LANDOVER, Md. — Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has made it known that he’ll voice his opinion when it comes to the team’s roster construction next season. He already has some thoughts.
“Find a way to keep a guy like [wide receiver] George [Pickens],” Prescott said after Thursday’s 30-23 road win over the Washington Commanders. “Find a way to keep a guy like [running back] Javonte [Williams].”
Those checklist items have been on the offseason agenda for the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones for quite some time. The value of Pickens and Williams has been discussed a lot over the course of this season. Their place on next year’s roster may not be set — and as we saw this past season, no one’s officially in the Cowboys’ future until a contract says so — but it’s now an expectation.
A new name might’ve joined that tier on Christmas Day.
Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, in the words of head coach Brian Schottenheimer, was dominant in the win over the Commanders. Clowney finished with 1.5 sacks, marking the second time he’s had more than one sack in the last four games. Clowney now is tied with James Houston for the team-lead in sacks this season with 5.5.
“You look up and you saw 42 harassing the quarterback,” Schottenheimer said of Clowney. “You see 42 chasing down [plays].
“I just love the way the guy plays.”
It might be because Clowney, at 32 and in his 12th NFL season, is loving playing — even when there could be a reason not to.
Thursday’s game between the Cowboys and Commanders looked a lot better before the season. The Commanders were in the NFC Championship last season. The Cowboys had aspirations of a turnaround in Schottenheimer’s first season. Both teams were eliminated from playoff contention well before they kicked off at Northwest Stadium.
After Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Clowney was asked how he stays motivated with no path to the postseason. The question baffled Clowney.
“What you mean motivated? They’re paying me,” said Clowney, who signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal in September. “That’s enough motivation for me. I like money.”
On Thursday, he put his money where his mouth was. Twelve years ago, when Clowney became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, he was known for his immense physical talent. Today, his best attribute has been his effort. There’s an evident never-quit mentality to his playing style. That’s what helped him finish with 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss.
Clowney’s motor this season isn’t only financially driven, however.
Schottenheimer referenced something he heard Clowney tell the younger players earlier this week as they prepared to play without any playoff hope. Clowney’s message, according to Schottenheimer, was about perspective: being appreciative of how blessed they are to play in the NFL, even if it’s a game that can’t get them toward the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl. Clowney told them to never take it for granted.
That stuck out to Schottenheimer, who’s known Clowney since their time together with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019.
“When he was a younger player — he can speak to this — not that he took it for granted, but he appreciates [the game] so much more now,” Schottenheimer said.
Clowney spoke to that appreciation, too.
“A lot,” Clowney said when he was asked how much fun he’s having this season. “It’s football, man. Not everybody can do it. It’s a blessing for me to still be playing 12 years. I thank God every day for that. I have a lot of fun doing it. If I could have fun doing something else I probably would, but I have so much fun doing this I look forward to Sundays, and big games, and the spotlight, and the cameras and all that … I think it brings the best out of me.”
That’s as evident as it is contagious. Prescott said he could feel Clowney’s love for the game. Prescott said he’s seen it since the Cowboys signed Clowney on Sept. 14. He believes they’re better off with Clowney on their team moving forward.
“We’re fortunate to have him,” Prescott said. “He’s one of those guys that we’ve got to figure out a way to keep.”
Good news for the Cowboys: Clowney said he’d be interested in returning to play for Dallas if they were willing to bring him back.
“I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” Clowney said. “I’m not going to go sit on my couch. I’m going to stay ready.”
Clowney even said that he’s hoping to go to training camp, which is something he didn’t do this past year. There was excitement in his voice as he talked about shaking off rust before the season, rather than ramping up like he did this year. As the season has gone on, he’s shown why he might be deserving of that chance.
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The Texas Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Garland Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abby Policastro and Marissa Aulbaugh prosecuted the case.
“This verdict should send a clear message to drug dealers that we will dismantle any effort to peddle deadly fentanyl in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their dedicated collaboration in taking thousands of fentanyl pills off the streets of Dallas.”
If the Dallas Cowboys want to get over the hump and back into the playoffs in 2026, they’ve got to see a massive improvement in the defense.
Owner Jerry Jones was brutally honest with just how much the Cowboys were held back by their defense in 2025, and the numbers very clearly spell that out.
How does a Cowboys team that ranked top 10 in passing, rushing and points on offense still miss the playoffs?
Well, Dallas also ranked 30th in total yards allowed, 32nd in passing yards, 23rd against the run and 32nd in points against, that’s how. That putrid showing rightly cost Matt Eberflus his job, which set the stage for Dallas to hire Christian Parker.
It also set the stage for a total overhaul of the defense, with Dallas making many additions to that side of the ball, including at corner, where the Cowboys were bad on the boundary and in slot last season.
Fow now, we’re more focused on the boundary competition, as the Cowboys appear set to roll with Caleb Downs in the slot.
The Cowboys won’t have much hope for a playoff appearance if the cornerback play doesn’t improve. Of the 10 teams that landed in the bottom 10 in passing yards allowed last season, only two of them made the postseason.
Of course, the pass-rush played a part in that, and while Dallas has made multiple additions to that group this offseason, there really aren’t any guarantees with Rashan Gary, Malachi Lawrence or Donovan Ezeiruaku.
If that trio fails to improve a pass-rush that was tied for the seventh-fewest sacks in the NFL in 2025, the cornerbacks become even more crucial.
DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel did not play well in 2025, and while the former appears safe for now when it comes to a starting job on the outside, his leash could be short if he struggles again.
Revel, on the other hand, isn’t locked into a starting job on the boundary and is competing with Durant and Caelen Carson. It’s also worth keeping an eye on who finishes in second in that battle because that player could replace Bland if he struggles or gets hurt again.
There is hope Revel can bounce back now that he’s another year removed from the torn ACL he suffered in his final year in college and can enjoy a full offseason, but we’ll have to see it first before we can believe it.
“It’s very beneficial,” Revel said of having a normal offseason. “Just because I can clean up a lot of things, a lot of errors I didn’t see last year, or I did see last year, that I could clean up this year.”
“My knee is 100%, so now it’s time to focus on situational ball and I’ve got to see what I need to fix or get better at,” Revel added.
When training camp kicks off next month, we’re going to be locked into watching the battle at cornerback because it could very well make or break Dallas’ entire 2026 campaign.
Follow
The NFL offseason is moving along as the Dallas Cowboys recently wrapped up their mandatory minicamp. Their next big event takes place at the end of July when they meet in Oxnard for training camp.
Coming off a 7-9-1 campaign, the Cowboys have several areas they would like to improve, and while defense has been the focal point, there will be plenty to watch on offense as well with players fighting for their spot on the depth chart.
That means there will be no shortage of storylines to follow, including keeping an eye on these three players who enter camp with their stock trending in the wrong direction.
It has been a roller coaster for Jonathan Mingo ever since being traded to Dallas ahead of the 2024 deadline. He made no impact during his first eight games, recording just five receptions. He seemed ready to rebound in 2025, however, as he took advantage of his first full offseason with the Cowboys.
Mingo was one of the stars of training camp and put himself in the WR3 conversation. A knee injury put an end to that run and he wound up playing in just six games and had one catch. Now, Mingo heads into camp with very little chance of making the 53-man roster.
At this time last year, Joe Milton III was one of the hottest names in Frisco. The former New England Patriots quarterback was expected to give them a more explosive QB2 behind Dak Prescott after Cooper Rush left in free agency. LeSean McCoy went overboard by saying Dak Prescott’s job was in danger, but there was still a lot of understandable hype.
Now as he enters his second season with the franchise, Milton is going to be battling for the backup spot with Sam Howell, who was signed this offseason. Milton still has a rocket for an arm and unbelievable athleticism for a 6-foot-5, 246-pounder, but he could be in danger of losing his roster spot if he can’t find more consistency.
Dallas added three safeties this offseason, signing Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke in free agency and selecting Caleb Downs in the first round of the NFL draft. Thompson has yet to fully practice due to an injury but Downs has been turning heads and Locke has taken advantage of the extra snaps.
That’s not ideal for Malik Hooker, who has also been sidelined with an injury. Unlike Thompson, Hooker isn’t in the first year of his deal, so his missed time is more detrimental. He also doesn’t have experience with the coaching staff the way Locke does. That means he’s entering camp without much momentum at all, and could be in danger of losing his spot.
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