During the opening press conference of training camp, Dallas Cowboys COO and Executive Vice President Stephen Jones was emphatic when asked about getting a potential contract extension done with Quinnen Williams.
“Absolutely, Jones said. I mean we’re very open to that. We want Quinnen here for the long haul. Obviously we got a lot of resources tied up in him and he knows what we think about him. We’ve had some discussions with the agent about how to go about the process, but certainly he’s one of the best
in the business. We know kind of what that market is. Obviously it evolves and changes with each new deal which is the case at any position. Certainly he’s at the top of the list in terms of people that we want to keep around here long-term and there’s other players on the roster we may take a look at as well. As we move forward, camp seems to always be a nice time to look at something like that.”
Stephen Jones is right. The Oxnard air has a way of getting deals done with players, sometimes out of nowhere. Malik Hooker, Trevon Diggs, Dez Bryant, Travis Frederick, Tyron Smith, and many more have all gotten extensions under the California sun. So, which players could be next in line during this training camp? Here are a few names to consider.
1. Quinnen Williams, DT
Williams is the obvious choice considering what Stephen Jones said. The Cowboys do have a lot of resources tied up in the player; they traded a first- and second-round pick for him. When Dallas traded for Amari Cooper during the bye week of 2018, he was still on his rookie deal set to expire in 2020. The Cowboys made sure to lock up a player they also invested a first-round pick in.
The defensive tackle market is changing. Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter just signed a contract extension that made him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history. Can Williams ask for more money? He certainly has more Pro Bowls, an All-Pro nomination, and the experience, despite spending a long time on a horrible New York Jets team.
It would be wise for the Cowboys to lock in their franchise face on defense for the long term. At just 28 years old, there should be at least five more great years from a player like Williams.
2. DeMarvion Overshown, LB
When Barry Church suffered a torn Achilles in Week 3 of the 2012 season, it looked like his future in Dallas would be near its end. However, the front office felt the opposite. In the middle of the season, they awarded Church with a four-year contract extension. Not only did the player deserve it, but Dallas was hoping to get a discount considering he was dealing with an injury.
It always felt like, given the belief and hope around DeMarvion Overshown, the Cowboys would have done something similar. So far, they haven’t. Overshown is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has appeared in just 19 games across three seasons. One and a half seasons were lost to two major knee injuries, but what we saw from the first part of 2024 was special. Before the injury, Overshown had 90 combined tackles, five sacks and eight tackles for loss.
He recently changed agents and is now represented by David Mulugheta. The Cowboys and Mulugheta don’t necessarily have the warmest history together. Still, both sides can come together during training camp and reach an agreement to provide guaranteed security for the player and lock down a centerpiece of Christian Parker’s defense. Overshown has a chance to be one of the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL when healthy, and the Cowboys might cash in on that hope.
3. Kenny Clark, DT
In years past, would you see not one but two defensive tackle names pop up on a contract extension list for the Cowboys? When the position has become the strength of the defense, maybe even the team, it’s important to keep that continuity.
The minute the Cowboys dealt Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers, it opened up the door for Clark to be with the team on a long-term basis. From an optics standpoint, Jerry Jones might not let Clark leave the building, considering he was the player the team was so desperate to have in the Micah Parsons trade. If he leaves Dallas just after two seasons, it wouldn’t be a great look for the Cowboys owner. Not to mention Clark is constantly praised by Brian Schottenheimer and the front office as being one of the team’s core leaders.
Clark will turn 31 this season and has already received a big payday with the Green Bay Packers. He won’t need a contract on the same level as Williams. Still, a respectable three-year deal might be worth exploring for Dallas and could finally provide some stability to a historically maligned defensive tackle position.
4. Ryan Flournoy, WR
Getting a contract extension done with Ryan Flournoy just feels very Cowboys. An under-the-radar name that the common NFL fan might not know, but would be a home run for fans. After being released from the team during the final roster cuts last offseason, Flournoy came back to Dallas’ practice squad only to be elevated when CeeDee Lamb went down with his ankle injury and flourished.
His sophomore season was a breakout year with 40 receptions, 475 yards, and four touchdowns. His best games of the year came against the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, where he showed some real upside as a reliable No. 2 wide receiver.
The front office has been steadfast in its approach with George Pickens this offseason. Give him the franchise tag, and see if he can repeat the same success as last year. If Pickens has close to the same level of production as he did a season ago, he’s most likely gone before the 2027 season.
Flournoy will be a restricted free agent in 2027, meaning the team has a little bit more control by issuing a tender or matching any qualifying offers from another team. Why let it get to that point? If the Cowboys want to make sure their wide receiver core is intact for the next few years, offering Flournoy a nice two-year extension will allow Dallas to maneuver the Pickens negotiations with something in their back pocket in case he walks after this year.
5. Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE
The hype around Brevyn Spann-Ford is starting to take off. Analysts around the league are starting to notice Dallas’ big, bruising tight end and his effectiveness as a run blocker. Sean McVay made it cool to have multiple tight end sets on offense, so having players in the tight end room with different strengths is important. Years ago, the third tight end on the depth chart was only known for playing on special teams and getting some preseason action. It was the equivalent of a backup quarterback—you never heard of them unless you needed to.
Now, if a team doesn’t have three capable tight ends, they aren’t keeping up with the times. In the case of Spann-Ford, there’s a chance he takes over as the team’s second-best tight end, pushing out Luke Schoonmaker from his spot. Since arriving in Dallas in 2024, he’s developed his game to be one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the NFL. There have been flashes of his pass-catching ability, but nothing past a 100-yard season.
If he can show more in that area, maximizing his 6′ 7″ frame, then Dallas might want to buy in early, getting a deal done with him in training camp that keeps him a part of what they do on offense for the next few years. Just like Flournoy, he’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so it’s not like there’s a huge threat to him walking, but if the Schoonmaker experiment is over, then having a reliable No. 2 tight end is valuable in today’s NFL and worthy of a contract extension.
