Dallas Cowboys: Recapping the Offseason and Looking Ahead

With mandatory minicamp on the horizon for the Dallas Cowboys, it’s a good time to look back and recap the moves of the offseason. And, looking at how those moves can complement a success season based on their schedule. We’ll look at the Cowboys’ draft class, the trade for George Pickens, and their 2025 schedule.

Recapping the Dallas Cowboys offseason

Recapping the 2025 NFL draft

This year’s draft was a well-balanced effort by the Dallas Cowboys to address immediate roster needs while also building for the future. Even though first-round pick Tyler Booker isn’t the flashy selection most may have wanted, Dallas had a big need at guard. This, after the cornerstone of the line for the past decade, Zach Martin, retired this offseason.

Every team needs to have a good offensive line to succeed. The selections of Booker, Tyler Guyton, Cooper Beebe, and Tyler Smith show a commitment to the offensive line. NFL teams go as far as their lines go, so it is good to bolster up the unit.

Dallas’ approach to taking the best players available in the second and third rounds was also a smart approach. Donovan Ezeiruaku and Shavon Revel are talented players who will make this team better.

Defensive line and cornerback were both issues on the defense. And, both positions have gotten significantly better with Ezeiruaku and Revel in the fold.

The running back room got addressed with the selections of Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah.

Blue is a speedy receiving back, while Mafah is a big and powerful player with underrated speed. This duo could emulate the tandem we currently see in Detroit. 

Dallas also brought in depth to fill out the roster at the end of the draft. In all, it’s hard not to like what the Cowboys did, with the hope they can build upon that talent this season.

The Pickens trade

Dallas Cowboys fans rarely expect big trades or signings, but this was a big shocker. This trade will have an important impact on the team this year, and for their Super Bowl chances.

The Cowboys were in desperate need of a WR2. When the draft came around, fans expected Dallas to select a receiver early on. Instead, fans were gifted with a blockbuster trade sending Pittsburgh’s George Pickens to Dallas. This trade was big, and it gave the Cowboys one of the scariest duos at wide receiver in the league.

Pickens gives the Cowboys offense the horsepower to compete with anyone in the league, given that they stay healthy. Pickens takes some much-needed weight off Ceedee Lamb’s shoulders and helps complete this newly formed dynamic offense. It will also have a direct effect on the run game since opposing teams have to account for a legit threat in the slot and on the perimeter. Fewer men in the box is always good for the run game, something the new HC wants to emphasize.

This new style and setup of the offense will make teams have to be prepared for the run and the pass game. Pickens is also a very versatile red zone and deep ball threat, so this will give the offense more explosive play opportunities and chances to score.

Overall, this trade has a lot of potential and excitement not only for the Dallas coaching staff but also the fanbase.

Schedule thoughts

On paper, the Cowboys have one of the hardest schedules in the league. This year, Dallas will become the first team to play four Thursday games. Add that to a series of games that may be one of the hardest stretches this year.

During weeks 11-17, Dallas will play the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, Chargers and Commanders, all of whom were playoff teams last year. The Cowboys will have to have a good start to the season if they want to make the playoffs, because this stretch of games could prove incredibly difficult.

With that said, their ceiling is 12-5 with a floor is 8-9. However, that ceiling would relies on the team staying healthy throughout the year. Dallas may still struggle against teams with a great run game, and teams that can control the pace of the game.

Can the coaching staff lead the Dallas Cowboys to success?

Most cowboys fans knew it was time to let go of Mike McCarthy. Yet when offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was hired as the new head coach, it definitely turned some heads. With that said, there’s a lot to like despite about the Schotty hire.

Schottenheimer has over 25 years of NFL coaching for experience. He has had proven success with quarterbacks such as Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Most recently, Schottenheimer has guided Dak Prescott, who finished second in MVP voting just two years ago.

Schottenheimer’s new offensive coordinator, Klayton Adams, is interesting, too. Adams had great success in Arizona, specifically with the run game. Arizona’s rushing attack was at the top of the league in 2024, and his power run game played a huge part in that. Under Adams, Arizona had the second-most rushing yards per play, was second in rushing yards before contact, ninth in run success percentage and fourth in 10+ yards runs – all while facing the seventh-highest stacked box percentage in the league.

That should bring music to Cowboys fans’ ears, since they significantly struggled in the rushing attack this past year. 

Meanwhile, new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus hopefully improves this unit. He has been a defensive mastermind his entire career and had been the linebacker coach for Dallas for six years at one point. Despite flunking out in Chicago, Eberflus has shown a success track record as a coordinator.

In four years at Indianapolis, his defense was one of the better units in the league. They averaged 12th-best in yards per game allowed, and 11th-best in points per game allowed. He also showed his unit can create turnovers, as the Colts defense averaged the seventh-most takeaways per year.

So, while the hires may not “wow” fans, there’s still a lot to like about the staff, and their potential with the team this season.