How Jeffery Simmons' contract extension can affect Quinnen Williams
The Tennessee Titans made defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history, with the 29-year-old signing a three-year, $105.8 million deal with $100 million guaranteed and $35.3 million in AAV, well above the previous high from Chiefs DT Chris Jones at $31.8 million per year.
Who could be next among star defensive tackles to earn a big pay day? Cowboys DT Quinnen Willaims' name certainly comes to mind. He and Simmons are both 29, and Williams is only under contract for the next two seasons with Dallas.
As it stands, Williams is currently the ninth-highest paid DT in the league in AAV at $24 million per year. The Cowboys being willing to trade a first-round pick for him in next year's draft shows how important they feel he is to the defense, which means a contract extension to back that up could be in the future to make Williams either the highest paid, or close to the highest paid, player at his position. - Tommy Yarrish
What Drake London's new deal could mean for George Pickens
Falcons WR Drake London is now the NFL's third-highest paid wide receiver in AAV, signing a four-year, $141 million extension with $100 million guaranteed and $35.26 million per year.
London, who is 25, is the same age as Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens, and both are heading into their fifth seasons in the NFL. Pickens too was seeking a long-term contract, but the Cowboys told him and his representation that would not happen this offseason, and he instead signed his $27.3 million franchise tag that keep shim under contract for the 2026 season.
Pickens' one-year deal on the tag makes him the 17th highest-paid wide receiver in the league in AAV. Should Pickens go out and post a year similar to his 2025 campaign where he had more than 1,400 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, a deal similar to London's may be in the ballpark of what Pickens could seek. For reference, CeeDee Lamb is the league's fifth-highest paid WR at $34 million annually. If Pickens surpasses him and is closer to London's $35 million per year mark, he and Lamb would become the highest-paid WR duo in NFL history, surpassing the Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who currently combine for $69 million per year. – Tommy Yarrish
Examining Eagles' WR room after trading AJ Brown to Patriots
Eagles WR AJ Brown is now reunited with Mike Vrabel for the New England Patriots going forward, taking him out of the Cowboys' crosshairs entirely during the 2026 regular season after Philadelphia traded him for 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick. One of the best receivers in the league, Brown was again set to square off against Dallas at least twice this year, once in Week 7 and again on Thanksgiving Day — the holiday game likely playing a massive role in ultimately determining this year's NFC East champion.
A three-time All-Pro, Brown was a perennial 1,000-yard receiver for Jalen Hurts, leaving Philly to figure out how they'll replace the production of someone who amassed 5,034 total receiving yards and 32 touchdowns while averaging nearly 15 yards per reception since arriving via trade with the Tennessee Titans in 2022.
The Eagles are banking largely on rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon combining with DeVonta Smith to answer that question, as they look to test the new-look and newly-led defense in Dallas that is headlined by All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs. – Patrik Walker
Cowboys now set to face Myles Garrett in 2026 after blockbuster trade to Rams
A seven-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, Myles Garrett was initially not scheduled to take on the Cowboys in 2026, but he is now, when head coach Brian Schottenheimer and All-Pro quarterback Dak Prescott lead their offense into SoFi Stadium on Dec. 20 (Week 15) against the Rams. The Browns traded the reigning defensive player of the year to Los Angeles in exchange for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.
It won't mark the first time Garrett has squared off against the Cowboys, but the quality of the team he's on has changed stratospherically, especially if speculation regarding a potential unretirement of future first ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald becomes real. But even if not, the Rams, already contenders yet again, just got far more difficult to wrangle.
And Dallas will actually get its first look at Garrett in a Rams uniform far ahead of Week 15 — seeing as the Rams and Cowboys have previously held joint practices in training camp, as recently as 2025. Though nothing is confirmed or official on that front as of yet, there remains a possibility Schottenheimer and Rams head coach Sean McVay opt to run it back in SoCal in 2026. – Patrik Walker
NFL teams no longer able to protect home games from international play
At the league's owners' meetings in May, the NFL approved bumping up the maximum number of international games to be played in a year from eight to 10 beginning in 2027. The Cowboys are set to play their first international game since 2014 in Week 3 against the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, and may be playing in more over the new few years because of another rule change.
The NFL also voted in favor of taking away teams' ability to protect home games that may have become international play. Teams were allowed to protect up to two games from being moved outside of the US.
In years past, the Cowboys have been a popular team that opposing teams will veto playing overseas against because of the revenue it can bring to their home stadiums. With that no longer being the case, the Cowboys could very well end up playing in at least one international game every year should the NFL decide they want to bring the team to some of their international sites. – Tommy Yarrish
