The Cowboys had no answers for the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott, finishing out of the playoffs with a 7-10 record in 2024.
They say things will be different in 2025, but we still have questions.
What can Jaydon Blue do?
After losing leading rusher Rico Dowdle to Carolina, Dallas almost had to take a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Cowboys fans clearly had thoughts of taking Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton or even Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins with one of the team’s nine picks, not a running back from their own backyard.
A fifth-round selection, Blue played behind running backs Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Brooks for two years before breaking out with 730 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and 368 yards and six scores through the air in 2024 with Texas.
At six-feet tall and 200 pounds, Blue is smaller than new additions Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams, but neither of them ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. With game-breaking speed and the ability to catch the ball, Blue could emerge as the team’s lead back before the end of the season.
Is Brian Schottenheimer up to the task?
Schottenheimer became the 10th coach in franchise history once the team moved on from Mike McCarthy, who led the team to a 49-35 regular season record from 2020-2024. While not exactly Jimmy Johnson, or his predecessor Tom Landry, McCarthy leaves big shoes to fill for the son of former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer.
The younger Schottenheimer spent the last few seasons working with the Cowboys offense, although McCarthy retained play-calling responsibilities.
Schottenheimer last called plays for Jacksonville in 2021 while the team scored a league-worst 14.9 points per game with rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He’ll need to do much better for a veteran roster with high expectations for 2025.
Will Amari Cooper come back?
Cooper underwhelmed with 547 yards and four scores for the Browns and Bills last season but had 3,893 yards and 27 touchdowns with the Cowboys from 2018-2021. Now a free agent, the 30-year-old receiver has been linked to the team by at least one NFL reporter.
After passing on wide receivers in the draft, there is “building team interest” in bringing back Cooper, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Dallas hasn’t had a true No. 2 receiver to play behind CeeDee Lamb since Cooper himself had 865 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cowboys in 2021 but was traded to the Browns in 2022.
Jalen Tolbert had a career-high 73 catches for 610 yards and seven scores for the Cowboys in 2024, but it doesn’t sound like the team expects him to replicate those numbers in 2025.
