The Dallas Cowboys are entering a new era under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Dallas wants to do everything in its power to avoid another disappointing season this fall. Give the Cowboys some credit for putting in a lot of hard work this offseason to upgrade the roster.
Dallas was much more aggressive this offseason than they have been in previous years.
The Cowboys did it all — signing free agents, extending their own stars, and drafting talented rookies who could become important building blocks for the new regime.
Training camp is still one month away, but some Cowboys players have already made an impact during OTAs and minicamp.
But which players can translate this offseason hype into regular season production?
Below we will explore three Cowboys hot takes for the 2025 season following the team’s mandatory minicamp.
Jaydon Blue will have over 50 receptions during his rookie season
Brian Schottenheimer’s new offense could present huge opportunities for rookie Jaydon Blue in 2025.
Early word out of Dallas is that Schottenheimer’s offense uses running backs in the passing game much more than in past seasons under Mike McCarthy.
If this remains true during the regular season, it could have some important implications for how the team deploys their running backs.
Javonte Williams is the most talented back on the roster and is currently expected to be the starter in Week 1. However, being the starter might not mean as much in Schottenheimer’s system.
I can easily imagine the Cowboys deploying a “running back by committee” approach just like most other NFL teams. Williams is an ideal runner on early down between the tackles, but he is not an excellent pass catcher.
That’s where Jaydon Blue comes in.
The rookie out of Texas is already a talented receiving back. NFL scouts agree that he possesses all of the skills needed to become a consistent target out of the backfield.
I see the Cowboys giving Blue the third-down back role as early as Week 1. If that happens, he could easily exceed 50 receptions during his rookie season.
Brevyn Spann-Ford will push Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker for snaps at training camp
It is always interesting to see which players stand out to a new coaching staff.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer heaped tons of praise on the young tight end during a recent interview.
“He had an incredible off-season. He really did. The size alone, he moves really well. I think he added six or seven pounds of lean muscle mass. This guy is not just a run blocker and a pass protector,” Schottenheimer said on Thursday, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “This guy can be a weapon because of his size in the middle of the field, matched up on linebackers and safeties. The thing I loved about Brev from day one is you knew that this wasn’t too big for him. You knew mentally that he knew, ‘I belong here. It doesn’t matter how I got here, I belong here.’ And he’s pushing [Jake Ferguson] and [Luke Schoonmaker] and all those guys. He’s already made the jump. You asked me how I feel about it, he’s already made the jump. He’s another guy that when he puts the pads on you’re going to see on the field.”
Spann-Ford joined the Cowboys as a UDFA following the 2024 NFL Draft.
He played in all 17 games last season, but was mostly used as a blocker. In fact, he only logged nine receptions for 88 yards on the year.
I don’t think that Spann-Ford will be able to completely unseat both Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker as the team’s starting tight end.
However, it does seem clear that Schottenheimer is enamored with the young tight end.
I see Spann-Ford eating into Ferguson and Schoonmaker’s snaps with the first team during training camp. He could even supplant Schoonmaker for the TE2 role.
Cowboys will lead the NFL in sacks during the 2025 NFL season
I almost made this prediction that the Cowboys would lead the NFC East in sacks during the 2025 season. Then I took a look back at the 2024 stats.
Dallas was excellent at getting home and sacking the quarterback last season. In fact, their 52 sacks came in third in the entire league.
Keep in mind, this is with superstar Micah Parsons missing four games due to injury. And the entire season falling apart after Dak Prescott’s season-ending injury.
The Cowboys made a number of additions that have me ever more optimistic about their defense in 2025.
Dallas loaded up on edge rushers this offseason, signing both Dante Fowler Jr. and Payton Turner during free agency. They also used a second-round pick on Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Now the Cowboys have an incredibly deep defensive line that has talented starters and depth at every position.
Dallas would not need to improve that much to surpass last season’s sack total. If they take a big leap forward under new DC Matt Eberflus, they could easily lead the NFL in sacks.
I cannot wait to watch this defense later this fall.
