Dallas Cowboys DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Running back Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Carolina Panthers before the 2023 season, but his biggest supporters, head coach Frank Reich and assistant coach Duce Staley, were fired 11 games into that season. Sanders then took on a backup role behind Chuba Hubbard. The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that the Panthers will create $5.23 million in salary cap space this year by cutting Sanders. Jonathon Brooks is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after a second ACL surgery, but Carolina should be able to find cheaper RB options than Sanders to serve in a backup role to Hubbard. The 27-year-old was a first-time Pro Bowler in his final season with the Eagles in 2022, but he was not the same back in Carolina, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry while racking up 637 rushing yards and only three touchdowns on 184 rushing attempts in 27 games (seven starts).

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) said on Wednesday that his "health is good" and that he's "looking to amp it up here recently" in his rehab from a season-ending torn right hamstring that he suffered on Nov. 3. Prescott still has plenty of rehab left to do, but signs are encouraging that he could be ready to take part in Dallas' offseason workouts if everything continues to trend in a positive direction. It was a disappointing season all around for the Cowboys in 2024, but things went from bad to worse after Prescott's injury. The 31-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was underwhelming in his eight starts before getting hurt after a career year in 2023 in which he threw for 4,516 yards and a league-high 36 touchdowns. Prescott threw for 1,978 yards, 11 TDs and eight picks in 2024 and will see his fantasy stock drop heading into 2025 while coming off a major injury with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer now calling offensive plays.

New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III made a good enough impression in his NFL debut in the Week 18 victory against the Buffalo Bills backups that he could become a trade chip this offseason. "I thought the Patriots would hold off on entertaining a trade of Joe Milton, who was drafted in the sixth round (193rd overall) last year, for at least another season, but there's increasing belief around the NFL that the Patriots are at least contemplating a trade of Milton this offseason," Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard wrote. This year's QB draft class is considered weak, and the Pats could fetch up to a third-round pick for Milton this year if QB-needy teams don't feel like taking their chances on QB prospects like Riley Leonard, Dillon Gabriel or Jaxson Dart. If New England doesn't shop Milton before the draft in April, they could revisit and look to trade him this summer.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said that he fully endorses owner Jerry Jones' decision to hire former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as the team's next head coach. "I mean, Shotty means a lot to me. He's been a consistent man, and I think that's a part of why he's gotten this job in his time being here. I got four years left on my contract. He's tied directly to my future, so let's go be the best that we can in these four years," Prescott said. Although the move to hire Schottenheimer, who has never been a head coach in the NFL, wasn't a splashy one, it gives Prescott and the Dallas offense continuity. Schottenheimer didn't call offensive plays the last two years, but he was the offensive coordinator and knows Prescott well. Although Schottenheimer won't necessarily be great for Prescott, it's worth noting that he led the NFL with 36 TD passes in 2023, the first year that Schottenheimer became Dallas' OC.

The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson writes that the Denver Broncos are not expected to re-sign impending free-agent running back Javonte Williams this offseason. Williams, a former second-round pick in 2021 out of North Carolina, entered the 2024 season as the team's unquestioned lead back, but poor efficiency on the ground led to the Broncos going with a committee approach in the backfield halfway through the year that also involved Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. The 24-year-old came into the NFL as a bruising, tackle-breaking lead-back option for Denver, but since suffering a torn ACL in his sophomore season in 2022, he has not been the same, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry while combining for 1,287 rushing yards and only seven rushing TDs the last two seasons. Despite leading Denver with 513 rushing yards in 2024, Williams will likely struggle to find a lead-back role on the open market.