CeeDee Lamb’s Message to Ryan Clark Should Scare Cowboys’ 2026 Opponents – Mike Moraitis, Cowboys on SI
If the last two seasons were a CeeDee Lamb not at 100 percent, then 2026 has the chance to be historic.
We already know the Dallas Cowboys have an elite wide receiver duo in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. But is it possible that duo hasn’t reached its full potential yet?
After what CeeDee Lamb told ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, it appears it’s possible that’s the case.
Clark was a guest on The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny, and as they broke down who they think is better between the Cowboys and Philadelphia
Eagles, Clark, who chose Dallas, said Lamb told him that he hasn’t “felt this good or this healthy in two years.”
We know Lamb has had a few injury issues in the regular season in recent years, but his comment seems to suggest he may not have been fully healthy in the last offseason or two.
We aren’t aware of any injuries Lamb dealt with in the previous offseason or two, but we’ll take him at his word because Lamb obviously knows his body best.
Lamb’s comment could mean Dallas’ duo may not have reached its ceiling yet, which is wild to think about when you consider just how dynamic he and Pickens were together when on the field.
Despite not feeling at his best last year, Lamb still put up 1,077 yards and three touchdowns, and that was also despite missing three games and exiting three others early. Meanwhile, Pickens posted career-highs with 1,429 yards and nine scores.
Lamb left Week 3 (ankle) and Week 14 (concussion) early due to injuries, and he only played 25 snaps in a meaningless Week 18 contest to close out the regular season.
If you take Lamb’s yards per game average (89.4) from the 12 games in which he played three or more quarters (Week 14 is included) and extrapolate that over 17 contests, he would’ve finished with over 1,500 yards.
If Lamb is indeed feeling even better than he did last season and can play in all 17 games, it’s going to make defending Dallas’ duo even more difficult and that should scare the Cowboys’ 2026 opponents.
Role Call: Drew Shelton brings flexibility to Cowboys offensive line – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
The Dallas Cowboys could use quality depth players along the offensive line. Maybe Drew Shelton could develop into one and then some.
How He Got Here:
Shelton, a four-star recruit out of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, committed to his home state university Penn State in 2020, and held firm in his commitment until he enrolled in 2022. In each of his four years with the Nittany Lions, Shelton was a starter in at least one game, including starting 28 games his final two years.
The Cowboys, who have drafted an offensive lineman in each of the last six drafts, continued their tradition by selecting Shelton with the 112th overall pick and the first of their three fourth-round picks.
What’s Next:
One of the reasons the Cowboys use later-round draft capital on offensive linemen is to build depth while also develop talent in case it’s needed. Recent historical examples of that include Tyler Biadasz, Asim Richards and Nate Thomas, and now Shelton has a chance to be next in line, and has said he’s open to moving around into some positions he hasn’t played as much.
While Shelton has primarily played left tackle throughout his career, it sounds like he’ll be tried on the other side at right tackle, and may even get some work inside at guard too. Shelton is a well-rounded player, but comes from a run-heavy offense at Penn State that should mesh well with the concepts that Klayton Adams and Conor Riley, who recruited Shelton out of high school, have instilled over the last year in the room. It may take time to piece together, but Shelton has the tools to be next versatile offensive lineman Dallas can count on when needed.
Did You Know:
In the four years Shelton played at Penn State, the Nittany Lions had a top-five rushing offense in the Big 10. In his sophomore and junior seasons, they led the Big 10 in rushing yards per game.
Shelton started in 34 games for the Nittany Lions over the course of his four years, all at left tackle. That said, Brian Schottenheimer has said he has the ability to play on the interior as well.
After being selected with the 112th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Shelton will wear number 67 with the Cowboys, one digit up from the 66 he wore in college.
The NFL Top 100 gives the Dallas Cowboys the evidence they need to make one big free agency signing in time for the 2026 NFL Season – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports
The Cowboys could still add a veteran leader to their linebacking core.
Potential Cowboys FA target Bobby Wagner makes the Top 100
Wagner was voted as the No. 81 best player overall by his peers. Every year, NFL players vote for the Top 100 players in an exercise marketed by the league. Though a highly subjective way of ranking players, it’s a fun way to celebrate the best players in the league.
“The timeless linebacker continues to rack up standout seasons at the tail end of his Hall of Fame career,” writes Bobby Kownack of NFL.com. “Wagner has never fallen short of triple-digit tackles in a season through 14 years in the league, and he now sits third all time — just 59 behind Ray Lewis’ record — with 2,000, per Pro Football Reference.”
Wagner is a free agent who could fill the Cowboys’ most glaring defensive hole. At 36 years old, the veteran linebacker continues to produce at an elite level, and Dallas would be wise to seriously consider adding him before the 2026 regular season. I know many of you reading this are asking: Wait, a 36 year old linebacker?
The truth is his age has done little to slow him down. Let’s break it down. But first, here
Wagner’s durability and production defy his age
Wagner earned All-Pro honors every single year from 2014 to 2024, a stretch that includes six First-Team selections and five Second-Team nods. Four of those Second Team honors came from 2021 to 2024, meaning he collected them in his 30s. If the age concerns scare you, those accolades should calm your nerves.
The durability numbers are equally staggering. Wagner has played 16 or more games every season since 2019. He played and started 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2025, logging 99% of their defensive snaps. That is otherworldly for any linebacker, let alone one who turned 36 in late June. Wagner has played at least 98% of his team’s defensive snaps nine times in his career, per Next Gen Stats.
And then there’s the run defense. NextGenStats credited Wagner with 69 run stops in 2025, the second most in the NFL. He is as steady of a quarterback for the defense as there has been in his or any era.
Why the Cowboys need what Wagner brings
If you look at the Cowboys’ defensive roster, the one thing they’re missing is that prototypical, big-sized middle linebacker. Dallas has Dee Winters and Marvin Overshown, both of whom are coverage-type linebackers whose specialty is speed. They’re run-and-hit players, and both raise concerns when it comes to imagining them as a thumper at middle linebacker.
Overshown in particular profiles better as a sideline-to-sideline missile than as someone asked to be physical in the box at MIKE. Signing Wagner gives the Cowboys a certified run defender, which is exactly what this defense is missing.
Daily discussion question: What is a Dallas Cowboys thing you correctly predicted? Be honest!
