As the NFL offseason begins, franchises across the league are seeking ways to elevate and improve their teams to compete for a spot in the next Super Bowl, but how should the Dallas Cowboys attack the next few months as a team?
Dallas is coming off a disappointing season and is looking to bounce back after watching from the sidelines as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Although the franchise has various needs leading into the 2025 NFL season, a few pieces must also be handled before the team can truly compete at the highest level.
Here are the two biggest priorities for the Cowboys leading into the 2025 NFL offseason:
1. Re-sign Micah Parsons
The Cowboys’ biggest priority for the upcoming offseason must be re-signing linebacker Micah Parsons to a contract that will keep him with the franchise for the foreseeable future.
Parsons has already proven to be one of the most disruptive defensive players in the league and has expressed his desire to return to the team multiple times over the past few seasons.
The Pro Bowl linebacker put together an impressive season in 2024 despite missing four games with an injury, finishing the year with 30 solo tackles, 12 sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Parsons’ impact on the field was felt heavily in the four games he missed during the 2024 season, as Dallas allowed an average of 30.25 points per game without him and just 26.69 points when he was available.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Parsons wants to remain in Dallas and has said he is prepared to sign at a lower price to allow the front office room to add more impactful players.
“Players that will help me win championships, I’ll say that. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid into three, four people, that doesn’t sound too fun to me.”
Dallas would be wise to sign Parsons to a contract before free agency, as this would open up more cap space for the team to sign additional players and bring back other Cowboys players who are entering free agency.
Additionally, signing Parsons to a deal early in the offseason lowers the chances that another player of his caliber sets the market at an even higher price.
While Parsons has stated that he is prepared to play at a slightly reduced price to remain in Dallas, he will still look to be paid near the top of the market, and that price will continually increase as more players sign deals.
Unsurprisingly, Parsons said last week that there has been “no progress” on extension discussions, but he is hopeful it will be completed before the regular season begins.
“I really have a lot of respect for Jerry. We have great conversations all the time. There’s definitely a plan in place, but we’ll just see how everything plays out,” he said, per The Cowboys.
These comments come as no surprise due to the Cowboys’ history in similar situations, with the team opting to wait until the last moment to re-sign star players who want to be with the team long-term.
Last offseason, Dallas dragged its feet signing extensions with quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Ceedee Lamb, resulting in the franchise paying each of them a higher price while risking the team’s chemistry.
Dallas must commit to signing Parsons to an extension early in the offseason to open up cap space and allow flexibility for additional moves.
2. Improve Defensive Line
The second biggest priority for Dallas in the 2025 offseason will be to improve along the defensive line.
Dallas once again struggled to stop opposing teams’ rushing attacks during the 2024 season, allowing the fourth-most rushing yards of any team in the NFL and the most rushing touchdowns.
A large portion of these struggles came from injuries, as defensive tackle Sam Williams missed the entire season with a torn ACL and defensive end Demarcus Lawrence only played in four games due to a foot sprain.
However, Dallas will need to add multiple pieces to the defensive line if this team wants to compete at a high level next season.
The biggest deficit along the defensive line comes at the defensive tackle position, with the Cowboys likely needing to add multiple pieces to the roster to receive sustainable production next year.
Luckily, the Cowboys expect Sam Williams to return to the team next season and provide a slight boost at the position, but that should not hold the franchise back from pursuing players in both free agency and the draft.
In addition to re-signing Osa Odighizuwa to a new contract, the Cowboys could pursue other veteran defensive tackles, such as Calais Campbell or B.J. Hill, to help solidify the inside of their defensive line.
Following free agency, the Cowboys must prioritize the defensive line during the 2025 NFL Draft, in which the team possesses the 12th overall selection.
Dallas may choose to select an offensive player in the first round of the draft but could attack the defensive side of the ball in the middle rounds.
The upcoming draft class includes multiple players who could immediately step in and make an impact for Dallas at defensive tackle, such as Kenneth Grant from Michigan or Walter Nolen from Ole Miss.
Regardless, the franchise should have a variety of choices along the defensive line to help solidify both the tackle and end positions next season.