does want to play again, it makes little sense for the Cowboys to release the veteran offensive lineman. Martin’s cap hit for 2025 is $10.6 million, but the dead cap penalty would be $26.4 million if the team cut the veteran, per Spotrac.

Cowboys Star Zack Martin on Retirement Rumors: ‘We’ll See What the Future Holds’

When asked about potentially retiring, Martin declined to go into detail about his future. It is worth noting that the nine-time Pro Bowler did not deny that retirement is a possibility in the coming months.

“This is not the time to have those discussions, and this is kind of all I’ll say about that,” Martin said on December 5, per DallasCowboys.com’s Patrik Walker. “It’s a tough situation and the most important thing on my mind is getting healthy, and then having those conversations down the road. First and foremost, I want to get healthy and maybe those conversations are a little bit easier.

“… We’ll see what the future holds.”

Cowboys to Consider the Future of High-Priced Star Players

Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones has been candid about the franchise’s need to examine the high price that the team is paying for several key players. Stars like Martin, Dak Prescott and Trevon Diggs saw their season cut short with injuries.

“I think that’s a balancing act that you always got to look at,” Jones told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on December 11. “Especially when your good, good players get hurt and are not on the field.

“It totally magnifies the issue if you lose guys like Dak, and Diggs misses games, Zack Martin misses games and it’s going to magnify something like that. You’re going to say ‘God, are we smart having this much money tied in to the top five to 10 players?'”

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CeeDee Lamb is the second-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL, at $136 million over four years.

Now, Micah Parsons is in line to join them among the highest-paid players at their positions. Parsons is a three-time Pro Bowler who has finished in the Top 3 in Defensive Player of the Year voting for three straight seasons. He could well top the five-year, $170 million contract the 49ers gave to pass rusher Nick Bosa before last season.

That could, potentially, put the Cowboys in a position in which they’re paying three players somewhere in the . With the salary cap slated to come in at about $270 million next year, that means the Cowboys could spend $160 million on three players and $110 million on the other 50 players.

This is why the prospect of trading away Parsons rather than paying him a Bosa-like salary has cropped up repeatedly.

Cowboys Have Much to Consider

This became a hot issue on Sunday with a report from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, who suggested that the Cowboys have not “closed the door” on a trade of Parsons.

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That’s impressive for anyone, but it is especially impressive for Lamb this season, given the fact that the Cowboys have such a dearth of top-shelf weapons outside of Lamb and the fact that star quarterback Dak Prescott was not 100% to start the year and has been out for the season with a hamstring injury going back  to Week 9 against Atlanta.

Lamb spoke with reporters after the game.

“It means a lot,” Lamb said of his milestone. “It means all the hard work is paying off. Mad consistent with my work and the approach towards every year. And it is good to see it is showing up. Obviously, I am grateful for it, grateful for the opportunity, grateful for being in this organization and doing what I am doing. Looking forward to many more of those.”

CeeDee Lamb Taking Hits to his Injured Shoulder

But it was not all smooth sailing for Lamb in the game. he has been dealing with a shoulder injury for much of the year, and he has found that defensive backs trying to cover him have taken special aim at the injury. It happened on Sunday when Carolina defensive back Xavier Woods was flagged for a rough hit on Lamb in the second quarter.

Woods was called for leading with his helmet into Lamb, who said he’s getting used to that sort of thing–but that DBs will need to do more to throw him off his game.

Said Lamb: “I feel like it’s a well-known thing that my shoulder is hurting so I feel like these guys are trying to put their best hit on me so, I mean, you gotta come a little harder than that. … Need to bring a little more.”

Cowboys ‘Belief” Level Remains High

Despite what is an apparently lost cause of a season for the Cowboys, who are now 6-8 and will only have the slightest of chances to earn a playoff spot even if they win out from here, Lamb says he remains hopeful that the Cowboys can hit 9-8 and go from there.

“I always have that mentality and obviously offensively  the guys are looking to me as a spark,” he said. “So with that, I am going to continue to do that, and I look at myself as a spark as well. I feel like I can personally score from anywhere on the field, no matter how deep. So with that being said, I want to be a threat any time I touch it.”

His belief in this team is still there.

“It’s real,” Lamb said. “Very real. I always have belief. I don’t care how many games we lost, how many games we won. I just know how much we gotta do to finish the season out.”

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There is much the Cowboys need, after all. Getting into position for the best possible pick sure sounds like a the best play for the team’s future.

The problem, though, is that edge rusher Micah Parsons was never going to let that happen. He said as much two weeks ago, and after Dallas flexed its way past Carolina in Week 15, with a 30-14 win, thanks in large part to a dominating defensive effort, Parsons reiterated his feelings.

Speaking with reporters after the game, Parsons was emphatic in his message to his teammates. There were, entering Sunday, four games to play, and Parsons expected a level of professionalism from all four outings.

That started with Carolina: “We’ve got to step up defensively, understand that we’re missing offensively, missing some guys on that side, but we just gotta keep stepping up.  This was a good team. They gave the Eagles a fright, Chiefs, Broncos–this is a team that coming in here, we didn’t want to take lightly.”

But he wants to carry that approach forward.

“We are not gonna give up,” Parsons said. As long as I am part of this unit, as long as we believe in each other, and I can look to my left and know I can count on them. We fighting for each other, you know?”

Cowboys Stars Came Through

The Cowboys had a solid day offensively, as quarterback Cooper Rush overcame a fumble to throw three touchdowns without an interception, and fed nine passes for 116 yards to receiver CeeDee Lamb. Running back Rico Dowdle racked up 149 yards on 25 carries.

But the defense consistently set up the offense in favorable situations. They sacked Bryce Young six times and forced four turnovers–two fumbles and two interceptions. Parsons said those around the NFL can expect that kind of effort to continue.

“There’s a lot of guys fighting for new contracts, guys fighting to take care of their families. There’s still a lot of football to be played.  You don’t want to put nothing bad on film or nothing like that. We fighting for each other at this point,” he said.

At 6-8, the Cowboys are not really fighting for the playoffs anymore. But they can, Parsons said, fight for each other. “The record is the record, the game is the game. You’re going to win some and we’re going to lose some. But it’s a special feeling when we can fight for each other,” he noted.

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ESPN’s Bill Barnwell is pushing the Cowboys to sign highly coveted Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The surprise is that the analyst suggested taking a “bigger swing” with Johnson by offering a massive five-year, $125 million deal. This is a lot of money for a first-time NFL head coach.

“Offer Ben Johnson five years and $125 million to take over as coach,” Barnwell wrote in a December 12, 2024, story titled, “Offseason moves to fix the 49ers, Bengals, Cowboys and Jets.” “I wanted to argue that the Cowboys should hire Bill Belichick, who would have taken over in the hopes of immediately fixing the defense and left the offense to someone else. With Belichick taking the job at the University of North Carolina, though, Dallas might instead need to take a bigger swing to fix its offense.

“… The Cowboys can’t subvert the salary cap, and they can’t buy first-round picks, but spending on coaches is uncapped. Paying Johnson this much would represent a significant investment and probably make every other team in the league angry, but coaches as a whole are underpaid. This franchise is valued as being worth more than $10 billion by Forbes. If this move succeeds, Johnson would be a bargain. If it fails, the Cowboys won’t miss the money.”

Potential Cowboys Target Ben Johnson Is Leading the Top Scoring Offense in the NFL With the Lions

Johnson’s appeal is hard to ignore, but the assistant opted to remain in Detroit despite being a hot name during the coaching carousel after the 2023 season. Heading into Week 15, the Lions lead the NFL by averaging 32.1 points per game and are No. 2 is total yards at 422.5 per contest.

The question is whether the Cowboys will actually make a move at head coach this offseason. Dallas opted to stick with McCarthy in 2024 despite an embarrassing 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the opening round of the NFL playoffs.

Mike McCarthy’s Future in Dallas Depends on Cowboys’ Final 4 Games: Insider

This scenario would be different as McCarthy was already under contract with the Cowboys in 2024. Bringing McCarthy back for 2025 would require a new contract and likely more of a commitment than just one season. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that McCarthy’s future may depend on how the Cowboys play in the team’s final four games to close the season.

“Around the league, speculation is swirling about McCarthy’s future, including from those looking for a chance to be the head coach of the Cowboys,” Russini detailed in a December 14, article titled, “Russini’s what I’m hearing: The biggest Belichick twist; about those Kyle Shanahan rumors.” “Many believe the team’s performance in these final games will be critical, with some executives believing Dallas might stick with their “lame duck” coach if they see enough progress and the locker room support the coach has received continues.

“… One NFL executive (not with the Cowboys) believes: ‘It will be important for McCarthy to finish strong, for Jones to stand pat.’”

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This time, it’s star corner Trevon Diggs, the team’s $97 million anchor in the defensive backfield. Diggs was the team’s second-round pick in 2020 and has earned two Pro Bowl spots, making him a no-brainer for the team to sign to a five-year megadeal back in the summer of 2023.

Problem is, Diggs has not been healthy since. He played only two games before tearing his ACL in 2023, and has missed two of the past three weeks with another knee injury. Now, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Diggs will be out for the rest of the year as he gets season-ending surgery again.

Wrote Glazer on Twitter/X: “The hits keep coming for the @dallascowboys. In a year where they have been decimated by injuries another star is done for the year, Pro Bowl CB Trevon Diggs is not only out tomorrow he is also now set to have season-ending knee surgery. Unreal horrible luck for the Cowboys on the injury front.”

Cowboys Could Look to Save Money

Things had not been trending well for Diggs despite a solid game on Monday night against the Bengals. Diggs was limited in Wednesday and Thursday’s practice ahead of Week 15, but the Cowboys held him out on Friday and subsequently announced they would not bring him to Carolina.

Then came Glazer’s bombshell, which could have bigger implications, because the Cowboys will need to think twice about what to do with Diggs in the future. He has been a star when he is healthy, but in the past two seasons, he will have played 13 games.

According to Spotrac, the Cowboys have an out clause on Diggs, after this season, which will cap his deal at $33 million and leave a dead-cap hit of $12.75 million. If the Cowboys cut him, once the dead cap clears, the savings after that would be $14.25 million in 2025, $19.75 million in 2026, followed by $24.75 million and $20 million in the years after that.

Trevon Diggs Injury Is Bad Timing for Him

It would be a tough move on the part of the Cowboys, considering that Diggs is just three years removed from leading the NFL with 11 interceptions. But there is no question that Diggs was not the same player coming back from his knee injury this year. With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb getting big new contracts, and Micah Parsons up next, the Cowboys may need to cut some corners.

At Pro Football Focus, Diggs had a grade of 56.6, which was 87th out of 118 corners, his lowest grade of his career.

Last year, when Diggs originally was injured, coach Mike McCarthy’s reaction said it all. “Obviously you feel sick [for] him,” McCarthy said at the time. “It’s definitely a punch to the gut for our football team, but this is an opportunity for our defensive depth to stand up and continue to move forward.”

But this year, given the number of injuries the Cowboys have had, Diggs is simply one of many. And there’s reason to wonder whether, when he does come back from the injury, he does so in Dallas.

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It goes without saying that there are plenty of names being floated around as possible replacements for McCarthy. But, one could stand above the rest.

Cowboys Should Look at the ‘Most Coveted Coaching Candidates’

Everyone has their favorites when it comes to who should coach the Dallas Cowboys in the future, and Jerry Trotta of The Landry Hat has a top pick. In a December 12 feature for the publication, he states that Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, is his top choice.

“Johnson was one of the most coveted coaching candidates last hiring cycle. He took several interviews and appeared to reach an agreement with the Commanders but be backed out at the last-second to return to his post in Detroit,” Trotta noted.

Numbers don’t lie, and Ben Johnson has those on his side. The Detroit Lions, heading into Week 15, rank top in points per game 32.1 and second in yards per game at 394.8.

Partly thanks to those numbers and perhaps other factors, Trotta calls Johnson “one of the top play-callers in the NFL. He’s in the upper-echelon with Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay.”

“Johnson is the architect of the entire operation,” Trotta said. “He calls the plays and designs the scheme. He’s propelled a very limited quarterback in Jared Goff into the MVP conversation.”

Trotta added that “it’s unlikely that Jerry and Stephen Jones” would hire someone with no previous head coaching experience, but that “Johnson’s offensive genius is exactly what Dallas should target after they made Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb among the highest-paid players at their respective positions.”

Just look at how Goff has flourished under Johnson. He could possibly do the same for Prescott, although one could argue that Prescott is more of a veteran quarterback than Goff, and Johnson could perhaps fit better with more of a rookie.

Dallas Cowboys Also Linked With Mike Vrabel

Another name being thrown around with the Cowboys is Mike Vrabel, the former coach of the Titans. In a column for ESPN, NFL expert Jeremy Fowler says Vrabel is a viable candidate.

“Some around the league have noted the Cowboys as a natural fit [with Vrabel],” Fowler stated. “They valued experience and pedigree with their last hire in Mike McCarthy and could lean that way again, if they decide to make a change at all.”

Vrabel was 54-45 in six seasons with the Tennessee Titans. Under his direction, the Titans went to three playoffs and won AFC South titles in 2020 and 2021.

Regardless of if and when the Cowboys get a new head coach, that’s likely not what’s on the minds of the Cowboys right now. The 5-8 team is looking ahead to a matchup against the Panthers on Sunday, December 15.

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The Cowboys’ identity has long been in its offensive line, with Pro Bowlers like Zack Martin, Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz anchoring the unit. But Smith and Biadasz bolted in free agency this offseason, the Cowboys making no effort to sign either. Instead, they drafted Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe to replace them, and kept Martin around.

Now, though, things have gotten ugly. Guyton has battled injuries and has not appeared to be up to a starting job. Beebe has shown promise in Year 1, but now has a concussion and is likely out for Week 15. Martin, too, is injured, had surgery and will be out for the year–and may be done in the NFL at age 34.

Cowboys Bring in Braeden Daniels

Sensing impending doom along the offensive front, the Cowboys made a move this week, signing Braeden Daniels, a former fourth-round pick of the Commanders in 2023, who was with the Texans, Chargers and Eagles this year, too. He will begin on the team’s practice squad.

Daniels has yet to make his NFL debut, but that could come down the stretch of the season for the Cowboys, given the current state of the line. He has been a disappointment to this point of his NFL career, but he is only 24 and has upside.

As NFL.com wrote in its predraft scouting report when Daniels was coming out of Utah:

“Active, athletic offensive lineman offering room for development at guard or tackle. Daniels is an impactful down blocker with the quickness to handle zone-blocking duties. Firing out and sustaining drive blocks, however, will require much better patience and footwork to keep from whiffing or falling off blocks.

“Small hands prevent him from latching in as a run blocker or in pass protection, but flurrying hands and a tenacious mirror help him stay in front of rushers. Position versatility and correctable issues could raise Daniels’ draft profile as a middle-rounder with upside.”

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ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes Elliott’s time in Dallas may be done for good at season’s end. Elliott will be a free agent this offseason, and the analyst believes the franchise will move on from the three-time Pro Bowler as well as linebacker Eric Kendricks.

“Ezekiel Elliott has been a replacement-level back and has seen his yards per carry fall for the fourth consecutive season,” Barnwell wrote in a December 12, 2024, story titled, “Offseason moves to fix the 49ers, Bengals, Cowboys and Jets.” “… Eric Kendricks excelled under Zimmer in Minnesota and was a great player for a long time, but he’s not an NFL-caliber linebacker anymore. Teams exploit his lack of range on a weekly basis.

“The Cowboys have to upgrade those spots. So Elliott and Kendricks, the two veteran free agents they signed during their all-in spring, probably are going to move on. Zimmer’s tenure with the team will also likely end after one season.”

The Cowboys Face Decisions on Both Rico Dowdle & Ezekiel Elliott Who Are Both Headed to NFL Free Agency

Elliott previously signed a six-year, $90 million contract with Dallas during his first stint with the franchise. The deal was slated to go through the 2026 season before Dallas released the star in 2023.

After one season with the New England Patriots, Elliott returned to Dallas on a one-year, $2 million contract in 2024. It is not just Elliott who the Cowboys face a decision about as Dowdle will also be a free agent.

The running back has likely played his way into a raise from his current one-year, $1.2 million deal. It will be worth watching to see if the Cowboys attempt to re-sign Dowdle or completely revamp the position group.

Heading into Week 15, Dowdle has posted 152 carries for 731 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Dowdle has also added 33 receptions for 205 yards and 3 TDs through the air.

Ezekiel Elliott Was Suspended by the Cowboys Earlier This Season

Elliott has 61 carries for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns while averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. Beyond his underwhelming production, Elliott has been at odds with the team at various points this season. Things came to a head when the Cowboys suspended Elliott from playing against the Atlanta Falcons on November 3.

“Ezekiel Elliott not traveling with the Cowboys for disciplinary reasons has been building for some time within the team, source tells me,” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones detailed in a November 2, message on X. “It was in everyone’s best interest he not accompany the team this weekend.”

The Cowboys continue to be floated as a potential landing spot for Boise State Broncos star running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL draft. CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has Dallas snagging Jeanty with the No. 12 pick in his latest mock draft.

“Is Ashton Jeanty a luxury pick? That depends; were Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs luxury picks?” Wilson pondered on December 9. “Because Jeanty is that type of impact back. He hasn’t been used nearly as much in the pass game, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do it.”

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Now, the Cowboys have some news from their Thursday practice injury report in the form of two crucial players remaining limited in practice.

More of the Same on the Cowboys’ Injury Report

The Cowboys’ injury report for Thursday, December 12, practice had cornerback Trevon Diggs and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb remaining limited. Both players appeared in Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals despite their injuries, so it’s possible they’ll do that again on Sunday, playing through injury. It would be ideal to have them totally healthy, though. In addition, linebacker Buddy Johnson missed practice due to an illness.

The rest of the Cowboys’ injury report remained consistent with what we’ve seen as of late. Center Cooper Beebe, linebacker Eric Kendricks, safety Juanyeh Thomas and linebacker Nick Vigil once again didn’t practice. Cornerback C.J. Goodwin and cornerback Jourdan Lewis remained limited. On the bright side, a handful of players were full participants for a second consecutive practice, including left tackle Tyler Guyton, cornerback DaRon Bland, running back Rico Dowdle, tight end Marshawn Kneeland and left guard Tyler Smith.

So, it’s a mix of the good and bad, but having Diggs and Lamb healthy again is especially critical to the Cowboys notching any more wins this season.

‘We Got to Win Out’

During Sunday’s game against the Bengals, Lamb showed that he can get solid numbers even playing through injury. During the game, he clocked 93 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush, filling in for Prescott, closed out the game 16-of-31 for 183 yards and two touchdowns, one to Lamb and one to Brandin Cooks, and one interception. Running back Rico Dowdle had an especially stellar game and notched a career-high 131 yards.

Speaking to press on Thursday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy praised Lamb for his ability to play through adversity.

“CeeDee is an impact player. He’s one of the best players in the game,”  McCarthy said per NFL analyst and expert Garrett Podell. “Just where he lines up creates opportunities for others. CeeDee’s a very diligent guy as far as how he prepares for games. He’s a good example that way for our guys. He’s a huge part of our football team.”

Also on Thursday, Lamb told reporters, “We got to win out. So, in order for anything else to happen, all the help that we need, we still have to do our part. … We just need to focus on one game at a time. We don’t need to worry about anything else at this point.”

He added, “We need everybody to hone in on their job and handle their responsibilities and then everything else, just fall into place.”

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While the Cowboys have enjoyed some success this season, including a 2-2 showing from backup quarterback Cooper Rush, their hopes to make the playoffs pretty much evaporated on Sunday, with a 27-20 loss to the Bengals.

Following the game, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has dropped some truth bombs about the frustrations that came with losing that important game. Lamb, as always, had a stellar showing on Sunday, notching 93 yards and a touchdown on six catches, all while dealing with a shoulder injury.

Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Gets Real About Losses

Following the Bengals loss, Lamb was asked to talk about the frustrations in the locker room and how the guys felt after the big loss.

Lamb summed the emotions up with a very honest and painful statement: “It sucks.”

He added, “Obviously, we needed that win, and we didn’t get it. So, as for everybody in the locker room, I mean, obviously that one hit us, and I ain’t really got too much to say on it, but yeah, it sucks.”

When asked if that loss hurt more than the other Cowboys losses this season, Lamb said, “They all hurt just the same.”

“I mean, they add up, and then this is what you get.”

There were some bright spots, though. Lamb praised the defense and said “they did a great job, obviously, just stopping them, giving us an opportunity to take over the game and giving us plenty of opportunities. Obviously, some of them we didn’t maximize and fulfill, but, I feel like going into halftime, we kind of dried up on the offensive side, and then coming out, we were still short.”

Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb on His Shoulder Injury

Lamb has been nursing a shoulder injury, and he opened up about it during a press conference on December 5.

“It’s not a pleasant feeling, obviously for everyone that’s experienced an AC [joint] sprain,” he said, via CBS Sports. “They understand what I’m going through.” But, Lamb was positive, stating, “It’s fine. You got to take it day to day. You have to stay on it. You have to keep recovering.”

He added that while playing with the injury is “tricky,” it’s not anything he hasn’t experienced before. “It starts off as a mental thing before it becomes an unfathomable pain,” he added.

Lamb also had an AC joint sprain in his shoulder as a freshman at Oklahoma in 2017. So, he’s learned how to deal with it, and it’s possible that history of dealing with this particular injury is helping him the second time around.

The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up to take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, December 15. It’s actually the first game the Panthers have been favored to win in two years, but don’t count the Cowboys out just yet.

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Bill Belichick is off to become Big Man on Campus in Chapel Hill, and given the Dallas salary-cap situation, it is possible that the Cowboys job is not the much-sought-after role we might assume it ought to be. After all, before the wheels fell off this season, the Cowboys had been 36-15 in their previous three years.

The only problem then was that McCarthy could not win in the playoffs. He’s fixed that this year by seldom being able to win at all.

But there is, certainly, a potential  McCarthy replacement who makes some sense, one who brings two elements–experience and a winning background–that will surely catch the eye of team owner Jerry Jones. That would be former Titans coach Mike Vrabel.

Cowboys a ‘Natural Fit’ Because of Experience Level

At ESPN on Wednesday, insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano took a deep dive into how things may shake out with various potential coaching openings around the NFL, particularly the Raiders, Jaguars and Giants. But the Cowboys earned a mention, too.

As Fowler wrote, “Some around the league have noted the Cowboys as a natural fit. They valued experience and pedigree with their last hire in Mike McCarthy and could lean that way again, if they decide to make a change at all.”

And Graziano added, about the buzz around Vrabel as a candidate, “The buzz seems legitimate based on what I’ve heard around the league. Vrabel is considered a prime candidate to get one of the seven to eight jobs that will inevitably open. … But there are questions attached to Vrabel’s candidacy. What level of control does he want? Is he flexible on staffing? And how would he pair with a new general manager?”

Mike Vrabel Would Not Have to Deal With Hierarchy

It would help, certainly, that the Cowboys’ general manager basically is Jerry Jones, who is also the team owner. There’s not a lot of hierarchy in Dallas, which might benefit Vrabel if he felt he had Jones’ ear.

Vrabel played eight seasons for the Patriots from 2001-08, and was a Pro Bowler who helped the team to three championship rings. He was also, briefly, a teammate of Mayo, adding a layer of intrigue to the notion that he could battle Mayo for the Patriots job.

He had a 54-45 record as coach of the Titans, and made three playoff appearances.

Fowler had earlier reported that Vrabel will be ne of the two most sought-after coaching candidates this offseason, “I’ve talked to people who think he should get a head-coaching job and could be as high as No. 2 in the pecking order behind [Detroit Lions offensive coordinator] Ben Johnson.”

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The Cowboys are coming off a tough 27-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, with a late special teams gaffe costing them the game. Cooper Rush did not have his best game, completing 16 of 31 passes for 183 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Rush has been serviceable as a replacement for the injured Dak Prescott, but some have still wondered why Lance hasn’t been given an opportunity, especially with Dallas sitting at 5-8.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones does not feel like it’s time to turn things over to Lance.

“I thought for the most part, I thought we did some good things out there, and I still believe [Cooper Rush] gives us our best chance,” Jones said during an interview on 105.3 The Fan. “Wins are important for us, very important for us. This is a young team. Cooper, we think, gives us our best chance. We want to look at everything about [Monday] night and make sure the tale of the tape, so to speak, keeps us in the same mode. But it’s very important to go down and beat Carolina for this team next year. We’ve got a lot of young players out here that we want to get that experience. And so you have to consider that when you consider, if you will, evaluating at such a critical position, quarterback.”

Cowboys Don’t Regret Trey Lance Trade

The Cowboys surprisingly made the trade for Lance in August of 2023, sending a fourth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the former No. 3 overall pick. But outside of preseason action, Lance has seen next to no action, attempting just six passes in a Dallas uniform. But the Cowboys’ front office does not regret making the deal.

“We’d do that again,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said in November on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “I mean, he’s a top-tier pick, a guy we had at the top. As you know, Dak was coming up for contract. We wanted to take a look at a good, young talent and didn’t feel like we could get anything, from a quality standpoint, like we could get with Trey. As it turns out, we ended up signing Dak long-term. Obviously, that puts a little less need, in terms of having to rush to do something with Trey. As a matter of fact, it makes it hard because Trey I’m sure is wanting to see what’s out there now that we have committed to Dak long-term, but I don’t regret that at all.”

The Cowboys declined Lance’s fifth-year option, and he is in the final year of his contract. With just four NFL starts under his belt, he’ll have to hope a team in free agency is willing to take a shot at the upside that got him drafted.

Dez Bryant Calls for Trey Lance to Get Shot With Cowboys

It’s not just the fans who want to see Lance get a shot. Former Cowboys star Dez Bryant also thinks its time.

“Trey Lance deserve a shot,” Bryant wrote on X.

Some reminded Bryant of Lance’s uneven preseason. He got the majority of reps but did little to impress or show the Cowboys that he could be the backup to Prescott entering the regular season.

He completed 73 of 113 pass attempts (64 percent) with 662 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and five interceptions — all coming in one game. He added 24 carries for 168 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

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Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Dallas Cowboys got after their loss to the Bengals on Monday night, doomed by a blocked punt that was fumbled by the punt-block team and re-secured by Cincinnati.

Cowboys Linebacker Suffered Gruesome Injury On Monday Night

Starting inside linebacker, DeMarvion Overshown, suffered a significant knee injury in the 4th quarter of Monday’s game whilst attempting to get off a block from Bengals guard, Alex Cappa, during a Chase Brown 2-yard run.

And on Tuesday, the prognosis for the second year pick out of Texas has been released, and it is not good.

Overshown tore his ACL, MCL and PCL, according to ESPN, and Mike McCarthy has weighed in with devastating news for the linebacker’s short-term playing prospects, per Josh Tolentino.

Asked if Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown could miss the entire 2025 season, coach Mike McCarthy replied: “I think that’s fair. I think that’s realistic.”

— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) December 10, 2024

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Moreover, sports medical doctor, Deepak Chona, gave a more specific approximation of the Texas’ product expected time on the sidelines.

DeMarvion Overshown – brutal luck. Avg = 15 months to return.

Year 1 post-return generally comes with a legit performance hit.

Strong chance to return to comparable form year 2#Cowboys https://t.co/FaziUZdSsR

— Deepak Chona, MD. SportsMedAnalytics (@SportMDAnalysis) December 10, 2024

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What Next For Overshown And The Cowboys’ Defense?

GettyDeMarvion Overshown vs. Seattle Seahawks

It is certainly true that we have seen more and more instances of players accelerating injury timelines over the past couple of years.

Cam Akers returned to play in the playoffs for the LA Rams after tearing his ACL in the preseason; Aaron Rodgers famously geared up to play in the last few weeks of the regular season, before the Jets’ elimination from playoff contention rendered those plans futile.

However, with an injury of this magnitude – tearing three knee ligaments – for a player that is still very much in the early days of his career, it would seem prudent to not rush his return and instead prioritize a complete recovery that allows him to hit the ground running when he does eventually come back.

Especially considering the Cowboys’ team lifecycle being at least a couple of seasons away from being able to truly contend in the postseason.

For the Cowboys, this is a major blow; Overshown racked up the second-most tackles on the team this season, behind only 32-year old veteran and former All-Pro, Eric Kendricks.

Overshown represents the future of the future of the heart of Dallas’ defense alongside impressive rookie, Marist Liufau. For the moment however, Liufau and Kendricks can hold down the fort until the end of the season, and beyond that only the Cowboys brass knows.

Realistically, in a season that is now all but finished after Monday’s loss, the loss of the former 3rd round pick won’t have a next-level impact on the season, but could unquestionably halts the progression of a potential star in the making.

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After yet another potential game-winning/tying field goals was blocked this weekend, this time by Bryan Bresee of the New Orleans Saints to hand them a 14-11 win over the New York Giants, it feels like a strange pattern has emerged:

Between curious clock management decisions, missed extra points and well-timed special teams plays, games that were once almost “sure things” going into the final few seconds are very much no longer such.

Dallas Cowboys Lose In Brutal Fashion

GettyCooper Rush Dallas Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals encapsulated what has been a – sadly not  uniquely – frustrating season for the Dallas Cowboys.

With the game all squared at 20-20, the Bengals punted from their 29 yard line with two minutes to go, in what would have given Cowboys quarterback, Cooper Rush, plenty of time and all three timeouts to work his way down the field methodically.

Instead, Cowboys linebacker – and ironically former Bengal – Nick Vigil blocked the punt, sending it flying towards the 40 yard line, where safety Amani Oruwariye attempted to corral it, only to fumble it and send it into the arms of Bengal special teamers, Maema Njongmeta and Tycen Anderson.

The Cowboys blocks the punt… but it was then touched by a Dallas player… and then recovered by the Bengals 🤯

Chaos. @Bengals ball pic.twitter.com/Uw0l4ebH3v

— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2024

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This game-altering mistake that ultimately lead to a second Ja’Marr Chase touchdown and another Dallas defeat, moving their record to 5-8 – at the cusp of playoff elimination with 4 games left.

Micah Parsons Had Visceral Reaction To The Game’s Ending

GettyMicah Parsons vs. New York Giants

Micah Parsons; 3 x All Pro linebacker, and the leader of this Cowboys defense clearly felt this loss as strongly as any that he has faced in his Cowboys career since being taken with the 12th overall pick in 2021, per Jon Machota.

Cowboys DE Micah Parsons: “I’m hurt. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. You can’t put that into words. … It seems like we’re paying a due that’s not fair. I don’t know if it’s bad luck, karma.

“This one hurt me more than any loss this year, probably even worse than the playoff…

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 10, 2024

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Parsons emotive words are certainly understandable – a blocked punt, subsequently fumbled and turned over is undoubtedly one of the more brutal ways to lose a game.

But the Pro Bowler – and Dallas fans in general – should not lose sight of the fact that Cooper Rush regained possession of the ball with a minute to go holding all three timeouts. Whilst having to score a touchdown on that drive made things more difficult, it was by no means an insurmountable position to find themselves at the end of the game.

The ugly truth is that the Cowboys are no longer able to consistently win in the regular season with backup Cooper Rush in the regular season (despite him going 3-1 in 2022), and Dak Prescott is not able to stack wins in the postseason. If Dallas had not just sent him a 4 year, $240 million deal, we might be asking if the team needs a new QB all together.

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Just to recap, the Bengals and Cowboys played a sloppy but compelling game in front of a national primetime audience on Monday, and with just under two minutes to play, the Cowboys were set to get the ball as the Bengals were backed up on a fourth-and-27 situation. The score at the time: 20-20.

Dallas got a break when Cowboys linebacker Nick Vigil slipped up the middle and blocked Ryan Rehkow’s punt. But then things got ugly. Oruwariye tried to field the bouncing ball, but after touching it, he could not reel it in. All he had to do was get out of the way, and the Cowboys would have had the ball at about the 45-yard line.

Instead, the Bengals recovered and set themselves up for a go-ahead touchdown on a pass from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase. 27-20, Cincinnati.

After the game, team owner Jerry Jones met with the media, and offered a bizarre take on the situation. Pick your emoji: forehead slap, or simple shrug?

Cowboys Were … Wrong to Block the Punt?

Surrounded by cameras and tape recorders, as he likes to be, Jones tried to say that perhaps the Cowboys were wrong to try to block the punt. It was a confusing point, at best.

Said Jones: “Well, why block the kick? Just take the kick and get within field-goal kicking (range). We’ll all be second-guessing that one. After blocking the punt, we touched the ball. That all should be figured in before you decide to block the punt. Especially, you weigh your odds up against catching the ball on the kick and getting it back out and getting within field-goal range. We can all second-guess that.”

The notion of “deciding” against blocking a punt, a play that should have given the Cowboys the ball with only about 15 yards needed for sure-bet game-wining field goal, drew serious jeers around the league.

Jerry Jones Is ‘Being Dumb’

On the ESPN morning show, “Get Up,” two former NFL players–Domonique Foxworth and Jeff Saturday–were stunned by the logic Jones tried to put forth on Monday night.

Foxworth wondered, as many in Cowboys Nation have done, why there is no one in the organization who can tell Jones when to maybe stop talking.

He said: “There’s been so many things he has said this year that seem silly. That speaks to me as a person who doesn’t have anyone who can tell him, ‘You being dumb. You need to be quiet.’ At a certain point, somewhere along the line, all the silly things that he said this year, someone needs to say, ‘Hey, you’re wrong.’ He doesn’t know that he’s wrong. That’s absurd.”

Added Saturday: “You literally question everything that is going on. Who in the owner’s box is agreeing with you? When you come down and you have your press conference … My goodness, to talk about it as a return vs. a block, that is crazy.”

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