To say the Dallas Cowboys were one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this past season would be a massive understatement.
After three consecutive 12-5 campaigns, which ultimately meant nothing as all three ended with brutal postseason defeats, America's Team battled poor play, poor coaching, and a plethora of injuries en route to a 7-10 finish in 2024, a mark that cost Mike McCarthy his job.
With the Brian Schottenheimer era now officially underway, the Cowboys have a lot of decisions to make during the offseason. And once again, that's a massive understatement.
For starters, of course, there's the matter of extending Micah Parsons. Then, there's the long list of players set to enter free agency, a group that includes DeMarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa, Jourdan Lewis, Rico Dowdle, Eric Kendricks, Chauncey Golston, Bryan Anger, and Cooper Rush, among others, one of whom we'll get to in more detail in just a moment.
Now, if the Cowboys want to bring back any of these players or add any outside help, Jerry Jones will undoubtedly need to restructure some contracts and possibly release some players in order to improve the team's salary cap situation, which isn't all that great at the moment, even with the upcoming increase.
And that's not even mentioning what Dallas needs to accomplish in the 2025 NFL Draft, which could include replacing the recently retired Zack Martin.
So, yeah, there's a lot to be done to get this team in a position to compete with the elite teams in the NFC.
We're not going to get into every single facet of the offseason here, but we will focus on a few players who shouldn't be wearing a star on the side of their helmet in 2025. As mentioned, one is a pending free agent. But the other two, while still under contract, are prime candidates to be either cut or traded.
3 Cowboys players who need to be gone this offseason
Donovan Wilson, S
ln 2022, safety Donovan Wilson did exactly what you're supposed to do in a contract year by having the best campaign of his career, racking up 101 total tackles, seven tackles for a loss, nine QB hits, 5.0 sacks, two passes defended, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
And for those efforts, he was rewarded with a new three-year, $21 million contract that included $13.5 million in guaranteed money.
At the time, it seemed like a good deal. But there's no getting around the fact that Wilson has regressed significantly over the last two seasons.
While still solid in the pass-rush department, the 2019 sixth-round selection was atrocious in coverage this past season, allowing a 141.6 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks, the third-worst mark among all NFL safeties.
Wilson, whose 62.2 overall PFF grade ranked 61st at the position, is set to have a $8.65 million cap hit in 2025, per Over The Cap.
But if the Cowboys release him, they'd free up $5.35 million in cap space. And if they go the post-June 1 route, which makes the most sense as they could then spread the dead money out over two seasons, they'd free up $7 million.
With that type of savings combined with the 30-year-old's declining production, this seems like a no-brainer at this point.
Mazi Smith, DT
At the risk of using the "massive understatement" term yet again, using it to say Mazi Smith has been a disappointment since the Cowboys selected him with the 27th overall pick in the 2023 draft seems appropriate.
In his two seasons with Dallas, the Michigan alum has recorded just 54 total tackles, seven tackles for a loss, six QB hits, and a pair of sacks. Those aren't numbers you want to see from a first-round pick.
Smith's 34.8 overall PFF grade this past season ranked 117th among 118 interior defenders meeting a minimum snap-count requirement, and his 34.7 overall grade over the last two years ranks 275th out of 279 defensive linemen with 200 or more snaps during that stretch.
Again, that's not what you want to see from a first-round pick.
Waiving or trading first-rounders during their rookie deals isn't something any team wants to do, but the Cowboys simply need to admit this was a mistake and move on.
Amani Oruwariye, CB
Dallas will undoubtedly entertain the thought of bringing back several of the players set to hit the open market, but cornerback Amani Oruwariye shouldn't be one of them.
Sure, the six-year veteran added some depth at a position where the Cowboys sorely needed it this past season. But one year with Oruwariye on the roster is enough.
For starters, his cornerback play was average at best. And that's being extremely generous. And Cowboys fans certainly haven't forgotten about his massive mistake on that blocked punt against the Cincinnati Bengals, an error that ultimately cost the Cowboys a shot to win the game.
There are certainly a few other candidates who could be added here, but these three deserve to be at or at least near the top of the list.