Before the Dallas Cowboys headquartered at The Star in Frisco, we used to call their home base "Second-Chance Valley Ranch.'' Why? "Valley Ranch'' was the name of the Coppell development, and it just caught on as the nickname used for the team's building.
And "second chance''?
That was from owner Jerry Jones' penchant for wishing to take a chance on a player who had been discovered to have behavioral issues. Much of that, as Jerry has often said, is about his Americana-based belief that everybody deserves a second chance.
This belief, as you might expect, didn't always pan out well for the team if that player didn't clean up his act.
Randy Gregory is one example. In 2015, Gregory was widely considered one of the most gifted prospects in the NFL Draft as a fierce defensive end out of Nebraska.
Prior to the draft, Gregory had failed a mandatory drug test at the Scouting Combine and began to see his draft stock plummet. Come draft night, the prospect that was once a consensus top-10 overall pick was stuck waiting to hear his name called. Every team in the first round passed on him, and he continued to slide deep into Round 2.
At pick No. 60, the Cowboys were on the clock again and met with a decision. They clearly saw an opportunity to grab an elite young talent and "steal" him on Day 2, which would mean he wouldn't cost as much as a first rounder. Of course, they were also met with his recent question marks in maturity - the reason all 31 other teams said "no thanks" already.
Jerry took the gamble on a typical "high risk, high reward" prospect that the Cowboys have become known for. In his four seasons in Dallas, Gregory put up decent numbers, but was nowhere close to scratching the ceiling many expected he could reach in the NFL ... and he hasn't performed much better since leaving either.
Now in 2025, the Dallas Cowboys could face a similar situation in this week's draft. The comparison, in fact, may feel eerily familiar.
James Pearce Jr. is a stud pass rusher out of Tennessee that many scouts and analysts pinned a first round lock. He was ranked as high as No. 13 on some big boards during the early combine stages.
That perception has changed, dropping Pearce currently to No. 23 on PFF's big board. Some rankings have him as low at No. 31 with a high risk of slipping out of the first round.
The reason? Rumors of a run-in with the law, a lack of coachability, and other character concerns are floating around NFL war rooms.
One director of player personnel has said Pearce is "in danger of getting dropped off our board" due to "a lot of [character] concerns."
The Cowboys have pick No. 12 in Round 1, but are basically telling us they want to draft an offensive player in that spot - whether it be a receiver, running back, or lineman.
However, Pearce has had a meeting at The Star as one of Dallas' 30 visits. Are they plotting for another steal? Surely not at 12, but somewhere else?
In the second round, Dallas sits at No. 44. If Pearce happens to be available, just like when Gregory was, the Cowboys may feel some déjà vu.
And, just like it was for Gregory, it is hard ignore Pearce's pro-ready build and elite combination of speed and power off the line. At 6-5, 245 pounds, Pearce has graded as a top pass rusher in this entire class (over names like Abdul Carter and Mykel Williams) and registered an impressive 17 sacks over his last two seasons.
Pairing him opposite of Micah Parsons would be a scary sight for opposing backfields, even though the idea contradicts Dallas' more dire roster needs in this cycle.
Pearce seems confident in his character, despite these concerning murmurs about his behavior.
"I'm a great guy. I'm a great teammate, a great player," Pearce said. "I'm a people person. I've got a good heart."
We imagine Pearce can, and will, experience growth in maturity - which could happen even before he's drafted.
But the job now for NFL teams? To find out the truth for themselves.
The job for the Cowboys? Determine if this is another time to offer a "second chance".
