Mickey Spagnola

FRISCO, TexasQuiet as a mouse out here this Friday at The Star. Not much stirring.

At most, maybe the water from the sprinkler system landing on the grass practice field being resurfaced. Probably be this way at least through the Fourth of July week.

But in the interim, there is this underbelly gurgling going on with this roster, the Cowboys gambling some one-year bets on players they certainly need to hit on to create some noise this upcoming 2025 season.

Now look, we know the main guys who are a must to any potential success the Cowboys are to have. The usual suspects, like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, Tyler Smith, Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, Osa Odighizuwa, Trevon Diggs (when healthy), Sam Williams and the special teams triumvirate of Brandon Auberey, Bryan Anger and Trent Sieg.

Then there is the head coach/play-caller of the offense, Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator Klay Adams with an eye on the offensive line, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and special teams coordinator Nick Sorenson.

But here is the element the Cowboys, having either signed to one-year contracts or traded for now on the final year of their inherited contracts, are needing to hit on for this franchise to emerge from the dark clouds of the season gone by. Most are short-term, inexpensive investments needing high returns. Got around a dozen or so in this category, yet for sure here are a few dice rolls needing to come up seven or 11.

Start with veteran Dante Fowler, signed to a one-year $6 million deal with $5 million guaranteed. With a whole lot of youth and inexperience at the defensive end position, the Cowboys sorely need Fowler to produce, maybe even at the level he did with Washington last year when he finished with 10 sacks while playing just 52 percent of the snaps. Even if he is just DH-ing this year on the other side of Parsons.

Then there is Kaiir Elam, the former Buffalo first-round draft choice on the final year of his rookie contract. There is so much unknown at this point at the cornerback position, aside from Pro Bowler DaRon Bland. There are only hopes third-round draft choice Shavon Revel is ready to start the season, with signs he'll at least be ready by the second week of training camp, recovering from his torn ACL. Hopes, too, two-time Pro Bowl veteran Diggs is ready for at least the start of the season, still recovering from his knee surgery.

And even if the Cowboys hit on both of those guys what are the odds? they still sure need Elam to live up to his draft status at just a $2.57 million guarantee on the final year of his contract. Bland can only play one position at a time, and if he is moved inside to the slot on the nickel, then someone has to man the vacated outside corner spot. As mentioned, they can at this point only hope that at least either Diggs or Revel is ready to go. If not, Elam will get every chance to win that outside cornerback spot.

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You realize when the Cowboys traded for Pittsburgh wide receiver George Pickens, giving up two draft choices, they inherited the final year of his rookie contract, but at just a $3.565 million cap hit. The Cowboys sure are counting on being able to put two No. 1 wide receivers on the field at the same time, allowing guys like Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin to handle the third spot, probably where they belong. This would be a huge boost to this offense if Pickens plays to that level.

Hey, same for Jonathan Mingo, acquired at last season's Nov. 5 trade deadline. Carolina's 2022 second-round draft choice is now on the final year of his rookie contract but at just a $1.55 million cap hit. Man, what an inexpensive boost that would be to the receiver depth if he balls out during training camp/preseason, and he did show signs during these offseason workouts of making an impression.

Now, running back. Think about it. With the Cowboys last two leading rushers moving on in free agency, first Tony Pollard and now Rico Dowdle, if not for signing veteran free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, the corps of existing Cowboys running backs (Deuce Vaughn and fullback Hunter Luepke) have combined for a grand total of 58 NFL carries, with their two 2025 draft choices (Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah) nary a one. And remember, the Cowboys signed both veteran free agents to one-year deals, Williams for $3 million with $2 million guaranteed, and Sanders counting just the veteran minimum ($1.197 guaranteed).

They really need to hit on at least one of these two dice rolls because coming up craps likely would have them in the unenviable position of scouring the veteran free-agent market after the roster cuts to 53. Williams and Sanders performed well in the offseason workouts, with Williams predominantly working with the first-team offense.

Let's move on to linebacker. At this point, the Cowboys have decided so far not to re-sign veteran middle backer Eric Kendricks, the 2024 leading tackler by 50. Maybe they have him back of mind since he's still a free agent. The second leading tackler, DeMarvion Overshown, suffered a second torn ACL in December. The third-year player likely won't be ready to resume playing until around Thanksgiving. That leaves a rather thin linebacker corps after at least trading for sixth-year veteran and presumed starter Kenneth Murray (two-year deal), with the club then relying on second-year 'backer Marist Liufau, fourth-year player Damone Clark, drafting Shemar James in the fifth round and possibly the fine special teams player Buddy Johnson returning for his third season.

At this point, the Cowboys are taking a one-year flier on linebacker Jack Sanborn, on the recommendation of Eberflus, who had the fourth-year veteran with him in Chicago, more so as a special teams ace, having started just 19 of 48 games at linebacker for the Bears the past three years. Sanborn, with 164 total career tackles, was signed to just a $1.5 million deal with but $150,000 guaranteed yet worked with the first-team defense this offseason in the middle. Man, what a boost this could be if Sanborn could really handle the starting middle linebacker position at just 234 pounds. Training camp/preseason time will do tell.

Yep, somewhat of a gamble.

And if searching for offensive line depth, there is Rob Jones, in his fifth season, also signed to a one-year deal for $3.75 million with $3 million guaranteed. He's the veteran insurance at guard in the event Tyler Booker isn't ready to go, though so far all indications suggest he is. Now, Jones started 17 games this past season for Miami at left guard but has played some tackle during his NFL career. Either way, going to cost the Cowboys $3 million, so betting he can at least add some experience to the offensive line room.

There are a few more guys brought in on one year deals, such as wide receiver Parris Campbell, defensive end Earnest Brown, offensive lineman Saadiq Charles, recent-acquisition cornerback Robert Rochell, having traded last year for cornerback Andrew Booth by swapping out Nahshon Wright, offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji and, maybe most interestingly, defensive end Payton Turner, the Saints' former 2021 first-round draft choice they decided against picking up a fifth-year option on. The Cowboys, unlike with most of the others in this category, are taking a $2 million guarantee on this look-see with a base of $2.4 million on Turner, who has a chance to turn his so-so career around.

That's a lot of newbies, the Cowboys hoping for high returns on such low guaranteed financial risks. The percentages generally are low on hitting, but if they do, that certainly will bolster the roster. And in some of those cases, like with Fowler and Pickens and Elam and Williams and Sanborn, they really need to finish in the money on those. And at least for "show."

Now shhhh, keep it down out here.