After undergoing a losing season and the acknowledged failure of what was believed to be a good football coach, things were looking glum for the Dallas Cowboys. With the division featuring the two teams who played in last year’s NFC Championship game, including the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, many aren’t expecting things to get much easier for the ‘Boys. The win total for the Cowboys in 2025 is set at 7.5 games.
The front office personnel have been busy beavers this offseason. Between free agency, the draft, and trades, the team has done quite a bit in revamping the roster. So much in fact that we can start to feel the slow-developing butterflies of excitement building up inside of us. The team has given us a lot of reasons to feel encouraged, but would we be wise to slow our roll as we enter an era with a first-time head coach? Growing pains typically accompany a new coaching staff, so maybe he smart thing to do would be to temper our expectations?
Nah. Phooey on that.
This season won’t be like typical seasons when there is a big coaching shake-up. Normally, a new head coach means a team has been struggling under the previous management, resulting in the change. Bad teams with chronic issues make up the bulk of these situations.
But that is not what’s going on in Dallas. The Cowboys are just a year removed from coming off their third consecutive 12-win season. Sure, last year they underperformed, but they were also hit with an onslaught of injuries, especially key players. This could be a much more favorable type of transition, and we have some arguments to back it up.
Some familiarity
Brian Schottenheimer may be a first-time head coach in the NFL, but he’s been hanging out with the Cowboys for the past three seasons. The players already have some familiarity with him, especially on the offensive side. In fact, the time spent in the building is what has given the brain trust the confidence that he’s the right guy to lead this team. Everything we’ve heard thus far about Schotty has been positive, but some of his already built relationships will be a nice plus for the Cowboys.
On the defensive side of the ball the Cowboys also have a coach who's been in the building; Matt Eberflus was the team’s linebacker coach for seven years before being promoted to defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. After a stint with the Chicago Bears as their head coach, he’s back in Dallas as the team’s new defensive coordinator. While the players have changed since he was here, Eberflus is no stranger to the atmosphere that comes with being a part of the Cowboys organization.
The Klayton effect
The one big coaching change that isn’t familiar is the addition of new offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. As an assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts, Adams helped the team become one of the best pass-blocking teams in the league and finish in the top 10 in rushing, a feat they hadn’t achieved in nearly 20 years. Adams had a similar effect when he joined the Arizona Cardinals, helping them become a top five rushing offense for the first time in 44 years.
How did he do it? Adams is notorious for adapting his run schemes to fit the strengths of his players. He was very effective running outside zone during his time in Indianapolis, but that didn’t work for Arizona, so he adjusted. He took what his offensive line pieces did well and developed his ground attack from that.
Adams is a run-game specialist who knows how to maximize results. He turned a blah Marlon Mack into a 1,000-yard rusher and did the same thing for James Conner, who surprisingly never reached the 1,000-yard mark during his first six years in the league, but did so in both the seasons Adams was coaching the offensive line for the Cardinals. Conner’s two highest yards per carry seasons were the two under Adams.
Check out this excellent video breakdown from Skywalker Steele to learn more about the Adams effect.
There are plenty of groceries
The Cowboys are a talented team. We can debate how talented and point out weak spots, but we cannot pretend they don’t have good pieces already in place. With players like CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott, Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland, Osa Odighizuwa, and Jake Ferguson, there is a nice foundation of strong talent.
And it doesn’t stop there. The roster is also filled with promising young players and several former first-round picks the team has acquired to shore up its depth. Throw in some additional talent from players who have impressed when they were healthy, and suddenly you have a very intriguing collection of players. Did we mention they also have the best special teams trio in the league? Make no mistake about it, this is not a cabinet that is lacking the ingredients to cook up something delicious.
Much-needed upgrades
When you look at the improvements the Cowboys have made this year, there are key things that stand out. Their commitment to strengthening the trenches is on full display. They have preached that they want to play with violence, and their actions match their words. The selection of Tyler Booker gives the team one of the best interior lines in the league. If Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele live up to what the team believes they have in them, this offensive line could end up one of the better units in the league.
And the same could be said about the defensive line. Everyone’s attention is on poor Mazi Smith, but people are recognizing how ridiculous the depth is around him. Here’s a visual if you need a reminder. The Cowboys have a never-ending assortment of defensive linemen.
And one of the biggest concerns fans had entering the new season was who was going to be their WR2. That has been addressed with the George Pickens trade. Just like that, the team has another talented receiver who will command attention from the defense. Gone are the days when the Cowboys try to take the pressure off of Lamb by lining up Hunter Luepke wide on the outside. Oh, goodness.
The upcoming season should be an interesting year for the Cowboys. People aren’t expecting much from them because recency bias looms heavy, and even when the team has been good, they’re just never good enough. The doubt is understandable.
But if you look at the big picture, there are many factors that could see this team having more success than some are expecting. This shouldn’t be your typical rebuild season we normally see in the NFL after a new coaching change.