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Dallas Cowboys Stock Watch: Week 18 risers & fallers
The Dallas Cowboys rolled out a roster more reminiscent of a preseason game than a Week 18 lineup, yet they still put up a good fight against the high-powered Washington Commanders.
Multiple players received opportunities they hadn’t gotten earlier in the season and thrived. In what could be the last game with the Cowboys for many players and coaches, there were still several positives to take away from an otherwise disappointing season.
In the Cowboys last game of the season here are the players or coaches who saw their stock rise or fall in week 18.
Dallas Cowboys’ top plays & highlights vs. Commanders Week 18
This is the first time a coach has made this list; however, it took the final game of the season to roll out a playbook that actually played to the strengths of the team. Where was this all season?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. It wasn’t until the last game that McCarthy finally stopped calling plays out of fear of the results.
The Cowboys offense struggled all season calling simple plays to avoid mistakes and ultimately found very little success. Simply not a good look for McCarthy as he heads into free agency.
Mike McCarthy opens up on future as fate uncertain following Cowboys’ season finale
After many hopeful Cowboys fans anticipated Jake Ferguson would produce another Pro Bowl-caliber season and establish himself as one of the league’s best tight ends, it has become unclear whether he is even the best tight end on the Cowboys.
Ferguson has shown little, if any, improvement over fellow Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker. In the final game, Ferguson managed just two catches for 12 yards on four targets, while Schoonmaker recorded two catches for 16 yards on two targets.
Many fans expected Ferguson to earn a contract extension this offseason, but it’s looking increasingly likely that he may find himself in a new uniform in 2026.
DaRon Bland has not been the All-Pro player he was last year after suffering an injury and missing half the season. Today was perhaps his worst game, as he was frequently targeted and struggled to disrupt the Commanders’ passing attack.
His most glaring mistake came when he gave up the game-winning touchdown to Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin. Ironically, the play may benefit the team in the long run by helping them secure a higher draft pick. Nevertheless, it was a disappointing performance for the 2023 All-Pro.
After the Cowboys’ 2024 season became one to forget midway through, fans begged and pleaded for the team to give former first-round draft pick Trey Lance a chance to showcase his talent.
Their wish was granted in the final game of the season, and Lance did not disappoint. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 244 yards and added six carries for 26 yards.
Lance’s performance was a nostalgic reminder of Dak Prescott’s early years, when the Cowboys’ offensive game plan benefited from having an athletic quarterback. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, this will likely be the last time they play with an athletic quarterback for at least the next two seasons.
Similarly to Trey Lance, Cowboys fans have been eagerly waiting for the team to integrate Deuce Vaughn into the offensive game plan. Vaughn did not disappoint, racking up six carries for 37 yards at an impressive 6.2 yards per carry.
He showcased the explosiveness and versatility that made him one of the most dynamic college football players in recent memory. It was a breath of fresh air to see Vaughn receive meaningful touches in a competitive game, rather than in the context of a blowout loss or win.
Cowboys fans have become accustomed to otherworldly performances from Micah Parsons, to the point where they feel spoiled if he doesn’t put up significant numbers on a game-by-game basis.
However, in a season where the Cowboys often looked uninspired and lacked effort, no one has questioned Parsons’ dedication on the football field. In a game with no real impact on the Cowboys’ 2024 season, Parsons gave it his all, recording two and a half sacks and four total tackles.
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(Editor’s Note: As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 players who are new to the Cowboys’ roster, rookies and veterans alike. We’ll continue with outside linebacker Tyrus Wheat.)
The 2026 season will mark a homecoming for Wheat, who is now back in Dallas for his second stint with the Cowboys. As an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State, Wheat signed with the Cowboys in 2023 on the practice squad before quickly being signed to the active roster a few months afterwards.
In his rookie season, Wheat saw a majority of his snaps come on special teams with 197, and only 31 snaps on defense. That would flip in his second season, with 165 snaps on defense and 46 on special teams. Through two years, Wheat played in 20 games and tallied 18 tackles and half a sack before spending a year with the Lions in 2025.
As is true across all levels of football, you can never have enough pass rushers. Wheat gives the Cowboys another pass rusher, who has the added ability to be able to help out on special teams as well as a blocker on kickoffs.
As for how much he’ll be in the defensive rotation, that’ll have to be something he earns in training camp. The Cowboys have some younger pass rushers ahead of him now like Donovan Ezeiruaku and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence, so there’ll need to be some proving done. That said, Wheat is also coming off his best year yet with the Lions. Will it be enough to find a role in the pass rush rotation? Oxnard will give us a good idea of that.
- Wheat played a vital special teams role for the Lions last season, tallying 11 special teams tackles which was the third-most for Detroit in 2025. He played a career-high 215 special teams snaps in order to get to that point.
- Wheat’s one and only season away from the Cowboys thus far in his career saw him play in 15 games for the Lions, where he also tallied a career-high 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks despite only playing 66 defensive snaps.
- After wearing 91 in his first stint with Dallas, Wheat returns to the Cowboys wearing 90 now, which was last worn by defensive tackle Solomon Thomas.
Detroit Pistons introduce second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso
Detroit Pistons rookie second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso is introduced to members of the media July 6, 2026.
The Detroit Pistons have traded a third player this summer.
The Pistons agreed to deal 25-year-old combo guard Marcus Sasser to the Dallas Mavericks, coached by ex-Michigan coach Dusty May, on Tuesday, July 7, according to ESPN. The Pistons are also sending a protected 2028 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.
This comes as part of a complex six-team trade that includes the Pistons dealing Caris LeVert in a salary-saving move to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday evening. The six-team trade also involves the previously reported moves of the Pistons trading Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Pistons’ acquisition of John Collins from the Clippers.
The Pistons generate a trade exception worth $15 million in the trade-palooza, a person with first-hand knowledge told the Free Press, granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. The trade exception is worth the same amount as Stewart’s outgoing salary for 2026-27 and allows the Pistons to take in salary up to $15 million without having to send any back. It expires in exactly one year.
Sasser joins a Mavs backcourt where Kyrie Irving is the starting lead guard, and could compete with second-year undrafted guard Ryan Nembhard for the backup role.
Sasser, who the Pistons traded up to draft 25th overall out of Houston in 2023 under previous general manager Troy Weaver, averaged 5.2 points and shot 41.5% from 3. He is on an expiring contract worth $5.2 million from his four-year, $13.5 million rookie deal.
When called upon, Sasser proved he can play. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder was one of the team’s best shooters, but only appeared in 38 games last season due to injury and the Pistons’ depth at guard.
Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon indicated a desire to add more ball-handling and shooting this offseason, after a 60-22 season ended in Game 7 of the second round.
Sasser’s path to minutes wasn’t going to get easier following the addition of first-round pick Ebuka Okorie, a 19-year-old from Stanford, whom the Pistons traded up four spots to draft No. 17 overall.
Then, Langdon traded for one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters in guard Isaiah Joe in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sasser, who was out of the playoff rotation until Game 5 of the second round, sparked the Pistons in Game 6 at Cleveland, pouring in nine points on 4-for-5 shooting in 18 minutes in a win-or-go-home setting. He played 23 minutes in Game 7, scoring nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in a 125-94 blowout loss to the Cavaliers at home.
Pistons roster moves this offseason
The Pistons have turned over much of the roster this summer through the draft and NBA free agency.
Here’s who they’ve added and who they’ve lost:
Lost
- Traded Marcus Sasser (Mavericks)
- Traded Caris LeVert (Bucks)
- Traded Isaiah Stewart (Grizzlies)
- Tobias Harris (Spurs)
Added
- Drafted Ebuka Okorie (No. 17)
- Drafted Ugonna Onyenso (No. 53, two-way contract)
- Acquired Isaiah Joe (Thunder)
- Acquired John Collins (Clippers)
- Acquired Taurean Prince (Bucks)
- Acquired Gary Harris (Bucks)
The Pistons also re-signed bench wings Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green.
Pistons depth chart
The Pistons have 16 players on their 15-man roster, plus two of three two-way slots filled. Here’s where their depth chart currently stands as of Wednesday morning:
*Jalen Duren remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.
- PG: Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Ebuka Okorie.
- SG: Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Joe, Javonte Green, Chaz Lanier, Gary Harris.
- SF: Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, Kevin Huerter, Taurean Prince.
- PF: John Collins, Isaac Jones (two-way).
- C: *Jalen Duren, Paul Reed, Tolu Smith, Ugonna Onyenso (two-way).
[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Dusty May on leaving Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks
New Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May sat down with FOX 4’s Mike Doocy to discuss why he left the University of Michigan for an NBA job, how his wife and family have supported his journey, his expectations for transforming the Mavs into a championship contender, and more.
DALLAS – North Texans are eager to learn all about the Dallas Mavericks’ new head coach, Dusty May, and his plan for the team.
Dallas Mavs Coach Dusty May
What we know:
May is fresh off a national title win with the Michigan Wolverines.
In his two season in Ann Arbor, May guided the Wolverines to a 64-13 record.
In his prior stint as the head coach at Florida Atlantic University, May guided the Owls to a Final Four in 2023 and multiple NCAA tournament berths.
May comes in as the replacement for Jason Kidd, who the Mavericks parted ways with in late May.
He’s the first big hire under Masai Ujiri, who was hired as the team’s new President of Basketball Operations in early May.
This will be May’s first stint as an NBA head coach.
What they’re saying:
In an interview with Mike Doocy, the 49-year-old coach said he thinks the Mavericks could become real championship contenders sooner rather than later.
He highlighted Kyrie Irving’s return, the potential of Max Christie, and, of course, the skills of star rookie Cooper Flag.
“I think it’s just his mindset, his tenacity, his ability to play every single position at a high level and play both sides of the ball. The fact that he’s always won. He hasn’t always been on the most talented teams, so he’s a competitor that’s up for the challenge. I could literally go on all day about the positive attributes that Cooper has,” he said.
In terms of adjusting from college basketball to the NBA, May said he’s excited about the coaching staff he’s putting together.
He plans to rely on the veterans on the team and in the office as he starts his professional basketball career.
The Source: Information in this article comes from an interview with Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May.
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