The Dallas Cowboys will enter the 2025 regular season with a roster that is substantially different from last year.
Dallas has completely overhauled multiple positions on the team through a series of trades, signings, and draft selections, leading to meaningful change that should result in even more success next season.
But where do these position groups stack up against each other in the context of their own team?
The Dallas Express has ranked the following offensive position groups for the Cowboys entering next season:
Wide Receiver
Dallas entered this offseason with major concerns at the wide receiver position, but a recent trade to acquire George Pickens has quieted those concerns and changed the outlook of this group.
The Cowboys quickly went from one of the most lackluster wide receiver groups in the NFL to one of the best, pairing two of the best wide receivers in the league.
CeeDee Lamb is one of the best wide receivers in the league and should command the most targets on the team, but the pairing with Pickens will truly make Dallas one of the most explosive teams in the air next season.
Although Dallas does not have the most well-known receiving options behind Lamb and Pickens, a combination of Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo is more than enough to suffice for the team’s third option.
Growth from either Tolbert or Mingo leading into next season would be a major development for this team, as adding another proficient receiving option would continue to strengthen a position that is already a strength for the Cowboys.
Quarterback
Naturally, the quarterback position really comes down to where Dak Prescott ranks amongst the top players at his position in the league.
Since taking over as the team’s starter, Prescott has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL, ranking him near the top of the league’s overall rankings.
Since the beginning of the 2018 season, Prescott has played in at least 16 regular season games for the Cowboys four times, finishing with at least 3,800 passing yards every year and at least 30 passing touchdowns in three of those seasons.
Although there may be concerns about Prescott’s performances during the playoffs, there should be very few concerns about his ability to lead a team in the regular season.
However, there are also realistic concerns about the injury that Prescott suffered during the 2024 regular season.
Prescott suffered a torn hamstring that caused him to miss the second half of the 2024 season, which, along with his increasing age, could potentially limit his mobility outside of the pocket next season.
Hamstring injuries are increasingly common in sports due to the physical exertion in the lower body, but they can still be difficult to recover from at the most important position in the game.
Dallas traded for Joe Milton earlier in the offseason to serve as Prescott’s backup in case he suffers another injury, but losing a starting quarterback for any significant amount of time is often the end of the season for a team in the NFL.
Dallas must be able to rely on Prescott to lead this team next year.
Offensive Line
The Cowboys likely regressed along the offensive line following the departure of future Hall of Fame guard Zack Martin; however, the team still made moves over the last few months to address this need.
Dallas opened the offseason by signing Robert Jones and later selected Tyler Booker in the first round of the draft, indicating that improving the offensive line was a priority for the team.
Now, Dallas has a clear group of players who are expected to lead this group and protect Prescott from opposing defensive linemen.
The most likely outcome along the offensive line is a group featuring Tyler Guyton at left tackle, Booker at left guard, Cooper Beebe at center, Tyler Smith at right guard, and Terrence Steele at right tackle.
While some of these players could shift to different positions along the line, these five players will likely be on the field for the majority of snaps.
This group could quickly become one of the most dynamic in the NFC, though there are still some questions about whether it can withstand the best defensive lines.
Dallas will need significant growth from both Guyton and Beebe next season to remain consistent along the offensive line. Booker’s quick transition in his rookie season in the NFL will also be crucial.
Luckily, Dallas has solid depth behind the group of starters, with Jones, Brock Hoffman, and T.J. Bass standing out as the most prominent players in the position behind the group of starters.
While the offensive line is no longer a major concern for the Cowboys entering next season, there is still work that must be done to become a dominant group next season.
Tight End
The Cowboys have two tight ends on the roster who are each incredibly serviceable, though neither player stands out amongst their peers in relation to the rest of the league.
Jake Ferguson is the clear first option in the Cowboys’ tight end room and is coming off a disappointing season, finishing 2024 with only 494 receiving yards and zero touchdowns after a 761-yard and five-touchdown campaign in 2023.
The Cowboys’ second tight end option, Luke Schoonmaker, has proven to be even less effective in the passing attack and often serves as an additional blocker on rushing plays and certain passing sets.
Each of these players must look to bounce back this season if the Cowboys expect to perform well in the regular season and make a deep run in the postseason, though neither is guaranteed to play well with the new additions to the team.
Running Back
The Cowboys completely overhauled the running back room during the offseason by bringing in four new players, but this group easily remains the worst on the roster.
Dallas watched Rico Dowdle, their leading rusher last season, leave for another team in free agency, choosing to instead sign Javonte Williams to a more expensive contract.
Williams accounted for only 513 rushing yards and four touchdowns last season and will likely open the season as the Cowboys’ top option at the position, which is a scary thought for a team that struggled to rush the ball last season.
Dallas also signed Miles Sanders during free agency, who opened last season as one of the Carolina Panthers’ main options at the position before quickly falling out of the rotation.
While Williams and Sanders are expected to open the season in the top two spots, there is a good chance that Dallas will shift its priority onto the running backs selected in the draft.
Dallas selected Jaydon Blue in the fifth round and Phil Mafah in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, with both players having the potential to receive snaps in their rookie seasons in some capacity.
Both Blue and Mafah have the potential to become solid running backs in the NFL over the course of their careers, but asking for production from late-round rookies is always a question mark and cannot be relied upon.
Although there is potential for this group to improve as the season progresses, the running back group is clearly the most lackluster position group on the Cowboys roster heading into next year.