FRISCO, Texas — Things are beginning to slow down a bit as the NFL moves to Week 2 of the 2025 free agency spree, and the Dallas Cowboys were one of the busiest teams in the league when it came to both re-signing critical talent, e.g., Osa Odighizuwa, and adding some potentially impactful players that could help resolve some positional needs in 2025.
Having added a total of five former first-round picks to the roster in mid-March, and with presumably more to come leading up to and following the upcoming NFL Draft, each of the newest additions spoke to the media about their fit in their respective scheme in Dallas.
And some of the things they said really stood out.
No C's Keys
Javonte Williams, RB - "If there's anything I can add in from what I've learned [from Sean Payton], and how I can help the team, in any way possible, [I'll do it]. As far as the running back room, from what they're telling me, we just want a competitive room. Everybody will go in there and compete, and may the best guy win."
Thoughts: It's a one-year, low-risk deal that could have high upside when considering what Williams looked like post-ACL injury under Sean Payton in Denver, and it sounds as if he is self-aware regarding the situation in Dallas; and especially with the draft approaching and the signing of Miles Sanders. So while he has studied Sanders' career over the years, the goal is exactly what Williams said: "May the best guy win." - Patrik Walker
Payton Turner, DE - "I'm versatile, so I can do a little bit of everything at a high level. In New Orleans [with Dennis Allen], where I see the difference is that this defense with Coach Eberflus is that we'll do a lot of penetrating and getting vertical, and reacting. … I'm excited to switch it up a little bit, and to get off the ball and stuff the edge vertically to get into the backfield."
Thoughts: Turner is one of the former first-round picks referenced earlier and, ironically, the last one for Sean Payton in New Orleans. Be it during Payton's era or the one that followed, he operated under defensive coordinator turned Saints' head coach Dennis Allen, and it helped him to a career season in 2024, once healthy. It's interesting to hear Turner describe Allen's system as more focused on technical aspects while Eberflus', whose will as well, have a heightened focus on simply pinning ears back and hunting quarterbacks — a formula that has Turner excited for what might await him in 2025. - Patrik Walker
Kenneth Murray, LB: "I think I bring physicality. I think I bring speed. I'm a guy that can run the show and get us in and out of stuff — play calls and in and out of downs. I feel like I bring the piece in the middle that keeps everybody connected between the front end and the back end."
Thoughts: Murray was acquired via trade with the Titans and it's to try and solve the equation of who'll take the field during the chunk of time likely to be missed by a still-recovering DeMarvion Overshown. What should intrigue here is the fact Eberflus then nudged the Cowboys into signing Jack Sanborn, who will effectively serve as this year's version of Eric Kendricks (including mentoring others toward acclimation of the new D.C.'s playbook), because Murray wants to prove he can run the defense; though former third-round pick Marist Liufau was given that honor at times in 2024 … and Sanborn isn't exactly being viewed as solely a special teamer right now. Did someone say … competition? Yes, please. - Patrik Walker
Tommy's Takeaways
Jack Sanborn, LB: "I'm pretty much an open book, easy to talk to, very approachable, I'm willing to do anything to help everyone else learn." "Relatively, we kind of have a decently young room, and so just doing whatever I can with the most knowledge of the defense right now just doing whatever I can to help guys get up to speed and just help each other out because at the end of the day, we're all in this together as one."
Thoughts: There won't be many other players who understand new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' scheme better than newly-signed free agent linebacker Jack Sanborn come training camp. Sanborn spent the first three years of his NFL career with Eberflus and the Chicago Bears, and now has an opportunity to establish himself as a leader on Dallas' defense because of that experience. Sanborn said Eberflus, who was a former linebacker himself in his playing days, has a "soft spot" for the position, and knows exactly what he wants out of his guys in the linebacker room.
Now that Sanborn has experienced that development with Eberflus for quite some time now, he's looking to establish himself as a reliable teammate to turn to for anyone of his fellow linebackers, or other defensive players, that may encounter trouble in understanding Eberflus' scheme. – Tommy Yarrish
Solomon Thomas, DT: "I was like, 'I want to be a Dallas Cowboy. I want to come home. I don't want to have to move any more. This is where I want to play. This is where I want to win.'"
"Coach Whitecotton is a coach I want to play for. I've played my best football under him. He instills confidence in me. He brings the best out of me. He's a guy who lets his players play the way they need to play to play their best football. It's what I wanted."
Thoughts: After playing for the Coppell Cowboys in high school right down the street, Solomon Thomas is living out a dream playing for his hometown Dallas Cowboys after spending his previous eight NFL seasons with three different teams. In Dallas, he reunites with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, who spent the 2022-24 seasons with Thomas as members of the New York Jets. Whitecotton has certainly brought the most out of Thomas as a pass rusher, as he tallied nine over the course of their three seasons in New York, as well as 14 tackles for loss and 83 tackles in 50 games played. If the Cowboys can get similar kinds of production from Thomas in a rotational role, this signing will go down as a success. – Tommy Yarrish
Robert Jones, OL: "We haven't really had those talks, at the end of the day I know I'm done playing tackle. My last time playing tackle was my rookie year, I'm a guard now. I'm only playing guard, once OTAs and everything start we're going to get more in depth about it but no, we really haven't talked about it. I'm just working on being ready to compete at one of the guard spots."
Thoughts: In case there was ever any question, Robert Jones will be battling for a starting guard position in 2025 after Zack Martin announced his retirement. Jones played right tackle in college and his rookie season, but it now appears that those days are behind him and he's fully committed to being on the interior. The good news is with his experience on the right side of the line, the potential move to right guard may be refreshing after spending a majority of his last three seasons in Miami, and all 17 games last season, at left guard. He had struggled there throughout the course of the season, but with a good performance against the likes of Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass, maybe a switch back to a more familiar side of the line of scrimmage is what Jones needs to unlock his full potential. - Tommy Yarrish
