Led by elite defender Micah Parsons, the Cowboys are at their most dangerous when forcing opponents into obvious passing situations. Despite Parsons missing four games, Dallas still ranked fourth in the NFL in pass-rush grade last season. Osa Odighizuwa contributed 60 interior pressures, and the team bolstered its pass-rushing depth this offseason with additions such as Dante Fowler Jr. and second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku.
The Cowboys' run defense lagged well behind their pass rush in 2024, finishing ahead of only Carolina in team run-defense grade. The main issue was a lack of impact at the line of scrimmage -- Micah Parsons led all Dallas defensive linemen in run-defense grade at only 65.5. With no major additions outside of potential contributions from rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku, the Cowboys will need improved play from last year's core to shore up this weakness.
Dak Prescott endured the worst season of his career in 2024 before a season-ending injury in Week 9. His 67.2 passing grade and 4.7% turnover-worthy play rate were both career lows. Without a reliable vertical threat opposite CeeDee Lamb, defenses could devote extra coverage to Lamb, limiting Prescott's ability to get him the ball. That issue was most evident in the intermediate passing game, where Prescott recorded a league-worst 45.7 passing grade.
CeeDee Lamb's 79.9 receiving grade in 2024 was his lowest since his rookie season in 2020. Without a true secondary receiving threat in Dallas' offense, Lamb faced tighter coverage than in years past. As defenses condensed their zone coverages toward him, he struggled to create his usual separation in the short passing game, posting an 80.4 receiving grade on targets within 0 to 9 yards, nearly 15 points lower than his stellar 2023 mark.
In just four NFL seasons, Micah Parsons has cemented his place among the league's elite. Since 2021, he leads all qualified edge defenders in pressure rate and ranks second only to Myles Garrett in pass-rush grade, win rate and PFF Wins Above Replacement. In 2024, he again trailed only Garrett in pass-rush grade among edge defenders with at least 300 snaps.
Dallas ranked just 22nd in pass-blocking grade last season, but first-round rookie Tyler Booker could help change that. In his final year at Alabama, Booker earned an 83.5 true pass-blocking grade -- fourth-best among qualified guards. That pass-protection skill, combined with his power in the downhill run game, gives him the potential to be an immediate asset for the Cowboys' offensive line.
Blue spent his Texas career as a backup, often playing behind high draft picks like Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Brooks. In limited opportunities, he impressed as a receiver, averaging 1.58 yards per route run. He now joins a completely revamped Cowboys backfield, with Dallas moving on from Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook, and adding Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Blue and Phil Mafah. With the competition wide open, Blue will likely battle Williams for passing-down snaps while also pushing for early-down work.
Across three seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickens managed to haul in a touchdown from four different quarterbacks. Six scores in a single season would be a career high for the 24-year-old, who logged five in 2023 with spotty play at quarterback. With Dak Prescott back under center in Dallas, the sky is the limit for Pickens. In his last full season in 2023, Prescott supported three targets with eight or more touchdown receptions.
The Cowboys have enough star power to reach the postseason if Dak Prescott can prove last year's struggles were an outlier. However, questions about their ability to run the ball and stop the run could place a hard cap on how far they can advance once they get there.