Cowboys’ offseason checklist: Ashton Jeanty, no matter what

Jeanty rushed for 4,769 yards in three years with the Broncos including 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, numbers that led to unanimous All-American honors as well as the Doak Walker Award as college football’s top running back.

Only five teams rushed for fewer yards per game than Dallas (100.3) in 2024 but that should change if Jeanty joins the roster in 2025.

2. Bring back G Brock Hoffman

Recently retired Zack Martin made nine Pro Bowl appearances with seven First-Team All-Pro nominations with the Cowboys, the most in franchise history, along with Hall of Famers Bob Lilly and Randy White. Replacing him at right guard won’t be easy, but Brock Hoffman already has a head start.

While Martin missed the last seven games of the 2024 season with an ankle injury, Hoffman, an exclusive rights free agent, filled in admirably by allowing just one sack on 515 snaps at guard and center. 

Cornerback Jourdan Lewis called the former undrafted free agent a “force multiplier” last season while offensive coordinator and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer labeled him an “alpha”  adding Hoffman has “in a lot of ways galvanized the way we play” per WFAA.com’s Ed Werder.

3. Sign CB Daron Bland to a contract extension

The 25-year-old cornerback is about to enter the final year of his rookie contract, and while he missed most of the 2024 season with a foot injury, he’s still the player that led the league with nine interceptions in 2023 while setting an NFL record by returning five of them for touchdowns.

Bland is due to make $5.2M in base salary next season, and per K.D. Drummond of USA Today’s Cowboys Wire, an extension would likely lower his base salary to the league minimum which is $1.1M for a player with three accrued seasons. For a team already $2.8M over the next year’s salary cap, extending Bland seems like a fairly obvious move.

4. Re-sign DE DeMarcus Lawrence

Like Bland, Lawrence missed most of the 2024 season with a foot injury but had three sacks and a forced fumble in the team’s first four games. At 32, he won’t break the bank with an estimated market value anywhere between $7.5M and $12M per year. And with 11 years of experience under his belt, he’s someone new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus would like to have back.

5. Get some help for WR CeeDee Lamb

Brandin Cooks will soon be a free agent and Jalen Tolbert, the team’s No. 2 receiver had half as many receptions (49) as Lamb (101) last season. The team may not be able to afford free agents like Tee Higgins or Stephon Diggs but less expensive pass-catchers like Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Darius Slayton could thrive playing opposite Lamb.

Of course, the team could look to take a player like TCU’s Jack Bech or Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor in Day 2 of the draft but Cowboys fans would be much happier with an established veteran at the position.