Dallas Cowboys news: Jerry Jones approach, Carroll's good word, update on Lawrence

The offseason has arrived and the Dallas Cowboys have a lot on their plate as we hit the NFL Draft combine this week then free agency soon after.

This week we’ve got news on the Jones family’s new approach this offseason, along with a certain NFL head coach putting in a good word or two for Brian Schottenheimer and the future of a long-time star in Dallas. Let’s take a look at this week’s news roundup.

Cowboys trying out new approach to free agency this offseason

In the past, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has talked about going “all-in” during the offseason. But in actuality all that meant was he’d sit back and watch as other teams went out and signed big-name playmakers, which meant the Cowboys would only pick up the scraps left behind. This offseason Jones has a new motto so to speak and it’s called being "selectively aggressive" as stated by Jerry’s son and Cowboys executive vice president, Stephen Jones.

"Obviously, our goals historically have been to try to fill as many of our musts and needs before the draft so you can pick the best player on your board," Stephen Jones said. "Didn't get that totally accomplished last year, but certainly that's always the goal. And every year is different in terms of what those musts and needs are, and then you also have to marry what's in free agency vs. where the draft is heavy and where we can help ourselves in the draft."

What that sounds like is more fluff to pacify Cowboys fans as the Jones family strolls through the offseason. They’ve missed out on countless free agents that actually wanted to sign in Big D. Derrick Henry was waiting for the call from Dallas this time last year after ending his tenure in Tennessee and it never happened. Henry signed in Baltimore and rushed for over 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Cowboys already seem to be setting up the fan base for another letdown.

Pete Carroll played role in Brian Schottenheimer hire

Before arriving in Dallas last offseason, Brian Schottenheimer had been offensive coordinator for three other franchises. The most recent being the Seattle Seahawks, under then-head coach Pete Carroll from 2018-2020. So, when it came time for Schottenheimer to finally get his big chance at running a team, his former boss was of course asked about Schotty.

"He is ready, he's been waiting for this opportunity for a number of years," Carroll told reporters. "He's been ready for some time." 

"(I tried to reassure Brian) because it sounded like he was really in the lead position to get that job," Carroll said via Todd Archer from ESPN. "I was trying to help Jerry feel good about it too because he was trying to get ready for it." 

Schottenheimer has coached on multiple NFL staffs (as position coach and coordinator) since 2006 and if he isn’t ready for this opportunity in Dallas he never will be. In an age where guys coach a few years then after one decent season as coordinator (offense or defense), they get a head coaching gig, Schottenheimer has taken the old-school route. We’ve gotten to a point where if a candidate is “too” selective and waits a little too long teams will eventually pass them by.

As coach Carroll begins a new era of his own in Las Vegas, it’s safe to say his good word went a long way for coach Schotty with the Cowboys.

Stephen Jones speaks on Demarcus Lawrence at scouting combine in Indy

Demarcus Lawrence played just four games in 2024 after suffering a foot injury in the Cowboys’ Week 4 win over the New York Giants. That crushing blow early in the season may have been the beginning of the end for Lawrence in Big D. With his contract coming to an end and free agency around the corner, it felt very unlikely even in September that we’d see the 32-year-old defensive end back in a Cowboys uniform. Stephen Jones was asked about Lawrence’s status this week at the NFL Draft combine in Indianapolis.

"We’ll have more discussions this week," Jones said of Lawrence's free agency, Jones said. "I don’t want to get out in front or assume one thing or the other. I assume he can speak to that, that’s where we like to leave it."

Jones did not divulge a lot of details in that comment but he also did not commit to anything either. Obviously, Lawrence can test free agency but he also turns 33 years old days after this year’s NFL Draft concludes. Coming off that serious foot injury that put him on the shelf, retirement is also a possibility in this situation. As an edge rusher dealing with a severe foot injury at his age, there are no guarantees he will return as the force he once was. So, it wouldn’t be shocking if Lawrence decided to hang up the cleats and call it a career.