In less than two weeks the Dallas Cowboys will be in Oxnard, CA for training camp. Coming off a 7-10 season with a new coach, many do not know what to expect from Dallas in 2025. The Cowboys have a few players set to return from injury and several new faces expected to start or be contributors.
With all these new faces in Dallas, many fans and experts are anxious to see how this team comes together during training camp. Until the first official scrimmage, how well these new players mesh with the old ones is up to speculation.
One thing is for certain, though, and that is these players' stocks are rising as training camp inches closer.
3 Cowboys whose stock is rising before training camp
1. WR George Pickens
If there was a face of the Cowboys' offseason in terms of their best player acquired it has to be George Pickens. They traded for Pickens after the NFL Draft to finally give CeeDee Lamb help on the other side of the field. The move has been regarded as one of the boldest Jerry Jones has made in the last several years.
Not only is Pickens a big boost to help take some coverage away from Lamb, but he is also another critical weapon for Dak Prescott. Prescott recently addressed the media and said the chemistry is already starting to build between him, Lamb and Pickens. The three have only had a few practices together during offseason workouts, but this is a good sign for a new weapon this offense is going to rely on this season.
Pickens is coming to Dallas looking for a fresh start after a falling out in Pittsburgh. The former Georgia Bulldog has talent to be arguably a No. 1 receiver on a lot of teams, but the Steelers were willing to move on for reasons. Many are still questioning his behavior off the field.
Despite all that, the expectations for Pickens in his first season as a Cowboys are high. While he is on the last year of his rookie contract, a good season close to or north of 1,000 receiving yards should (hopefully) be enough to convince the front office to keep him paired with Lamb long term. Needless to say Pickens has created a buzz coming into training camp.
2. DE Sam Williams
Injuries and NFL training camp unfortunately go hand in hand. Last year, Dallas' defensive line got hit hard within the first few practices. Sam Williams tore his ACL and partially tore his MCL coming into a season where he was expected to take a big step in his development. Now, he has to reset everything going into 2025, which happens to be the last year of his rookie contract.
Williams was taken by Dallas in the second round of 2022 draft, but he mainly saw the field his first two years on special teams. Unfortunately, he stood out in ways players do not want to. He was prone to committing undisciplined penalties. However, when he saw the field as a rotational player at defensive end he looked right at home.
The Ole Miss product compiled four sacks as a rookie and actually finished sixth in Defenisve Player of the Year voting. He added 4.5 sacks the following year, but was still primarily used on special teams. With the potential he showed in college, many expect Williams to be an ideal complement at the left EDGE position opposite Micah Parsons.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys had to get some insurance this offseason. In addition to signing vet Dante Fowler, they drafted Donovan Ezeiruaku out of Boston College in the second round. Needless to say, this is a make-or-break year for Williams in Dallas.
Some of his teammates still feel is poised to have a breakout season. Trevon Diggs said he believes he is set to have a breakout season when he was interviewed by YouTuber N3on. The fact he even compared him to being a "faster Micah Parsons" certainly raises some eyebrows.
Coming back from a significant injury is hard and sometimes it can derail a career. Williams looks ready to hit the field in Oxnard and prove there is still a spot in the DE rotation for him.
3. RB Jaydon Blue
The Cowboys righted a wrong they committed in last year's draft this year: they drafted running backs. The team selected Jaydon Blue and later Phil Mafah. Mafah could be solid depth for the next few years, but Blue has generated the most hype of the two this offseason.
Dallas needed to address running back during free agency and the draft and they accomplished both. Letting Rico Dowdle walk did not look like such a bad move when the team signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. While both have been starters, they are only on one-year contracts.
Since Dallas' commitment to both of these backs is short, that could open the door for Jaydon Blue to plead his case to be the future starter. Blue comes off his best season at Texas with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Brian Schottenheimer likes backs that can be a threat on the ground and through the air, which makes Blue look like a great fit.
The buzz around Blue is that he could quietly emerge as one of the better rookie backs in the league this year. ESPN NFL analyst and former Cowboy Marcus Spears said back in late June he has high expectations for Blue going into his rookie season. While that might have been a surprising statement given Ashton Jeanty and Omari Hampton are also in this class, late round backs have become starters before.
What helps Blue is there is no clearcut starter going into training camp. The only returning running back on this roster is Deuce Vaughn, who might not even make the roster. With no high expectations for Williams or Sanders coming in as veterans, the odds are in Blue's favor. Many are looking forward to seeing him hit the field for training camp.