Here is what the Cowboys roster could look like this year if they did literally nothing in free agency (which is normal).
We’re just a few weeks away from the scouting combine, about three months from the draft, and will see plenty of free agency action in between. As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for this critical offseason, and we along with them, it’s a good time to take stock of what the team’s carrying into 2025 with its existing contracts.
Even a quick glance at Dallas’ scheduled free agents this year might incite panic. First, you have several starters with Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa, Brandin Cooks, Eric Kendricks, and Rico Dowdle. They’re joined by other key role players like Jourdan Lewis, KaVontae Turpin, Cooper Rush, Chauncey Golston, Carl Lawson, and Chuma Edoga. Throw in specialists Bryan Anger and Trent Sieg, not to mention plenty of other depth guys, and this potential exodus of talent would decimate the Cowboys’ roster.
Obviously, some players will automatically get re-signed or replaced. Dallas won’t go into next season without a punter or long snapper. But at the offensive and defensive spots, the question is how much they can afford to trust talent already under contract versus using free agency, the draft, or trades to either fill holes and improve positions in 2025.
To that end, let’s see what sort of 53-man roster we can build using only players currently signed for next season.
Offense (25)
QB: Dak Prescott, Will Grier
Concern Level: Medium
Prescott’s worth as the starter is one of the most debated topics in football, but that’s for another article. When it comes to filling out this 2025 roster, he’s locked in this year and probably 2026 before you could reasonably get out from under that contract.
The concern here is at the backup spot. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance are both free agents, leaving Grier as the only other passer currently signed. Is he a guy who can come in and win nine out of 14 starts like Rush has? With only two starts to his name back in 2019 with the Panthers, Grier hasn’t shown enough to be relied upon.
RB: Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke
Concern Level: High
If you thought last year was rough, going into next season with this crew would be disastrous. The Cowboys certainly won’t do that, likely targeting RB early in this year’s draft and perhaps re-signing Rico Dowdle as well. Luepke is fine as your fullback and Vaughn could be interesting in the new Schottenheimer-Adams offense, but you don’t want them being more than piecemeal players.
WR: CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks
Ryan Flournoy, Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Cropper
Concern Level: High
Dallas needs a true number-two receiver to help open up the passing game. Frankly, they haven’t had one in three years. While Brandin Cooks did respectable work in his two seasons, he was never a great fit with Mike McCarthy and not capable of stepping up if Lamb went out. You could live with this depth chart as long as Cooks’ spot is upgraded, and that’s going to take an outside move.
One of these spots will hopefully go to KaVontae Turpin, both for offensive plays and his league-leading return ability. But he should have a market, even as a restricted free agent, so Dallas spending enough to keep him is a question mark.
TE: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens
Brevyn Spann-Ford
Concern Level: Low
After 2023, Ferguson looked like one of the hot up-and-comers among NFL tight ends. Injuries, lack of chemistry with Cooper Rush, and bad offensive mojo overall made last season painful. But he’s shown enough to deserve a chance to bounce back, and at least we got to see Schoonmaker show a little something when Ferguson was out. This is a position that should perform well as long as other issues are addressed.
OT: Tyler Guyton, Terence Steele, Matt Waletzko
Earl Bostick Jr.
Concern Level: High
This is all about how much faith you have in Guyton and Steele to run it back for another year. Steele may not even be in the mix if he’s a salary cap casualty, which only exacerbates the problem. If the coaching changes help Steele to find himself again and Guyton to develop in his second year, they make an adequate starting duo.
But that’s a big if, and you still have a big need for a swing tackle behind them. Nobody currently on the roster qualifies, and Dallas might want to consider drafting one high who would also serve as Steele’s eventual replacement. That player could also be an option if Guyton turns out to be a bust.
G/C: Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Brock Hoffman
Asim Richards, T.J. Bass, Jack Anderson
Concern Level: Low
While technically not under contract yet, Brock Hoffman is an exclusive rights free agent and won’t be going anywhere. Moving to guard worked well for him and he, Beebe, and Smith make a solid starting trio in the interior line. The depth also isn’t bad with Richards having guard/tackle flexibility and Bass reportedly working at center in last year’s camp. Dallas shouldn’t ignore opportunities for upgrades, but they have bigger issues in the grand scheme.
Defense (25)
DE: Micah Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, Sam Williams
Tyrus Wheat (ERFA), Luiji Vilain
Concern Level: High
The Cowboys not only need more bodies at DE but also some better ones. While Kneeland showed good potential as a rookie and could be okay in a larger role, the potential losses of DeMarcus Lawrence, Chauncey Golston, and Carl Lawson would leave things woefully thin. You can’t trust Sam Williams at this point, both for past performance and now coming off a major knee injury.
DT: Mazi Smith, Justin Rogers, Denzel Daxon
Earnest Brown, ???
Concern Level: MIDNIGHT
If you’re not a fan of “The Office,” just know that there’s nothing more serious than Threat Level: Midnight. Defensive tackle would lose its only reliable asset if Osa Odighizuwa leaves in free agency, not to mention last year’s depth players in Linval Joseph and Carlos Watkins. Whether or not Dallas re-signs Odighizuwa is the big swing factor here, but even then you still have work to do for his and Smith’s backups.
The question mark is for one more defensive lineman, either DE or DT, as Dallas will likely carry ten for the season. But right now, we’ve used up everyone currently under contract.
LB: DeMarvion Overshown, Marist Liufau, Damone Clark
Buddy Johnson, Brock Mogensen
Concern Level: High
We could make this a “Medium” if not for Overshown’s knee injury, but alas. At best, he’ll return sometime during the first half of the season but even then his effectiveness will be hard to know. That leaves Liufau and Clark as you’re only experienced guys, which is generous, plus a major leadership vacuum if Eric Kendricks doesn’t get re-signed. Dallas needs at least one more significant asset here to make the position feel solvent.
CB: Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Caelen Carson, Josh Butler
Andrew Booth, Kemon Hall, Troy Pride
Concern Level: High
Even though Josh Butler is sometimes listed at safety he played corner last year, so that helps your depth with versatility. Including him, you could get by with this crew if everyone was coming in healthy. But unfortunately, Diggs, Butler, and Carson all finished last year on injured reserve. Diggs and Butler’s ability to even start the season is still in question, which means you have to get some more help. Re-signing Jourdan Lewis should be a priority, as should adding at least one more solid depth player who could contend for temporary starting duty.
S: Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson
Juanyeh Thomas
Concern Level: Medium
Juanyeh Thomas should be back as another ERFA, meaning you’d at least have a serviceable trio with Hooker and Wilson. But Wilson’s return isn’t guaranteed as a potential cap casualty, which would pull Thomas into a starting role and kill your depth. Dallas should probably draft a safety who can be a backup now.
Special Teams (3)
K: Brandon Aubrey
P: ???
LS: ???
Whether or not Dallas re-signs Bryan Anger and Trent Sieg or brings in new personnel could depend on new special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen, who has his own guys floating around the league. Sorensen’s arrival could also be bad news for C.J. Goodwin, who’s hung around for years as a special teams leader but just lost one of his biggest supporters in John Fassel.
Final Thoughts
To nobody’s surprise, the Cowboys will need to be busy this offseason if they want to put a competitive team on the field. Some positions, like on the defensive line, didn’t even have enough guys to be properly filled. Several others had bodies but need upgrades, both in starting roles and depth, if Dallas wants to improve from their 7-10 flop in 2024.
With a new coaching staff comes new philosophies and potential ways players may be used. Do they want to keep a third QB or roll with just Prescott and a backup? Will Hunter Luepke still have a job as a true fullback? These are things we’ll learn together as the offseason goes and we start doing our annual roster projections.