The upcoming NFL salary cap increase is good news for the Cowboys- Mario Herrera Jr, Inside The Star
Jerry needs to be willing to spend this offseason.
WR George Pickens
Pickens in the most pressing (and most important) financial decision on the horizon.
The franchise tag remains a likely option in the short
term, but it’s far from ideal.
Tagging a wide receiver carries a massive one-year cap hit and offers no long-term security for either side.
A multi-year deal, properly structured, would be far more beneficial.
Pickens gives Dallas something defenses must account for on every snap: a physical, vertical threat who can win one-on-one matchups and stretch coverage.
His presence tilts safety alignments and creates space underneath, making life easier for the entire offense.
Locking him in beyond 2026 ensures offensive continuity and avoids the constant churn that comes from patching together wide receiver rooms each year.
RB Javonte Williams
The running back market has cooled, but effective backs still matter; especially for teams that want balance.
Williams brings power, contact balance, and reliability between the tackles.
He helps close games, shortens third downs, and prevents the offense from becoming one-dimensional.
With the cap climbing, Dallas can justify a reasonable investment at the position without compromising flexibility elsewhere.
Retaining Williams allows the Cowboys to maintain offensive identity while protecting the quarterback and keeping defenses honest deep into games.
Cowboys trade up for Downs in 7-round mock, draft defense 5x in row- K.D. Drumond, Cowboys Wire
It’s mock draft time.
Trade with New Orleans Saints
Cowboys receive: 1.8, 2.42, 3.73
Saints receive: 1.12, 1.20, 4.112
Dallas is sending value of 1200, 850 and 70, respectively, for a total of 2120 points. New Orleans is sending 1400, 480 and 225 for a total 2105 points. The 15-point difference is the equivalent of a sixth-round pick.
1.8: Safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Many draftniks have Downs as the No. 1 player on their board, only he plays a position that isn’t as highly valued in the NFL as others. Getting this level of defender into the mix for the new regime is crucial, as he can become the centerpiece to the new-look defense. Parker stresses intelligence from his players and Downs has that in spades, as well as the tenacity and physical ability to put those smarts to great use.
2.42: LB Anthony Hill, Jr., Texas
Adding Hill to the defense in the second round is a steal. He’s arguably LB2 behind Sonny Styles and has an elite skillset as a pursuit and downhill guy. Pairing him with DeMarvion Overshown, a prior No. 0 for Texas, would go a long way to fixing the Cowboys’ issues on the intermediate level.
Cowboys’ chances at landing five-time Pro Bowler have never felt more real – Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat
This could be the offseason Dallas finally appeases fans and makes a splashy move.
“… In order for a trade to occur, Crosby will likely have to force Raiders owner Mark Davis’ hand, Corry writes. “The Raiders briefly made Crosby the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback last March with a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension, averaging $35.5 million, although he had two years remaining on his existing contract.
The deal has $91.5 million in guarantees, of which $62.5 million was fully guaranteed at signing. There are four years worth $116.058 million left on Crosby’s contract.”
It speaks volumes that Crosby made the cut. For context, Eagles perpetually disgruntled wide receiver A.J. Brown and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray were Corry’s other trade candidates. Even if you don’t follow the NFL at large, odds are you’ve heard rumblings that Brown and Murray could be out in Philadelphia and Arizona, respectively.
There have been similar whispers regarding Crosby’s future after he was fiercely against being shut down for the final two games due to a knee injury. The Raiders had their sights set on the No. 1 overall pick, which they ultimately got, and did not want Crosby wrecking an obvious taking agenda.
While Las Vegas is in the process of hiring a new head coach, its relationship with Crosby may already be splintered beyond repair. Either way, the tension is real, and the Cowboys should be blowing up general manager John Spytek’s phone until he’s forced to put it on Do Not Disturb.
Cowboys Urged to Target Free Agent With Ties to DC Christian Parker- Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated
It certainly makes sense if Parker believes he can rebound.
“The Cowboys’ main maneuver this offseason figures to be retaining star receiver George Pickens, but Dallas’ languid defense still needs major modifications. That includes in the secondary, where Donovan Wilson will be a free agent,” Locker wrote.
“Blankenship was ineffective in coverage last season with a 29.9 PFF coverage grade, but he still flashed with a 75.3 PFF run-defense grade. Additionally, his coverage grade before this season is a noticeably better 87.1. With Christian Parker coming in from Philadelphia as Dallas’ new defensive coordinator, several Eagles could join him — and the Cowboys could bank on a bounce-back season from the 26-year-old safety.”
Blankenship’s struggles in coverage could hurt his chances of sticking with the Eagles, and it might give Dallas pause. That said, he knows the scheme Parker will run and if he does bounce back, Blankenship could prove to be an upgrade over Donovan Wilson.
Derrick Ansley brings passion, experience to Cowboys defense- David Howman, Blogging The Boys
Get to know a new face.
Ansley will serve in the same capacity in Dallas as he did in Green Bay, coaching defensive backs and coordinating the pass game. It should be noted that the Packers defense was one of the best in the league, so good that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was hired to lead the Dolphins after interviewing for a majority of the head coach vacancies this cycle.
Ansley was a big part of that, and he’s a huge get for the 34-year old first-time defensive coordinator.
For a while, Ansley was building a reputation as a top technician on the college level. The Alabama native played safety at Troy and later became a graduate assistant at Alabama under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. When Alabama’s assistant head coach, Sal Sunseri, left to run the defense for the Tennessee Volunteers, he brought Ansley along to coach defensive backs.
From Tennessee, he had a brief stint at Kentucky before returning to Alabama, where he coached the likes of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey. Jon Gruden poached him for his first season back with the Raiders, where Ansley coached defensive backs under Mike Zimmer disciple Paul Guenther.
Ansley returned to the college ranks a year later for the chance to be the Volunteers defensive coordinator, this time under newly hired head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who had also been a longtime Saban assistant at Alabama. After two seasons, Pruitt was fired for recruiting violations, and Ansley went pro again.
