As training camp approaches, the Dallas Cowboys will have a big influx of new faces on their roster. While plenty of positions will be sorted out in camp, today we will look at the new faces who could win starting jobs for the Cowboys in 2025.
2024 Starts: Brandin Cooks
2025 Projected Starter: George Pickens
The biggest addition to the Cowboys roster for 2025 is WR George Pickens. Pickens made a career in Pittsburgh of being a big-play receiver and that is something the Cowboys have lacked outside of CeeDee Lamb for the last few years. Pickens will provide the Cowboys with a massive upgrade at WR2 and be a consistent threat to opposing defenses given his ability to make the big play at any time. With the addition of Pickens, the Cowboys WR room has some serious juice and will make life difficult on defensive coordinators each week.
2024 Starter: Zack Martin
2025 Projected Starter: Tyler Booker
Likely the second biggest addition to the Cowboys roster this offseason was their first-round pick Tyler Booker. No one saw it coming, but Zack Martin had by far the worst season of his career in 2024 and looked like a shell of the player we grew to know in Dallas. After battling injuries and a decline in play, Martin’s retirement left a gaping hole at the right guard position and the Cowboys wasted no time filling it with the 12th overall pick.
Unlike previous seasons under Mike McCarthy and Jason Garrett, Brian Schottenheimer wasted no time giving Booker the reigns in OTA’s and mini-camp as the team’s starting right guard. Expect Booker to be a new face starting for the Cowboys offensive line in 2025.
2024 Starter: Ezekiel Elliott/Rico Dowdle
2025 Projected Starter: Javonte Williams
One of the biggest question marks still surrounding the Cowboys heading into 2025 is the running back position. Over the last eight-to-nine years, Ezekiel Elliott or Tony Pollard was the easy choice to be the starting back, but this year things are much more difficult to figure out.
Javonte Williams was the first free agent the Cowboys signed this offseason, and while his contract is still very team friendly, he has the most money tied to him entering camp. Williams has struggled to regain his rookie season form since tearing his ACL, but as of today he is the favorite to get a majority of the first-team reps in camp and into the regular season.
2024 Starter: DeMarcus Lawrence
2025 Projected Starter: Dante Fowler
While he is a new face to 2025, Dante Fowler is no familiar face to the Cowboys. With long-time starter DeMarcus Lawrence leaving in free agency, the Cowboys will be looking for a new starting defensive end opposite of Micah Parsons. There are plenty of warm bodies in the defensive line room, but who will be trusted with the starting role come week one?
As of today, my money is on Dante Fowler. Second-year defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, fourth-year defensive end Sam Williams, and second-round pick in 2025 Donovan Ezeiruaku will certainly be in the conversation, but Fowler’s veteran presence and success rushing the passer should give him a small leg up on the less experienced guys and Williams who is coming off an injury.
2024 Starter: Jourdan Lewis
2025 Projected Starter: Kaiir Elam
Sorting out exactly who will play where in the secondary heading into camp is one of the more interesting aspects of this team. With Jourdan Lewis now in Jacksonville, the Cowboys do not have a pure slot cornerback on their roster to fill his void. What the Cowboys do have is plenty of options. Da’Ron Bland could very well move inside and play the slot, but with this projection, we’re not going for a specific one-for-one swap. What we will do is project the “new guy” who will fit in as the third corner.
It is still unlikely that 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. will be ready to take over a starting role by week one with him currently rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in 2024. That leaves Kaiir Elam, Israel Mukuamu, and Andrew Booth to win the job. The Cowboys liked Elam enough to trade for him before the draft and his size and length should play well in Matt Eberflus scheme. There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Cowboys secondary, and figuring out who will start at corner is at the very top of the list.
2024 Starter: Eric Kendricks
2025 Projected Starter: Kenneth Murray
The Cowboys big splash in 2024 was signing Eric Kendricks in free agency. Kendricks had a nice season in Dallas, but the team elected to go in a different direction after trading for Kenneth Murray early in free agency. Murray has been a disappointment since being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Murray is known for his speed, range, and ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, but questionable instincts and finishing skills makes the middle linebacker position a question mark heading into training camp.
2024 Starter: DeMarvion Overshown
2025 Projected Starter: Jack Sanborn
With DeMarvion Overshown expected to start the season on the PUP-list, the Cowboys will have two new faces starting for them at linebacker in 2025. Second-year linebacker Marist Liufau played well at the end of 2024, but Matt Eberflus’ familiarity and trust in Jack Sanborn gives him the slight edge heading into training camp.
