FRISCO, Texas — This time around, for the Dallas Cowboys, this headline question feels akin to asking which of your two children is your favorite. On one hand, the offense entered an offseason with only six looming unrestricted free agents, sure, but it's who was/is involved in that discussion that makes things concerning.
Brian Schottenheimer ascends to not only the role of head coach, but also offensive play caller, making for a interesting dilemma as far as what he'll want to address first; and you very well know Matt Eberflus will stand on his own table in his return to Dallas as defensive coordinator to try and fill the holes on his side of the ball.
So, who gets the first green light?
No Offense, But...
Not having Zack Martin, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, having now officially retired (and Tyron Smith following suit means he won't be returning to help at offensive tackle), is only the tip of an offensive iceberg that also features the hypothermic reality that Rico Dowdle, the most recent and record-setting 1,000-yard rusher, is testing the open market — including the unlikelihood of Javonte Williams in free agency precluding the Cowboys from using a premium pick at the position.
This all comes one year after Tony Pollard took his talents elsewhere, and now only weeks removed from the Ezekiel Elliott reunion project detonating in the Cowboys' hand like a grenade with a pulled pin that was cooked/held 17 seconds too long.
This means one of the worst rushing attacks in the league is entering the offseason festivities with another round of questions on the offensive line and without a definitive impact starter at running back — the unit moving toward the wrong end zone altogether.
Signing Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders should presumably help lessen the need to use a top pick at the position, but not in my opinion, at least not entirely.
Brandin Cooks departs the receiving corps to return to the New Orleans Saints, leaving the Cowboys to work through the WR2 equation, yet again.
There are plenty of bodies at the position behind CeeDee Lamb, but Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks are still developing, Jonathan Mingo struggled following his midseason acquisition by trade, and KaVontae Turpin simply doesn't touch the ball enough. My hope is the latter will change under Schottenheimer, but unless I see it, there's nothing to see.
Cataracts, if you will.
It's all so foggy at the moment.
The signing of Parris Campbell is intriguing but, objectively speaking, it doesn't move my needle regarding what I'd do in this year's draft — at all.
Out of Your Depth
As far as who will be throwing to the second team, and even third team, receivers the ball, with neither Cooper Rush nor Trey Lance under contract, it's either Will Grier's job officially behind Dak Prescott or another body will be needed for competition at QB2 and QB3.
That body is Joe Milton, acquired via trade with the New England Patriots, to compete with Grier for the QB2 seat and, unlike some other additions, this truly does likely preclude the Cowboys from using a draft pick at the respective position.
And I'm completely fine with that, as it relates to the quarterback depth chart.
All told, so much of this adds up to rightful speculation that the Cowboys could look to bring Ashton Jeanty home with the 12th-overall pick, should be still be available, Jeanty having attended high school in Frisco and is very vocal as of late of wanting to play in Dallas.
There is also speculation, however, that they could use the selection to try and repair the offensive line, one year after drafting Tyler Guyton in the first round and Cooper Beebe in the third as a combo deal stemming from a first-round trade with the Detroit Lions, as incoming offensive line coach Conor Riley and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams join head coach Brian Schottenheimer in trying to decide if Beebe will remain at center, or if he'll be moved to right guard and into the throne vacated there by Martin.
Signing Saadiq Charles, Robert Jones and Hakeem Adeniji is clearly an attempt to avoid having to use another first-round pick on an offensive lineman, but don't strikethrough that possibility, for stated reasons, and considering there could be one there the team views as an upgrade over a very capable Brock Hoffman.
An added tertiary speculation also puts the Cowboys on the prowl for a wide receiver in the first round if that is the best player available and they find themselves in another CeeDee Lamb-esque situation — i.e., needing to address other positions (running back, offensive line) more on Day 1 but being unwilling to pass up on a potentially generational receiver talent that might fall to them.
As it stands, they've had conversations with both Tetairoa McMilan (Arizona) and Matthew Golden (Texas), among others, and both of those names have an exceedingly strong chance of getting the call on Day 1.
Defensive Driving
Oh, but not so fast, my friends.
Yes, I said that in Lee Corso's voice.
For while you've been reading this and feeling your anxiety levels regarding the offensive side of the ball rise, though justifiably so, things aren't exactly prom-pretty on the defense as Eberflus and his staff grab the wheel. It's a side of that ball that featured more than twice the number of free agents this year, and it goes a little something like this:
Defensive Line:
DeMarcus Lawrence, DE- Carl Lawson, DE
Osa Odighizuwa, DLChauncey Golston, DL- Linval Joseph, DL
- Carlos Watkins, DL
Linebackers:
- Eric Kendricks, LB
- Darius Harris, LB
- Nick Vigil, LB
Cornerbacks:
Jourdan Lewis, CBIsrael Mukuamu, CB- Amani Oruwariye, CB
First and foremost, note the strikethroughs on this list, because they are both good and bad — indicating who is no longer a free agent.
Odighizuwa has been secured on a four-year deal worth $80 million and, yes, that is magnificent news for the Cowboys at 3-tech (right of center), but losing Jourdan Lewis to the Jacksonville Jaguars strikes one hell of a blow to the cornerback depth chart — one that could be without All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs for a chunk of the season as well.
Lewis has been the glue that kept the secondary churning along despite players dropping like flies in 2024, and one of the most vocal and respected leaders in the locker room, and has also proven he's coordinator-proof in playing at a high level having been forced to adapt for four different defensive coordinators in his eight-year career.
Eberflus would have marked his fifth, but the caveat here is that Lewis played under Eberflus in the latter's first stint in Dallas as passing game coordinator, and voiced excitement following news of the coach's reunion with the Cowboys.
So much for that, amirite?
Around the Corner
Losing Lewis equates to a meteor hitting the nickel corner position in Dallas, and the cornerback position as a whole, seeing as he can flex outside in emergency situations; and hoping to retain Mukuamu would help salve the wound but it's not an even swap. Caelen Carson got off to a hot start as a rookie in the season opener with All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland on injured reserve, granted, but he cooled noticeably en route to season-ending injured reserve due to a nagging shoulder issue.
That means he now has both the learning curve and rehab to work against this summer and going into Year 2 of his NFL career.
With Mukuamu re-signed, there's at least some talent in the building who could step in as a big slot/nickel, but keep in mind he's on a one-year deal and the draft is about taking care of the now as much as it is, if not moreso, trying to guarantee the future.
And that's why, even after trading with the Bills to acquire Kaiir Elam, the cornerback position in Dallas, ahead of the draft, is still arguably in or near dire straits.
At defensive end, Lawrence would love to forget the 2024 season, seeing as he spent most of it, and ended it, on injured reserve, but he was a Pro Bowl talent as recently as 2023, adding to the fact there is still development needed on former second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland as well as the inevitable grace period needed by Sam Williams to find top form after returning from a torn ACL in the season to come.
With Lawrence now gone to the Seattle Seahawks, so goes the security blanket, and dependable depth as Golston took his talents to New York to sign with the Giants.
Lawson has effectively rebuilt his brand in a major way, but he remains unsigned, and maybe that means he's a post-draft signing by a team that left the draft still in need of pass rush production; which could also mean the Cowboys find themselves being outbid for his services.
At least Dante Fowler is returning to slow the bleeding, but that doesn't mean he is a full-blown tourniquet. Though he's coming off of a career season, the signing serves more as a firm compress.
Then comes a peek at the interior of the defensive line and … uh oh, Spaghettio's.
An Inside Job
Odighizuwa was one of the most sought after free agents of this cycle, also the only consistent impact player in that role. He is a refined game changer in both run defense and in rushing the opposing quarterback, two things Mazi Smith and some of the other younger talent like Justin Rogers are working to sharpen.
Losing Odighizuwa would have been objectively devastating, and would have immediately placed the defensive tackle position in the "top of the board" conversation heading into the draft.
He stayed, however, and the addition of former third-overall pick Solomon Thomas only helps bolster the role of 3-tech that much more, but there's more work to be done on the interior (at 1-tech).
It's unlikely the Cowboys pluck a linebacker on Day 1, given everything else we're discussing, and the fact they added both Kenneth Murray (via trade) and Jack Sanborn (via free agency) to salve the wound, but never say never.
DeMarvion Overshown is set to miss the majority of next season with injury, Kendricks remains unsigned, and while Marist Liufau is showing a high ceiling, he needs assistance that may or may not come by way of Damone Clark who, for all intents and purposes, found himself in Mike Zimmer's doghouse last season without so much as a Scooby snack to gnaw on.
I simply wouldn't rule out a possible selection at linebacker on, say, Day 3 in the draft.
Take Your Pick
This is what Eberflus is up against, and more, and we've discussed what Schottenheimer is contending with, both as an offensive coach and the executive of the entire coaching staff that must also ensure the defense is well-fed.
So what will it be when the Cowboys go on the clock with the 12th-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft? Offense or defense?? It's almost as challenging as, say, someone asking you to name your favorite child.
Good luck with that.
There is no wrong answer, but ...
