Dallas Cowboys

DeMarvion Overshown will become the first Dallas Cowboy to wear No. 0 next season.

The Cowboys announced Overshown's jersey change Wednesday on social media.

Back On The Case❗️ https://t.co/uaufWD3cNf

— DeMarvion Overshown (@AGENT0__) April 9, 2025

Overshown wore No. 13 in 2024. He previously wore No. 0 at Texas.

"As soon as they changed the policy where you can now wear No. 0 in the NFL, I just knew it was meant to be," Overshown told DallasCowboys.com's Patrik Walker.

Overshown continued: "To say I'm the first wear No. 0 at Texas and the first to do it in Dallas Cowboys' history, that's a badge of honor."

The NFL allowed players other than offensive and defensive linemen to wear No. 0 starting with the 2023 season. The Cowboys were previously one of six NFL teams which have never had a player wear No. 0, per Pro Football Reference and the Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins.

Overshown originally wore No. 35 after the Cowboys selected him in the third round of the 2023 draft before sitting out the season with an ACL tear.

He made his NFL debut in 2024, recording 90 tackles, 5.0 sacks and a pick-six before his breakout season was cut short by a Week 13 knee injury.

The Texas native told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Nick Harris his Cowboys teammates had rooted for him to get the No. 0 jersey since he first joined the team.

"Since day one, I feel like my teammates vouched for me to have it but having to earn it means more," Overshown said. "Nobody can ever take it away from me that I was the first to wear 0 here and at my alma mater.

"It’s an honor. I’m still living a little Texas boy dream.”

The NCAA voted to approve No. 0 jerseys in April 2020, ahead of Overshown's junior season with the Longhorns.

Overshown joined Kansas State's Elijah Sullivan and Oklahoma's Woodi Washington as some of the first college football players to sport the number.

He had originally intended to wear No. 1 that season, he told Mike Alzamora of the Arp Independent School District in August 2021.

"Something got mixed up and [former Texas head coach Tom Herman] ended up giving it to another player, but he tried to give it back to me.  I was like, no, it's cool, I just wear zero," Overshown told Alzamora in 2021.

"And you know, I wanted to be the first person to wear zero anyways, on the defensive side of the ball.  So I felt history, and then I felt honored to be able to wear number zero.  And they just correlate with my last name too."

Overshown then said he saw the nickname "Agent Zero" on social media, which he liked because of its association with Gilbert Arenas.

He ended up sticking with No. 0 for the rest of his college career and will now be returning to the number in the NFL.

Overshown's NFL debut as No. 0 will likely have to wait past Week 1 of the 2025 season. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said last week Overshown and Trevon Diggs could both miss the start of the 2025 campaign amid recovery from their respective season-ending knee injuries.

One NFL executive questioned the priorities of the Dallas Cowboys' ownership and whether their ambitions match that of the fanbase.

"They are a well-run team, but what they want to do and what their fans want them to do are two different things right now," the executive said to The Athletic's Mike Sando. "They are more serious about staying relevant and keeping that brand up high than they are about winning."

This isn't a novel argument anymore with the Cowboys' Super Bowl drought approaching three decades.

Team owner Jerry Jones has signed off on massive extensions for homegrown stars such as quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Spending on outside free agents, on the other hand, is a category in which Dallas is often near the bottom each offseason.

The Cowboys have not signed a free agent over $6M per year in free agency since Greg Hardy in 2015.

The salary cap has increased by $135,920,00 million since then.

— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) March 10, 2025

Allowing Mike McCarthy's contract to expire and promoting Brian Schottenheimer to head coach also reflected the broad perception there isn't any overriding plan in North Texas. The franchise was reportedly surprised when McCarthy simply walked away.

Back in October, ESPN's Kalyn Kahler used the fan tours of AT&T Stadium and The Star, the Cowboys' team facility, as an example of how Jones focuses on building the organization's brand at a potential cost to the team. The fans are afforded access that many would consider intrusive to Dallas players.

"We want to have our own space where we can talk, but it's either media or fans all day," a former player said to Kahler. "You never get a break. It'd be one thing if they did the tours like one day a week, but it's every day."

You can't draw a straight line between that and Dallas' continued failure to win a Super Bowl, but it strengthens the general impression about Jones.

In terms of his business acumen, it's hard to question his approach. The Cowboys continue to be one of the most valuable sports teams in the world.

The results on the field are a far different story.

Dallas Cowboys star edge-rusher Micah Parsons has reportedly received an offer for the massive payday he's been expected to receive this offseason.

According to Cowboys insider Clarence Hill of All City DLLS (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk), team owner Jerry Jones has offered Parsons a contract that would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase's $40.25 million annual average salary. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is currently the highest-paid defensive player at $40 million per year.

Jones confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that he's been having direct conversations with Parsons about a new contract, noting he doesn't worry about the agent when negotiating a deal.

Parsons responded to Jones on Tuesday:

Facts!! David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without @DavidMulugheta involved! Like anyone with good sense I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract… https://t.co/nxKNSIXLvt

— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) April 1, 2025

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones previously defended the team's stance on negotiating directly with players, citing previous successful negotiations with players like Tony Romo, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jason Witten and Zack Martin.

"We talk to agents all the time," Jones said, per Hill. "Dak [Prescott] was one of those guys who wanted us when it was business, to talk to his agent. We had Zack Martin. We’ve had Jason Witten. We’ve had Tony Romo. We’ve had DeMarcus Lawrence that like to come up and talk about their business and certainly we’ve got an open door policy when it comes to that, but we also have respect for our representatives as well. But Micah likes to talk about his business."

Parsons has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four years in the NFL and he earned All-Pro honors three times with two first-team selections. He has long been believed to be in line for the next bank-breaking contract, so it seems like it's just a matter of time before he receives his new deal.

The Dallas Cowboys are planning for edge-rusher Micah Parsons to attend their voluntary workouts as he approaches the final year of his rookie contract.

"Hey, look at the end of the day this is a business and when you're dealing with the money that's being tossed around, not just with Micah but with the big-name players, negotiations sometimes take time," head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters at the NFL's league meeting.

"I feel very comfortable. Micah said he's going to be around. I think that he wants to be. I think we're all very comfortable with that. And at the end of the day he's a great player and we think he's just getting started, to be honest with you. I have no question in my mind that he'll be around."

The current collective bargaining agreement makes it cost-prohibitive for a player to stage a contract holdout that extends into training camp. They can, however, make a point by sitting out team activities early in the offseason.

Last year, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb went a step further by making himself scarce through the preseason. He and the team didn't make a contract breakthrough late August.

With that in mind, Parsons' contract will remain a subplot surrounding Dallas in the months leading up to the regular season.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Sunday the Cowboys have "had good visits with him and feel good about where we're headed."

Parsons is coming off his worst season statistically in the NFL. He finished with 43 combined tackles and 12 sacks. An ankle injury also sidelined him for four weeks.

Still, the four-time Pro Bowler can potentially reset the market with his next deal. Spotrac values him at $36.7 million annually and it only takes a few more million to edge him past Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett ($40 million) as the highest-paid edge-rusher.

An extension of this magnitude will require a lot of deliberation. For the Cowboys, the situation is complicated by the money they've already committed to Lamb $136 million total, $67 million guaranteed) and quarterback Dak Prescott ($240 million total, $129 million guaranteed).

Nobody will be surprised if the saga drags on into the summer, and it will be an even bigger story if Parsons is nowhere to be found.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is working his way back from a hamstring injury this offseason and seems to be on the right track.

"Dak's doing great," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, per Todd Archer of ESPN. "He's very thrilled with where he is, and I know the trainers are too. I feel like he's doing a hell of a job."

Jones also said Prescott will likely have "some limitations" during the offseason program as he prepares for 2025.

Prescott suffered a partial avulsion of his right hamstring tendon (partial tear off from the bone) during his team's 27-21 road loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 3.

Dallas placed Prescott on season-ending injured reserve. He underwent successful surgery as well.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reported two days later on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (h/t Archer) that his prognosis was good.

"It's a more common injury in hockey, and he's got doctors that are very familiar with how to repair that," Jones said. "And his prognosis is wonderful. It just means that we're not going to have him the rest of the year."

Prescott had successful surgery in New York on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The former Mississippi State star only played five games in 2020 due to a dislocation and compound fracture of his right ankle suffered on Oct. 11 against the New York Giants.

He also sat five games in 2022 because of a broken right thumb suffered in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The hamstring injury ultimately cost Prescott nine games. He finished the season with 1,978 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions on a 64.7 completion rate.

Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million contract extension ($231 million guaranteed, and an $80 million signing bonus) before the season. He's a three-time Pro Bowler who's led Dallas to the playoffs five times in his nine seasons. Prescott has also thrown for 31,437 yards and 213 touchdowns, including an NFL-high 36 in 2023.

The Dallas Cowboys have made small moves in free agency to improve their roster this offseason, and executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters on Sunday that the team has even more in store.

"We’re not done yet," Jones said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "We still got some things that are out standing that we’re trying to get done. Missed a few guys along the way, too, in terms of the number just being a lot higher than we thought it would be on a couple guys. Overall, we’re real pleased with what we were able to do with our roster and help the team."

The Cowboys retained some of their key players like defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, safety Markquese Bell and kick returner KaVontae Turpin. They also acquired veteran linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. from the Tennessee Titans and cornerback Kaiir Elam from the Buffalo Bills. However, Dallas has yet to make a splashy addition from the open market.

Most of the Cowboys' free-agency signings have been one- and two-year deals for depth players. Dallas added veterans like running back Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams, wide receiver Parris Campbell, edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas. Still, this offseason is eerily similar to last year, when the team fell short of signing any big-name free agents.

The failure to add talent played a major part in the Cowboys finishing with a disappointing 7-10 record in 2024. Dallas will have the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, and B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted in a recent mock draft that the team would use it to select Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden.

In addition to their free-agency pursuits, the Cowboys are also expected to sign star edge rusher Micah Parsons to a massive contract extension this offseason. Per ESPN's Todd Archer, Jones said that talks with Parsons' camp are in the early stages, but he "feels good" about the direction of the discussions.

It appears that the Cowboys are motivated to make the right moves so they can bounce back and contend for a playoff spot in 2025.

Dallas Cowboys star edge-rusher Micah Parsons is in line for a major contract extension this offseason, but it sounds like there hasn’t been much progress toward securing his big payday.

Jane Slater of NFL Network reported that not only is Parsons’ contract extension not done, but two sources also said “meaningful talks haven’t even begun yet” between him and the Cowboys.

Slater’s report refutes a previous report from Mike Leslie of WFAA, who stated on Tuesday that Parsons and the Cowboys “have held discussions about a long-term contract extension,” and team owner Jerry Jones “called Parsons to The Star on Tuesday to discuss a potential deal in further detail.” Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. supported Slater’s report, stating that her information was the “same word I got.”

Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase signed a contract extension earlier this week that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with an average annual salary of $40.25 million. Cleveland Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett and Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end also signed massive contract extensions this offseason, so it can be expected that Parsons’ impending deal will exceed what those players received from their respective teams.

That puts the Cowboys in a tough situation, as they already have significant money tied to star quarterback Dak Prescott and star receiver CeeDee Lamb. An extension for Parsons could further handicap the team’s ability to improve other areas of the roster.

However, it appears that Parsons’ deal isn’t a priority for Dallas at the moment, and the team could run into a situation where its star sack artist grows unhappy with the slow-moving negotiations.

Newly signed running back Javonte Williams is bullish on the Dallas Cowboys' backfield for the 2025 NFL season.

The Cowboys added Williams and Miles Sanders to bolster their depth at running back, and the former is excited for what's ahead.

"The sky's the limit—I've been watching Miles since he was at Penn State, and then with the Eagles and a little with Carolina," he said, per Patrik Walker of the Cowboys' official site. "I've always respected his game, and I'm ready to get in here and compete with him, and grind."

Dallas may not be done, either.

In his newest mock draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had the Cowboys take North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the No. 12 pick. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah projected them to select Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden but said he "wouldn’t rule out" Hampton, either.

As much as Williams is optimistic, a tandem of he and Sanders still leaves something to be desired.

Williams has averaged fewer than four yards per carry over the last two years while Sanders amassed 353 total yards from scrimmage in 11 games with the Carolina Panthers in 2024. The latter's performance has fallen off badly after he ran for 1,269 yards and made the Pro Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022.

For the Cowboys, the situation doesn't look a lot different from last year.

Neither Rico Dowdle nor Ezekiel Elliott was a true No. 1 option and as a result Dallas didn't have a running game that struck fear into the hearts of opposing defenses. It averaged 100.3 yards per game on the ground, good for 25th.

Is the backfield actually that much better now?

#Cowboys current backfield:

1. Javonte Williams - Fell behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime last season in Denver.

2. Miles Sanders - Cut by Panthers.

3. Deuce Vaughn - 5'6/176.

— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) March 14, 2025

Maybe the sky is the limit for Dallas' rushing attack, but that vision probably requires at least one more big piece.

The Dallas Cowboys found some help for star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in the newest 2025 mock draft from NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah.

Jeremiah projected Dallas to use the No. 12 overall pick on Texas wideout Matthew Golden.

"With Ashton Jeanty off the board, I wouldn't rule out North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton landing here," the draft expert wrote. "In this case, the Cowboys give [Lamb] a partner who can take the top off the defense and is more than just a speed threat."

Lamb isn't going anywhere after signing an extension that keeps him on the roster through 2028. His production hasn't fallen off, either, as his 79.6 receiving yards per game in 2024 were right at his career average (78.3).

But the Cowboys' depth at receiver is an issue, and the skyrocketing market for the position is putting an even higher premium on cost-controlled draft picks. Tee Higgins is the No. 2 wideout for the Cincinnati Bengals and he's now pulling down an average salary of $28.8 million. Under the rookie wage scale, the No. 12 pick will get $20.2 million total across four years.

Taking Golden 12th overall would be a bit of a reach. He's the second-best receiver and No. 22 overall player on Bleacher Report's 2025 big board.

In his lone season with the Longhorns after transferring in from Houston, Golden had 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. B/R NFL scout Dame Parson compared him to 2005 Pro Bowler Santana Moss in his scouting report and wrote the 5'11" standout is "an explosive and dynamic receiver with positional flexibility."

"In all, Matthew Golden projects as a WR 2/3 to assume the role of a movement Z receiver," Parson said. "With his speed and explosiveness Golden will be a nice complement to a traditional X-receiver. He will be the quick separator in the offense."

Golden put his wheels on display at the NFL Scouting Combine when he ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash.

Texas' CFP standout Matthew Golden just ran a 4.30u 🤘

📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/lHzyCUcICG

— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2025

Jeanty is probably the popular pick among Cowboys fans because of how well he played at Boise State and how badly Dallas needs to strengthen its backfield.

The fanbase probably wouldn't have much trouble getting excited a receiver with Golden's raw physical tools, though.

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly reunited with a familiar face on Friday.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys signed pass-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. to a one-year contract worth $8 million in free agency.

Fowler recorded 10.5 sacks in 17 appearances with the Washington Commanders in 2024, previously suiting up in 34 contests with Dallas from 2022-23.

The 30-year-old also racked up 39 tackles, 20 pressures, 14 tackles for loss, 12 quarterbacks hits and two forced fumbles during his lone season in Washington.

DANTE FOWLER JR. PICK-6!

📺: #CARvsWAS on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/JTuzB4p55Q

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

Dallas will be hoping that Fowler can replicate his 2024 production, as he racked up just 10 sacks and 12 tackles for loss during his previous two-year tenure with the organization.

The Florida product was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. While Fowler was ultimately never able to live up to his draft status, he's carved out a role as a rotational pass-rusher on five teams throughout his nine years in the league.

2024 marked his second year in which he surpassed a double-digit sack total, recording 11.5 sacks with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.

Fowler's long-term future with the Commanders was murky, as he posted a cryptic message on social media just before the start of the NFL's legal tampering period on Monday.

The disrespect.. I can’t take it anymore

— Dante fowler (@dantefowler) March 10, 2025

Now, he'll be attempting to bolster a defensive line that recorded the third-most sacks in the league in 2024 despite being a part of the second-worst scoring defense.

The Cowboys have already made multiple additions to their defensive line in free agency, signing defensive tackle Solomon Thomas as well as defensive end Payton Turner.

They also reportedly agreed to terms with Fowler on Friday.