Dec 10, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) on the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Report: Longtime Cowboys LT Tyron Smith to retire

Left tackle Tyron Smith will sign a one-day contract with the Dallas Cowboys and retire after 14 NFL seasons, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

Smith, 34, played 13 seasons in Dallas before spending last year with the New York Jets.

He is an eight-time Pro Bowl and five-time All-Pro selection — two first-team and three second-team choices, including a second-team nod in 2023.

Smith was selected by Dallas with the ninth overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Southern California.

He has not played more than 13 games in a season since 2015 due to injuries. He played in just two in 2020 (neck surgery), 11 in 2021 (ankle injuries) and four in 2022 (torn hamstring). Smith missed the last seven games in 2024 with a neck injury.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates after a sack during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Micah Parsons attending Cowboys’ voluntary workouts

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons showed up for voluntary workouts Monday despite the lack of a contract extension.

The All-Pro pass rusher is said to be seeking a $200 million deal that would set an NFL record for a non-quarterback.

His presence Monday for the start of voluntary OTAs at The Star in Frisco, Texas, at least temporarily paused any fears of a holdout in Cowboys country.

Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

Without a new deal this offseason, Parsons is in line to earn approximately $24 million on the fifth year of his rookie contract in 2025.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said earlier this month that the two sides are in agreement on “most of the issues.”

Back in December, Parsons discussed the importance of attending workouts, minicamps and training camp.

“I’ve got to be around the guys,” he said. “There’s going to be rookies, there’s going to be free agents — guys that come here — you don’t know who’s going to be there, so there’s a chemistry part and people know what you can do, but people also got to see it from a leader aspect. So I still gotta be there for that part.”

The Cowboys also have a new head coach in Brian Schottenheimer and a new defensive coordinator in Matt Eberflus.

“I definitely think I need to be here in camp because, honestly, when so much of the defense is surrounded by your play and your presence, and others are getting lined up based off of you, I need to be here so that way I can get these guys accordingly,” Parsons said in December. “We can rush together, build that chemistry.

“So I think it’s of extreme importance that I’m back at OTAs, minicamp (etc.).”

–Field Level Media

Nov 3, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) on the bench against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on injury rehab: ‘I’m where I want to be’

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he is progressing in his recovery from his season-ending hamstring injury.

So much so, in fact, that Prescott said he would be able to suit up right now if needed.

“If I had to play a game today, I definitely could do that,” Prescott said on Friday at the 35th annual Children’s Cancer Fund gala. “It’s about moving forward healthy to make sure I can play 17 times, 20 (games) — whatever we get to when the time’s right.”

Signed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension in September that made him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history in terms of annual average value, Prescott played just eight games before sustaining his season-ending injury.

With 11 touchdown passes and eight interceptions, Prescott was on pace for one of his worst statistical seasons.

Prescott, 31, said Friday that he plans to participate in organized team activities in some capacity.

“I’m getting close to where I want to be, I don’t want to put a percentage on it,” Prescott said. “I know we’ve got team activities coming up, imagine myself being involved in some sort if not all.

“Then again I just understand my age, what I’ve had, what I’ve went through, it’s about being my best in the fall. So I’m not rushing anything, but I’m where I want to be.”

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Prescott owns a 76-46 record in 122 career starts since being picked by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He has thrown for 31,437 yards with 213 touchdowns and 82 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Reports: Cowboys acquire QB Joe Milton III from Patriots

The Dallas Cowboys are acquiring quarterback Joe Milton III from the New England Patriots, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday.

Per ESPN, the Cowboys are sending their compensatory fifth-round pick to the Patriots and a seventh-round pick.

Milton, 25, will serve as the backup to Dak Prescott in Dallas after Cooper Rush signed with the Baltimore Ravens last month. Trey Lance, the Cowboys’ third-string quarterback the past two seasons, is a free agent.

Making his NFL debut, Milton completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5. New England selected Milton in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tennessee.

The Patriots feature Drake Maye as their starting quarterback. They also have Josh Dobbs on the quarterback depth chart after signing the veteran to a two-year, $8 million deal last month.

–Field Level Media

Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) rushes the passer in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Cowboys expect Micah Parsons at voluntary workouts amid negotiations

Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he expects star Micah Parsons to take part in the team’s voluntary offseason workouts despite ongoing contract negotiations.

The workouts begin Monday.

The Dallas Morning News reported late last week that Parsons was seeking a record-setting $200 million contract extension that would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. And while there had been thoughts that the pass rusher would hold out of team activities until a deal is done, Schottenheimer said at the NFL annual meeting in Florida that he didn’t think so.

“Hey, look, at the end of the day this is a business and when you’re dealing with the money that’s being tossed around, not just with Micah but with the big-name players, negotiations sometimes take time,” the first-year coach said, per ESPN. “I feel very comfortable. Micah said he’s going to be around. I think that he wants to be. I think we’re all very comfortable with that.”

With the departure of longtime defensive leader DeMarcus Lawrence, Parsons has a chance to fill that void.

“Micah’s excited about the opportunity to step up in a leadership role,” Schottenheimer said. “There’s no reason he shouldn’t. The best teams I’ve ever been around, their best players are their best leaders, and so again, I think the more you’re around, the more you have a chance to influence the guys, and not just the guys that are back but there’s a bunch of new faces. We’ve added the free agency group. We’re going to add some guys in the draft. That’s a part of the puzzle. But I know he’s excited about that. I think that’s one of the reasons why he will be around.”

Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

–Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons speaks to campers at the Micah Parsons Lions Den Football Camp at St. John Paul II High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Saturday, March 15, 2025.

Report: Cowboys star Micah Parsons seeks $200M extension

Cowboys All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons is seeking a $200 million contract extension, The Dallas Morning News reported.

That total would serve as the largest deal ever for a non-quarterback in NFL history.

Conversations between Parsons’ representation and members of the Cowboys’ front office were conducted at the NFL Scouting Combine in late February. It’s been quiet on the front since then, per the report.

Sizable contracts for non-quarterbacks are nothing new this offseason.

Las Vegas Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million deal, only to be trumped by Cleveland Browns standout defensive end Myles Garrett inking a four-year, $160 million. Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase reeled in a four-year, $161 million pact.

Those contracts are the largest in terms of annual average value for a non-quarterback.

Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) passes the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Ex-Cowboys backup Cooper Rush heading to Ravens

Cooper Rush, the longtime backup to Dak Prescott with the Dallas Cowboys, has reached an agreement with the Baltimore Ravens.

His agency, Equity Sports, announced the deal but didn’t reveal any financial terms. ESPN reported, however, that Rush will sign a two-year contract that includes $4.2 million in guaranteed money and has a maximum value of $12.2 million.

[SPORTS]

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Rush signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2017 out of Central Michigan. He spent the 2020 season on the practice squad of the New York Giants, then returned to the Cowboys the following season.

The 31-year-old has appeared in 38 games with the Cowboys, starting 14 of them with a 9-5 record. Eight of those starts came last season when Prescott had a season-ending hamstring injury, and he was 4-4, completing 60.7 percent of his passes for 1,844 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.

In his career, Rush has 330 completions for 3,463 yards with 20 TDs and 10 interceptions.

In Baltimore, Rush will assume the role as Lamar Jackson’s backup from 38-year-old Josh Johnson. The Cowboys are now left to sign a backup for Prescott.

Trey Lance, who was the third-string quarterback for Dallas last season, is a free agent.

–Field Level Media

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (90) lies on Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) after a sack during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Reports: DeMarcus Lawrence leaves Cowboys for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks reeled in veteran defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on Wednesday with a three-year deal worth a reported $42 million.

The deal for the longtime Dallas Cowboys standout includes $18 million guaranteed.

Seattle’s defensive coordinator is Aden Durde, Dallas’ defensive line coach from 2021-23.

The four-time Pro Bowler has 61.5 sacks in 11 seasons, all with the Cowboys.

Lawrence, who turns 33 next month, was limited to four games last season due to a sprained right foot. He had 14 tackles and three sacks.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pound lineman had 25 sacks across a two-season period earlier in his career — 14.5 in 2017 and 10.5 in 2018. He was an All-Pro second-team choice in 2017.

Lawrence has 450 tackles, including 97 for losses, in 141 regular-season games (123 starts). He has compiled 21 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

A former college star at Boise State, Lawrence was a second-round pick by the Cowboys in 2014.

–Field Level Media

Bills Kaiir Elam celebrates his fumble recovery against Miami during second half action at Highmark Stadium on Nov. 3, 2024.

Cowboys acquire DB Kaiir Elam from Bills

The Dallas Cowboys acquired cornerback Kaiir Elam from the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday in exchange for two draft picks.

The Cowboys sent a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft and a seventh-rounder in 2026 for Elam, a former first-round pick. The Cowboys also get a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft.

Elam, 23, has two interceptions, six passes defensed and 81 tackles in 29 career games (12 starts) for the Bills, who took him No. 23 overall in the 2022 draft.

The Cowboys are trying to shore up their secondary after losing Jourdan Lewis in free agency and with uncertainty surrounding Trevon Diggs after graft surgery to his left knee in January.

Elam is in the final season of his rookie contract with a club option for 2026. He’s set to count $2.57 million against the salary cap in 2025.

–Field Level Media

Jan 27, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA;   Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks to the media at a press conference at the Star.  Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Four teams gain 4 additional picks for 2025 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins each gained a league-high four additional selections in the 2025 NFL Draft based on their losses and signings in last year’s free agency period.

The San Francisco 49ers also received four picks, three of which came through the free agency formula and one for developing DeMeco Ryans as a head coach. The NFL on Tuesday announced the 35 total compensatory picks awarded to 15 teams for the draft.

Compensatory draft picks are awarded when a team is deemed to have lost more or better compensatory free agents (“CFA”) than it acquired in the previous year. All awarded picks are positioned between the third and seventh rounds based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost.

2025 COMPENSATORY DRAFT PICKS
THIRD ROUND
Minnesota Vikings (97th Overall)
Miami Dolphins (98)
New York Giants (99)
San Francisco 49ers (100)*
Los Angeles Rams (101)*
Detroit Lions (102)*

FOURTH ROUND
Miami Dolphins (135)
Baltimore Ravens (136)
Seattle Seahawks (137)
San Francisco 49ers (138)

FIFTH ROUND
Buffalo Bills (169)
Dallas Cowboys (170)
Dallas Cowboys (171)
Seattle Seahawks (172)
Buffalo Bills (173)
Dallas Cowboys (174)
Seattle Seahawks (175)
Baltimore Ravens (176)

SIXTH ROUND
Los Angeles Chargers (209)
Baltimore Ravens (210)
Dallas Cowboys (211)
Baltimore Ravens (212)
Las Vegas Raiders (213)
Los Angeles Chargers (214)
Las Vegas Raiders (215)
Cleveland Browns (216)

SEVENTH ROUND
San Francisco 49ers (249)
Green Bay Packers (250)
Kansas City Chiefs (251)
San Francisco 49ers (252)
Miami Dolphins (253)
Cleveland Browns (254)
Los Angeles Chargers (255)
Miami Dolphins (256)
Kansas City Chiefs (257)
*Special Compensatory Selection

The CFAs are determined by a formula created by the NFL Management Council that takes into account salary, playing time and postseason honors. The goal is to determine the net loss teams suffer from CFAs during the previous free agent signing period. The formula does not include every free agent lost or signed by a team.

There were 32 compensatory selections awarded under the net loss formula.

2025 NFL COMPENSATORY PICKS
Baltimore (4)
Dallas (4)
Miami (4)
Los Angeles Chargers (3)
San Francisco (3)
Seattle (3)
Buffalo (2)
Cleveland (2)
Kansas City (2)
Las Vegas (2)
Green Bay (1)
Minnesota (1)
New York Giants (1)

The 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions were each awarded a selection under a 2020 amendment to the collective bargaining agreement to promote equal employment opportunities and an inclusive workforce within NFL clubs.

Teams that have a minority employee hired by another club as its head coach or general manager receive a special compensatory draft selection in the third round of each of the next two drafts. If a team has two former minority employees hired into one of those two roles elsewhere, a third year is added.

CFAs LOST/GAINED IN 2024
BALTIMORE
Lost: Jadeveon Clowney, Ronald Darby, Devin Duvernay, Gus Edwards, Patrick Queen, John Simpson, Geno Stone, Kevin Zeitler
Gained: Derrick Henry

BUFFALO
Lost: Gabe Davis, Tyrel Dodson, Leonard Floyd, Dane Jackson, Tim Settle
Gained: Mack Hollins, Austin Johnson, Curtis Samuel

CLEVELAND
Lost: Harrison Bryant, Jordan Elliott, Joe Flacco, Sione Takitaki
Gained: Jordan Hicks, Quinton Jefferson

DALLAS
Lost: Dorance Armstrong, Tyler Biadasz, Dante Fowler, Tony Pollard, Tyron Smith
Gained: None

GREEN BAY
Lost: Yosuah Nijman, Jon Runyan, Darnell Savage
Gained: Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney

KANSAS CITY
Lost: Nick Allegretti, Willie Gay, Tommy Townsend
Gained: Marquise Brown

LAS VEGAS
Lost: Jermaine Eluemunor, Austin Hooper, Josh Jacobs, Bilal Nichols, Amik Robertson
Gained: Harrison Bryant, Gardner Minshew, Christian Wilkins

L.A. CHARGERS
Lost: Michael Davis, Austin Ekeler, Gerald Everett, Austin Johnson, Kenneth Murray
Gained: Gus Edwards, Kristian Fulton

MIAMI
Lost: Raekwon Davis, DeShon Elliott, Robert Hunt, Brandon Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel, Christian Wilkins, Cedrick Wilson
Gained: Aaron Brewer, Jordyn Brooks, Kendall Fuller

MINNESOTA
Lost: Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport, Jordan Hicks, K.J. Osborn, D.J. Wonnum
Gained: Blake Cashman, Sam Darnold, Jonathan Greenard, Shaquill Griffin, Andrew Van Ginkel

N.Y. GIANTS
Lost: Saquon Barkley, Ben Bredeson, Xavier McKinney, A’Shawn Robinson, Tyrod Taylor
Gained: Jermaine Eluemunor, Drew Lock, Jon Runyan, Devin Singletary

SEATTLE
Lost: Jordyn Brooks, Evan Brown, Damien Lewis, Drew Lock, Colby Parkinson, Bobby Wagner
Gained: Pharaoh Brown, Tyrel Dodson, George Fant

SAN FRANCISCO
Lost: Sam Darnold, Clelin Ferrell, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Javon Kinlaw, Ray-Ray McCloud, Charlie Woerner, Chase Young
Gained: Elliott Jordan, Yetur Gross-Matos, Leonard Floyd, Isaac Yiadom

Since the CFA formula was implemented in 1994, a total of 1,005 compensatory picks have been awarded, with Baltimore leading the way with 60.

2025 NFL COMPENSATORY PICKS 1994-2025
Baltimore (60)
Dallas (58)
Green Bay (53)
Los Angeles Rams (51)
New England (48)
San Francisco (46)
Philadelphia (41)
Cincinnati (37)
Pittsburgh (35)
Seattle (35)
Tennessee (33)
Kansas City (33)
Arizona (32)
New York Giants (31)
Buffalo (31)
Minnesota (29)
Los Angeles Chargers (29)
Miami (26)
Atlanta (25)
Indianapolis (25)
Tampa Bay (25)
Las Vegas (25)
Denver (24)
Detroit (24)
Chicago (21)
Jacksonville (21)
Carolina (20)
Houston (19)
Washington (19)
New Orleans (17)
New York Jets (17)
Cleveland (15)
*Not including special compensatory selections

–Field Level Media