Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was a “full participant in the team’s offseason program and is expected to carry those responsibilities into training camp,” per beat writer Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Recall that Dak last played in Week 9 of last season because of a hamstring tear.
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer called the 2024 season a “fluke” for TE Jake Ferguson. The 26-year-old missed one game due to an MCL sprain and two with a concussion. He failed to score on any of his 59 catches.
The Steelers are expected to finalize a trade today that will send WR George Pickens to the Cowboys. Josina Anderson reports Pittsburgh will get a 2026 third-round pick and a late-round pick swap in 2027 (Steelers sixth-rounder for Cowboys fifth-rounder). Pickens turned 24 in March and heads into the final year of his rookie contract.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Clemson RB Phil Mafah with the 239th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Mafah was a four-star recruit in the 2021 class. He developed into the thunder to Will Shipley’s lightning in 2022, providing a boost in short yardage. As the offense changed heading into 2023, he earned a 1A role. Over the past two seasons, he ran for 2,080 yards and 22 TDs, showing excellent vision and toughness. Mafah may not be an elite athlete, but he makes up for it in technique and skill. Ultimately, he’s a long shot to become an NFL starter. Still, as a backup or injury fill-in, Mafah could excel in spurts. Note that he’s one of the biggest backs in this class at 234 pounds.
The Cowboys selected Texas RB Jaydon Blue with the 149th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Blue was expected to be the next big Texas RB after sophomore CJ Baxter went down with an injury. However, struggles with his vision early in 2024 led to a pass-catching role for the former four-star recruit. Blue also struggled with ball security, fumbling five times in ‘24 (and twice in '23). Blue still excelled in his receiving role and peaked with a 146-yard, two-TD receiving performance in the College Football Playoff vs. Clemson. Blue ran a 4.38 forty at the NFL Combine, despite nursing a torn groin muscle. His 4.25 Pro Day time may be more accurate to his actual speed.
The Cowboys spent a second-round pick on Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku. He's undersized for the position historically: 6'2.5 (19th percentile) and 248 pounds (11th percentile). But a huge wingspan (82 and three-quarters inches; 85th percentile) helps make up for that. Ezeiruaku also brings nice speed off the ball and a 91st-percentile 3-cone drill. That points to his high-level ability to get around the edge as a pass rusher. And Ezeiruaku produced on the field at BC. He delivered 8.5 sacks among 15 tackles for loss and 61 total tackles as a first-time starter in 2022, his second season with the Eagles. Ezeiruaku closed his career with ACC-leading 21 TFLs and 16.5 sacks as a senior.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said he’s “getting close to where I want to be” in his recovery from a torn right hamstring. "If I had to play a game today, I definitely could do that," Prescott added via ESPN. "It's about moving forward healthy to make sure I can play 17 times, 20 [games] -- whatever we get to when the time's right." Recall that Prescott needed surgery and was placed on IR following the Week 9 injury.
The Cowboys have acquired QB Joe Milton and a 7th-round pick from the Patriots. Dallas will send a 5th-rounder back to New England.
The Cowboys signed RB Miles Sanders to a one-year deal. He joins Javonte Williams in a backfield that lost 2024 lead back Rico Dowdle in free agency. We're still fully expecting Dallas to add more RB help in the draft considering Sanders and Williams are coming off disappointing 2024 seasons.
The Cowboys acquired LB Kenneth Murray Jr. from the Titans this week, amid a significant remodeling of their LB corps. Neither of the two off-ball starters from last season -- Eric Kendricks and DeMarvion Overshown -- appears likely to take the field in Week 1 of 2025. Murray arrives after just one season of a two-year contract he signed with Tennessee, following a four-year stint with the chargers. He arrived as a first-round pick back in 2020.
The Cowboys have agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with RB Javonte Williams (plus another $500K available in incentives). Williams spent his first four seasons with the Broncos, losing nearly all of 2022 to a multi-ligament knee injury.
The Cowboys named Brian Schottenheimer their new HC. This will be the 51-year-old's first shot at a HC gig. He's spent 14 seasons as an OC, including the last two with Dallas. The 2023 Cowboys ranked first in points and fifth in total yards. Injuries, particularly to QB Dak Prescott, were a big reason Dallas sunk to 21st in points and 17th in yards this past year. "The sense around the league is that this is a Dak Prescott hire," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Friday night. "Dak Prescott likes Schottenheimer and the offensive chemistry they have together. He likes the continuity he brings. So it's kinda just running it back in a lot of ways." It's certainly not the most exciting hire, but it does make the range of outcomes on Dallas' offense in 2025 narrower. Prescott is a good bounce-back bet, while WR CeeDee Lamb should be a top-10 pick in 2025 fantasy drafts.
The Cowboys and HC Mike McCarthy are "parting ways," a team spokesman said. The two sides reportedly talked about a new deal but couldn't come to an agreement. So McCarthy becomes a coaching free agent after five seasons in Dallas. He went 49-35 with the Cowboys, making the playoffs in three of five years. McCarthy is expected to draw interest from multiple teams, including the Saints and Bears, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Cowboys, meanwhile, join the list of teams that will have a new coaching staff in 2025. They have QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb signed through 2028
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (ankle) is active for today’s game vs. the Falcons. It’ll be his first action since Week 10, so don’t expect workhorse usage. But we are projecting Sanders to lead the backfield in touches, ahead of Raheem Blackshear and Mike Boone.
Steelers WR George Pickens had one catch for zero yards, including three drops, in a loss to the Bengals on Saturday. He had a chance to seal a victory, but missed a perfectly thrown ball by wilson. The Steelers were trying to win the game but their offensive woes continued. The Steelers head to the playoffs on a cold streak.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders (ankle) is listed as questionable for this weekend's game vs. the Falcons. He was cleared to play last week, according to HC Dave Canales, so we're expecting Sanders to be out there on Sunday. But the 'questionable' listing suggests that we probably shouldn't expect a monster workload in his first action since Week 10.
Panthers HC Dave Canales said Monday that RB Miles Sanders (ankle) has been cleared to play. He was actually cleared to play late last week, per Canales, but didn't have enough time to get prepped for the Buccaneers game. But it sounds like, barring a setback, Sanders will play in Sunday's finale vs. the Falcons. With RB Chuba Hubbard out with his calf injury, Sanders would be the favorite to lead Carolina's backfield in touches over RBs Raheem Blackshear and Mike Boone. Sanders has mustered just 3.7 yards per carry this season and wouldn't be an exciting fantasy option. But he could be a volume-based RB3 or Flex play.
The Cowboys announced Thursday that WR CeeDee Lamb will miss the final two games of the season with his shoulder injury.
Steelers WR George Pickens (hamstring) is not listed on the final injury report for Wednesday's game vs. the Chiefs. He was a full participant in practice on Monday and Tuesday. It all suggests that Pickens is ready for a full workload tomorrow, although there's always some risk of a setback with hamstrings. Pickens has averaged 7.7 targets, 4.8 catches, 81 yards, and 0.5 TDs in six games with QB Russell Wilson this season.
Steelers WR George Pickens (hamstring) was a full participant in Monday's practice. He's on track to return for Wednesday's game vs. the Chiefs. The hamstring injury adds risk to Pickens' Week 17 outlook, but the full practice suggests he'll be ready for his usual workload. Pickens gets a Chiefs pass defense that hasn't been great lately. They rank 23rd in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs over the last five weeks.
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