Dallas Cowboys given mediocre grade for 2025 NFL offseason

The Dallas Cowboys made a handful of splashes during the 2025 NFL offseason, most notably trading for Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver George Pickens to bolster the receiving corps.

Dallas remained active on the trade market throughout the offseason with trades for backup quarterback Joe Milton III and former first-round picks Kaiir Elam and Kenneth Murray.

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cowboys had a well-received draft class, finding value throughout, especially with first-round pick Tyler Booker, second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, and third-round pick Shavon Revel, all players who had first-round grades at some point during the process.

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Despite their strong moves and addressing positions of need, the Cowboys received a middle-of-the-road grade for their offseason moves by Seth Walder of ESPN.com.

Dallas Cowboys 2025 draft picks Tyler Booker and Donovan Ezeiruaku attend an NHL playoff game. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Walder graded the Cowboys' offseason as a "C," with the running back position continuing to be a major concern and the Booker pick getting knocked.

"Dallas' running back situation is uninspiring. Dowdle left for Carolina for under $3 million despite a very good 2024 season. In his stead, the Cowboys brought in Williams (who had minus-84 rush yards over expectation in 2024, per NFL Next Gen Stats) and Sanders (minus-44). Dallas also drafted Jaydon Blue in Round 5," the article states.

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"The Cowboys also made an ill-advised trade for linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. The trade was merely a sixth- and seventh-round pick swap, but it involves the Cowboys picking up a $7.5 million cash bill in 2025 (unless they get him to agree to a pay cut -- tough to do after a trade) despite Murray coming off a poor season in which he ranked fifth worst in run stop win rate among off-ball linebackers with at least 300 snaps played."

The Cowboys made low-risk, high-reward moves, so it is hard to knock them until we see how the team comes together. By all accounts, the chemistry with the team's new players has been strong and it will only get better when the team gets together for training camp.

Monday, July 21, can't get here soon enough.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. celebrates an interception during the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

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