The 2025 season has been filled with plenty of ups and downs for the Dallas Cowboys. It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a year, but Dallas will ultimately miss the playoffs for the second-straight season.
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2 impact players who could be entering their final 2 games as a Dallas Cowboy
While the two games left in the regular season don’t mean anything in terms of standings, there are plenty of players on Dallas’ current roster who could be playing their final two games as a Cowboy. With that thought in mind, today we take a look at two impact players who could be suiting up as Cowboys for the final two times in the coming weeks.
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There is no denying that Cowboys’ running back Javonte Williams has had an outstanding 2025 campaign. After a breakout rookie year in 2021, Williams suffered major injuries, including a torn ACL in 2022, and many believed he would never reach his top form again.
Dallas took a chance on the 25-year-old running back, signing him to a one-year deal in hopes that he still had some juice left in the tank. The move turned out to be one of Dallas’ best of the offseason, as Williams has put together a career year in his fifth season in the league.
On the year, Williams is fourth in the NFL in first downs rushing, sixth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,147), tied for seventh in rushing touchdowns (10) to go with a career-high 56.1% Rushing Success Rate. Williams has slowed down considerably in the second half of the season, averaging just 4.2 Y/A over his last four games. Still, those shortcomings are more a product of the recent struggles of Dallas’s offensive line, which has been a very inconsistent unit over the past four to five weeks.
Williams has been a diamond in the rough find for Dallas’ front office, but his outstanding 2025 campaign could price him out of a return to the Cowboys. While the 2026 free agent running back market does include some capable players (Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker), Williams will still be a hot commodity for running back-needy teams.
At just 25-years-old, at least one team will likely be willing to offer Williams a multi-year contract. Spotrac projects the running back to earn a three-year, $22M deal on the open market. While $7M a year isn’t a huge number, with all of Dallas’ needs to address elsewhere on the roster, it seems unlikely they would seriously consider bringing Williams back to Dallas at that number.
If Williams has found a home in Dallas and is willing to take a more modest number to remain here, he may stay. If he’s looking to cash in on his career-changing year, which he almost certainly will be, there’s a very good chance he’s about to play his final two games as a Cowboy.

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When the Cowboys acquired defensive tackle Kenny Clark back at the beginning of September, the 30-year-old veteran had big shoes to fill. While no one expected Clark to replicate Micah Parsons’ production on Dallas’ defense, Clark filled a big need the Cowboys had at defensive tackle and figured to be a guy who could make a significant impact right away.
With how bad the Cowboys’ defense has been as a whole, Clark’s season has gone a bit unnoticed, but the 10-year veteran has had a very productive year. When Dallas acquired Clark, they knew he would be solid against the run, but questions remained about whether he had anything left in the tank as a pass rusher. Surprisingly, Clark has turned back the clock a bit this year and has been a more than adequate pass-rushing defensive tackle.
In 15 games, Clark has recorded 43 total pressures, 33 QB Hurries, and four sacks, via Pro Football Focus. With two more games to add to these totals, Clark will likely finish with the second-most pressures, hurries, and sacks in his last four seasons. While the totals aren’t close to his star-studded 2023 campaign, they are still impressive for a veteran interior defensive linemen.
Clark has had a more than acceptable first season in Dallas, but his long-term future as a Cowboy is anything but certain. With the Cowboys acquiring star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, there’s a chance Dallas will not be able to afford to keep Clark, Williams, and 27-year-old Osa Odighizuwa all on their roster in 2026.
Of those three, Clark is the most obvious choice if Dallas is going to cut ties with one of the defensive tackles. The way Clark’s contract is structured, the Cowboys can get out of the deal this offseason with no penalty. If Dallas were to cut Clark (pre or post June 1), they would incur no dead money and save $21M against the cap this year and $20M in 2027.
As mentioned above, the Cowboys have so many other needs to address on their roster this offseason, keeping Clark at a $21.5M cap number just does not feel like a realistic option. Dallas could restructure the veteran’s contract to lower his 2026 cap number and keep him as a Cowboy for the remainder of his deal, but the more likely scenario seems to be Dallas releasing him at some point next summer.
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Death penalty off the table for man accused of beheading Dallas motel manager, prosecutors say
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Top 10 Dallas Cowboys of 2026: Rashan Gary is Complete EDGE Dallas Needed
In need of help on the edge, the Dallas Cowboys tried to make a huge move this offseason. They made multiple attempts to trade for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby, but were never able to get a deal done.
Once that one was off the table, they decided to send a fourth round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for veteran Rashan Gary. The move was criticized, which is rather confusing when you think about it. Dallas gave up a mid-round pick, and reworked his contract to where it hardly makes any impact on a salary cap. They also filled a position of a great need with a player who might not threaten to lead the league in sacks, but is well-rounded and can help against the run just as much as he does when rushing the passer.
Gary is entering his eighth season in the league and has 271 tackles and 46.5 sacks. He’s coming off another solid campaign, which is why he’s No. 9 on our list of top 10 players on the Cowboys’ roster.
Rashan Gary 2025 review
Gary’s numbers in 2025 were respectable, but could be misleading. He was on pace to record 18 sacks, as he had 7.5 through the first seven games of the year. He then disappeared for the final nine games, recording no sacks while struggling to generate pressure.
That led to his season as a whole being considered rather disappointing, which is why the Packers were willing to move on. It’s also why Dallas was able to convince him to take a pay cut after he joined their team. What was most frustrating for Green Bay was the fact that they needed him to step up when Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL late in the year and Gary was unable to do so.
Rashan Gary 2026 prediction
One thing critics of the move are failing to see is the fact that Dallas doesn’t need Gary to record double-digit sacks. They need him to be the veteran voice for a group of young pass rushers who are trying to find their footing in the league.
Second year player, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Malachi Lawrence both have the talent to be game-changers off of the edge. What they don’t have, is the experience. That’s where Gary comes in.
As those two continue to develop, Gary will be the stabilizing veteran force who can make plays on early downs, while also being disruptive as a pass rusher. We can’t ignore the struggles that he had in 2025, but perhaps the change of scenery will give him some motivation to turn back the clock. And Dallas didn’t have to give up much to give him that opportunity.
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Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa runs for Dallas Mayor
DALLAS – Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced that he is running for Mayor of Dallas on Monday.
Hinojosa says the city needs experienced leadership to address the budget challenges and pro sports teams leaving Downtown Dallas.
Addressing Dallas’ budget and pro sports team
Local perspective:
Michael Hinojosa served two stints as superintendent of Dallas ISD, totaling 13 years. He told FOX 4 that he officially filed paperwork to enter the race and plans to formally launch his campaign at a Tuesday morning news conference at Dallas City Hall.
Hinojosa points to financial track record at Dallas ISD
What they’re saying:
Hinojosa cited his tenure leading Dallas ISD as evidence of his financial management experience, saying the district’s reserves grew from about $32 million when he took over in 2005 to nearly $1 billion in obligated and unobligated fund balances by the time he left.
“I think that it’s really important for this community to know that we’re at an inflection point and that the city and the community need a strong, proven leader,” Hinojosa said.
He pointed to the city’s budget shortfall, employee furloughs and concerns over major sports franchises potentially leaving downtown as examples of challenges facing Dallas.
He said solving the city’s challenges would require coalition-building and pledged to focus on issues important to residents, taxpayers and businesses.
“I believe that a vision is a dream with a deadline,” Hinojosa said, adding that if elected he would aim to address the city’s biggest challenges within two terms.
Campaign announcement at Dallas City Hall
What’s next:
Hinojosa said he will outline his priorities during a 10 a.m. campaign announcement on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas City Hall.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by an interview conducted by FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb.
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