While we can debate over who the most popular team in the NFL is until we lose our voices, the debate over the most scrutinized team begins and ends with the Dallas Cowboys. Such is the cost of being the most valuable professional sports franchise in the world.
When things are going bad in Dallas, like they have been for the last year, that scrutiny can get pretty intense.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton singled out the Cowboys as the “biggest offseason losers” in the NFC East Division in the 2025 offseason.
“The Dallas Cowboys parted ways with former head coach Mike McCarthy, lost lead running back Rico Dowdle in free agency and right guard Zack Martin retired,” Moton wrote. “One can argue that the Cowboys downgraded from McCarthy to a far less accomplished replacement in Brian Schottenheimer, who will be a full-time head coach for the first time in his career.”
After 3 consecutive seasons with a 12-5 regular season record from 2021 to 2023, the Cowboys are coming off a massive step backwards in 2024 where they went 7-10. Combine that with the Cowboys’ postseason failures — they haven’t made the NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season — and the pressure just continues to mount.
Cowboys Still Haven’t Paid Top Defensive Star
The Cowboy have cost themselves tens of millions by not paying star players earlier than later with quarterback Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb — players they eventually paid — but may have cost themselves even more in terms of the locker room and the uncertainty they continue to force on players they know they will just pay eventually.
NFL All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons is just the latest example, as the Cowboys drag their feet on a player on a Hall of Fame pace as he enters his fifth NFL season.
“Parsons is in line for a blockbuster contract extension that is expected to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, but there has been very little movement — despite Parsons making it clear he wants to be a Dallas Cowboy for his entire career,” Sports Illustrated’s Josh Sanchez wrote on May 5.
Replacements Don’t Seem Like Improvements
While Martin’s replacement comes in the form of first round draft pick Tyler Booker, it’s not realistic to expect he’ll be able to lift his level of play to that of the future Hall of Famer and 9-time NFL All-Pro as a rookie. Maybe someday. Just not in 2025.
At running back, what the Cowboys have done to replace Dowdle is even more confusing. The Cowboys signed free agent Javonte Williams to a 1-year, $3 million contract but even that seems like they may have overpaid. While Williams led the Denver Broncos in rushing the last 2 seasons, 2024 was arguably his worst year as a pro with 513 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns while averaging just 3.7 yards per carry.
The Cowboys also drafted 2 running backs in the later rounds with fifth round pick Jaydon Blue (No. 149 overall) and seventh round pick Phil Mafah (No. 239 overall), but it’s a leap to say either of them will make any significant contributions
