Dallas Cowboys

Osa Odighizuwa is sticking with the team that drafted him four years ago.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Odighizuwa and the Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms on a four-year, $80 million contract on Tuesday to avoid the franchise tag.

The defensive tackle was a third-round draft pick by the Cowboys in 2021 and found success early in his career. As a rookie, he logged 36 tackles, a pair of sacks and six tackles for loss.

He improved his numbers in 2022, recording 43 tackles, four sacks and eight tackles for loss before posting 46 tackles, three sacks and nine tackles for loss in 2023.

Last season, Odighizuwa logged career highs in tackles (47) and sacks (4.5) and picked up five tackles for loss. He led Dallas' defensive tackles in both sacks and tackles in a year of struggles for the Cowboys.

A career year for Odighizuwa was expected to lead to plenty of interest in free agency if he hit the open market, though that never seemed like a real possibility ahead of Tuesday's franchise-tag deadline.

Heading into the offseason, Pro Football Focus listed him as No. 15 on its list of top pending free agents. He was No. 1 among interior defensive linemen.

Odighizuwa still has some work to do to improve his game, mainly as a pass-rusher, but Year 5 could see him emerge as an All-Pro candidate.

The Cowboys dealt with numerous defensive injuries amid a 7-10 season, but Odighizuwa was one player who remained consistent. Now, they'll get at least four more years to watch him shine.

While the running back position figures to be an area the Dallas Cowboys address this offseason, they might turn their focus to a different need in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.

The Athletic's Jon Machota reported Monday that "it's sounding more likely they will go in a different direction" with the No. 12 pick than Boise State star Ashton Jeanty. He added that Dallas taking a running back in the second or third round "seems like a better bet."

The Cowboys will be on the clock in the second round with the No. 44 overall selection. By that point, Jeanty figures to be gone. He's the ninth-best player on Bleacher Report's big board, though he was absent in B/R's most recent first-round mock.

Should the Maxwell Award winner make it to Day 2, it's hard to see 10 more teams passing on him before it's Dallas' turn again.

Last year, Jonathon Brooks went 46th to the Carolina Panthers despite the fact he was coming off a torn ACL. The 2023 draft saw Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs both off the board within the first 12 picks.

Some Cowboys fans will inevitably be disappointed if Jeanty isn't the ultimate choice. He's one of the most entertaining talents in the 2025 class.

But Dallas isn't an elite running back away from winning a Super Bowl. It could use reinforcements on the interior of its offensive and defensive lines. Some help to ease the pressure on wide receiver CeeDee Lamb would be nice. The secondary will have a void at cornerback if Jourdan Lewis leaves as a free agent.

In terms of maximizing its value in the first round, taking one of the best offensive linemen on the board might be a smarter play over picking Jeanty.

The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly planning on doing what is necessary to keep defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa for the 2025 season.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that Dallas plans to use the franchise tag on Odighizuwa if it is unable to reach an agreement on a long-term deal by Tuesday. The franchise tag is projected to be $25.1 million.

It seems like there is work to be done considering NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Cowboys are "not particularly close, but they're working to try and somehow get this done."

New head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear there is interest.

"I think there's a lot of ongoing conversations," Schottenheimer told reporters. "Obviously, Osa has done a terrific job for us. He's a terrific young player. He does everything right, and as the communications keep going. It's never done until it's done, but he'd be a guy we'd love to have back."

Dallas has taken strides toward keeping its foundational cornerstones by signing quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to new contracts ahead of the 2024 campaign. A new deal for pass-rusher Micah Parsons is looming as well, which could make paying Odighizuwa more difficult, but there is no questioning his value.

The defensive tackle is just 26 years old and appeared in all 17 games in each of the last three seasons.

He notched 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one pass defended and one forced fumble last season while serving as a run stuffer in the middle who also eats double teams and creates blitzing lanes for Parsons and others.

Life is never easy for opposing offensive lines that have to deal with Odighizuwa and Parsons at the same time, and keeping them together for the foreseeable future would help the Cowboys compete in the NFC East.

But the front office might have to settle for a franchise tag if it can't close the gap in contract discussions.

The Dallas Cowboys will reportedly attempt to add a wide receiver to complement CeeDee Lamb in free agency.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Cowboys "will be in the market for a No. 2 receiver" behind Lamb and they could end up being a potential destination for Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp "if his price drops far enough."

Graziano noted that Dallas is also looking to add a running back to pair alongside Rico Dowdle in 2025.

The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign, finishing with a 7-10 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Lamb remained a bright spot on their offense, though.

The four-time Pro Bowl wideout proved himself as one of the best players at his position once again despite Dak Prescott appearing in just eight games due to a hamstring injury.

Lamb caught 101 passes for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns, marking the fourth consecutive season in which he surpassed the 1,100-yard threshold.

Dallas didn't have many weapons in its passing attack surrounding the 25-year-old, as Jalen Tolbert ranked No. 2 on the team with 610 receiving yards. No other receiver was able to reach 500 yards.

The Cowboys attempted to address the issue during the season, acquiring Jonathan Mingo and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round selection.

Mingo recorded just 46 yards in eight games with Dallas following the trade, though.

As the Cowboys attempt to return to the playoffs with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer patrolling the sidelines, they'll be on the lookout for a receiver to take some defensive attention off Lamb once free agency begins on March 12.

Dak Prescott is preparing to recover from hamstring surgery in time for Week 1 of the Dallas Cowboys' 2025 season.

"I'm not gonna put a timeline on it, but I'll be ready for the first game and when anything matters and very, very ready," Prescott said, per the team's official website. "I'm feeling good. I'm doing more and more. The last two weeks have been huge and progressive for me."

"I wouldn't say I'm running full speed yet," he added. "But everything's on the right track, and I'm excited."

The veteran quarterback started in each of the Cowboys' first eight games of their 2024 campaign before suffering a partially torn hamstring that required season-ending surgery against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9.

Prescott was off to a slow start prior to the injury, averaging 247.3 passing yards per game and racking up 11 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions.

Dallas couldn't rally following the absence of the three-time Pro Bowl passer, finishing with a 7-10 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

The Cowboys are looking to bounce back in 2025 following a head coaching change, parting ways with Mike McCarthy before hiring former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on Jan. 24.

With Schottenheimer patrolling the sidelines, Prescott will be attempting to look like his former self once he recovers. The 31-year-old is only one year removed from a 2023 season in which he threw for 4,516 yards to go along with a league-leading 36 touchdown passes.

While Prescott may not have a specific timeline for his return, he's preparing to be ready for the start of the regular season.

The Dallas Cowboys discussed trading up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft with the Tennessee Titans, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

"Now I think a lot of teams talk about moving around and I don't know if you guys have heard that," Florio said on 105.3 The Fan (via RJ Ochoa of Blogging The Boys). "But that's a jump and I don't know what you would have to put into that or whether you'd have to put Micah Parsons into that package if it would go that way. But teams talk all the time... they talk all the time."

The Cowboys aren't a team you'd expect to make such an aggressive move up the board.

Dak Prescott is firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback, so picking Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is out of the question. If they aren't targeting a signal-caller, what's the point in jumping all the way up to the first pick from No. 12?

Maybe this would be Dallas' way of moving on from Parsons, who's entering the last year of his rookie contract. Instead of paying the four-time Pro Bowler $30 million or more annually, the franchise would hope Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter can provide similar production on the field at a fraction of the cost.

But the risk of that plan is obvious because you're replacing an elite pass-rusher with one totally unproven in the NFL.

If Carter isn't the prospect the Cowboys have in mind with this idea, then it's hard to see who else would justify the cost.

Colorado's Travis Hunter is a special talent, but he may not raise Dallas' ceiling too much when it already has CeeDee Lamb at wide receiver and Trevon Diggs at cornerback. Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham would help address one of the team's biggest issues, but he almost certainly isn't going No. 1. The same goes for Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

As Florio said, there are numerous conversations between teams that lead to nothing before the draft. The Cowboys probably won't wind up getting the top overall pick.

Their dialogue with the Titans will lead fans to ask some questions, though.

Georgia edge-rusher Mykel Williams had a productive meeting with the Dallas Cowboys at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.

He told reporters Wednesday he "loved" speaking with Cowboys officials and that the feeling appeared to be mutual:

Williams is the No. 28 overall prospect and fifth-best edge-rusher on Bleacher Report's 2025 big board. B/R NFL scout Matt Holder compared him to 2015 Pro Bowler Ezekiel Ansah.

"Overall, the Bulldog's traits are worth betting on for a team that uses a lot of even fronts and is looking for a hand-in-the-ground defensive end," Holder wrote. "But he'll likely take a year or two to flesh out his game and become an impact, every-down player."

By the numbers, Williams' 2024 production doesn't jump off the page. He finished with 21 combined tackles and five sacks. He revealed at the combine how limited he was physically, which impacted his performance.

"I was going to treatment, trying to rehab my ankle the whole practice," he said. "I was less than 70 percent, less than 60."

Demarcus Lawrence is a free agent, while Micah Parsons was limited to 13 games in 2024. Until he signs an extension, Parsons' long-term future in Dallas will continue to be in question as well.

Still, edge-rusher isn't at the top of the Cowboys' positional needs. They didn't adequately replace Tony Pollard at running back last offseason, and their run defense was a problem as they allowed 137.1 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry on the ground.

But the front office and coaching staff are covering all of their bases in Indianapolis.

Head coach Mike McCarthy received high marks from his players in what proved to be his last year with the Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys players gave McCarthy an "A" grade as part of the NFL Players Association's annual report cards. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents thought he "was efficient with their time," and they credited him with being "highly receptive to locker room feedback on the team's needs."

Dallas fell well short of expectations on the field, going 7-10 and missing the playoffs. However, the report card backs up what was one assessment of the team's performance.

Despite how the injuries and losses started to pile up, Cowboys players didn't show any quit. The prime example came in Week 16, when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 hours after learning they were eliminated from postseason contention.

The NFLPA report card doesn't necessarily mean retaining McCarthy would've been the right call. Dallas couldn't get past the divisional round in any of its previous three seasons, and its struggles in 2024 went beyond just the injuries to key players.

The manner in which the Cowboys moved on from McCarthy, though, reflected larger issues that have held the organization back for years.

And paying McCarthy whatever he wanted was a better alternative to promoting offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

The report card points to how Schottenheimer, despite being an internal hire and providing continuity, will have a challenge on his hands in terms of gaining the support of the locker room.

Micah Parsons is scheduled to enter the final season of his contract with the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, but that doesn't mean the NFC East team is going to look to trade him this offseason.

Jon Machota of The Athletic reported Sunday that "Parsons isn't going anywhere" and instead suggested the front office could look to be more aggressive around the star pass-rusher this offseason after it "clearly didn't do enough to add quality veterans to fill roster holes last year."

The four-time Pro Bowler's future has been a significant talking point this offseason, and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported earlier this month "there have at least been some internal discussions about whether to pay Parsons or trade him for a king's ransom."

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News also reported Friday that the Cowboys haven't held extension talks with Parsons. However, Watkins pointed out such talks typically happen at the NFL Scouting Combine, which is this upcoming week in Indianapolis.

The front office has also made it clear in the past it plans on keeping the Penn State product for the foreseeable future.

Machota's report echoes that sentiment, and Parsons himself was fired up when he learned the NFL's salary cap will reportedly increase by a notable amount just in time for a potential new contract:

The Cowboys signed quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to extensions last offseason. Parsons is the other franchise cornerstone, and most signs seem to indicate he is next in line for a significant deal.

All he has done since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2021 is produce at an elite level, as his resume already includes a Defensive Rookie of the Year, four Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro selections.

He has notched at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons in the league and is still just 25 years old.

Anything but a deal that makes him the face of the team's defense for years to come this offseason would be a surprise.

Zack Martin is reportedly hanging up the cleats on a Hall of Fame-caliber career.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Thursday that the guard told the Dallas Cowboys he is retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL. Martin, 34, has been with the Cowboys since they selected him with a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft.

Martin "met with owner and general manager Jerry Jones on Thursday to inform him of his decision," according to ESPN's Todd Archer.

To say Martin lived up to expectations during his time with Dallas would be an understatement.

He was a nine-time Pro Bowler, seven-time First-Team All-Pro selection and member of the Hall of Fame 2010s Team even though he wasn't drafted until the decade was nearly half over. He played double-digit games in each of his 11 seasons and didn't miss a game in six of them.

The Notre Dame product is widely seen as one of the best offensive linemen of his generation and will surely be in Canton, Ohio, one day among the game's greatest to ever play.

Martin blocked for Tony Romo and Dak Prescott, opened holes for Ezekiel Elliott and DeMarco Murray, and was a constant presence and leader along the offensive front throughout his career.

Dallas made the playoffs in six of his seasons, although it never reached the Super Bowl.

That he is retiring isn't that surprising, as he told Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News in June that walking away after the 2024 season was "in the realm of possibilities."

A frustrating season that saw Dallas go 7-10 and Martin limited to 10 games because of season-ending ankle surgery surely didn't do much to convince him to return for the 2025 campaign. The Cowboys are also in something of a transition period after moving on from head coach Mike McCarthy and hiring Brian Schottenheimer.

Despite a disappointing end of the career, Martin is an all-time Cowboys great and will surely be recognized as such during his retirement.