FRISCO, Texas — There's been plenty of change within the ranks of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, and the departure of Dan Quinn has since led to a free agency exodus of notable players to the Washington Commanders. It's left head coach Mike McCarthy and newly returned defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer with their work cut out for them this offseason.
As the calendar flips to April, a cap-strapped Cowboys' front office could find itself finally gaining some traction in free agency as they also prepare to host NFL prospects on Official 30 visits and Dallas Day workouts ahead of the draft.
And with the dates being officially announced for OTAs and minicamp, the remainder of Dallas' offseason calendar has come into focus.
April -
- April 15: Start of offseason workouts for teams with no head coaching change
- April 17: Last day for visits with draft-eligible players (Official 30)
- April 25-27: 2023 NFL Draft (Kansas City, MO)
May -
- May 2: Deadline for 5th-year option on players chosen in 1st round of 2021 NFL Draft
- May 3-6/May 10-13: Rookie minicamps
- May 21-23, May 29-31: Voluntary OTAs
- June 4-6: Mandatory Minicamp
- Late-July: Training Camp Begins*
- August 1: Hall of Fame Game (Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears)
- Early August, Full NFL preseason begins*
*Dates are to-be-determined later.
For those wondering, the fifth-year option deadline applies to only one player, but it's a headliner, with linebacker Micah Parsons being the sole former first-round pick in 2021.
He's eligible to begin contract negotiations as well, however, so time will tell which direction the Cowboys take on Parsons — able to extend him this offseason, or simply execute his fifth-year option and address the matter in 2025.
Then again, executing the fifth-year option by the deadline doesn't preclude them from agreeing to a new deal thereafter, but it would guarantee he's in a Cowboys' uniform in 2025, regardless of anything.
As the months roll by, the official start dates for minicamp, training camp and the preseason will be revealed.
Finishing with a third consecutive 12-5 season proves the Cowboys have figured out the regular season formula, one that landed them the No. 2 seed and the second division title in only three seasons, but what they do next will determine if they've figured out the postseason equation.
