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CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens Benched For First Series Of Week 11; Latest On Pickens’ Future

November 20th, 2025 at 3:30pm CST by Connor Byrne

NOVEMBER 20: Lamb revealed on Thursday (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) that he and Pickens were disciplined for missing curfew the night before the game. The two were out late at Red Rock Casino Resort in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

NOVEMBER 18: Dallas rolled to a 33-16 win in Las Vegas on Monday, but the game started oddly for the Cowboys. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer left the Cowboys’ top two wide receivers, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, on the bench for the team’s first offensive series. Both players ended up making major contributions in the Cowboys’ victory, but it was initially unclear why they didn’t start.

Owner Jerry Jones addressed the situation afterward (links via Jon Machota of The Athletic), saying Schottenheimer’s decision “had to do with meeting type discipline.” Jones added that Lamb and Pickens “had a late problem there.”

Lamb declined to discuss the matter on Monday, while Pickens said the brief benching had to do with “certain personnel” (via Machota).

Regardless of what exactly happened, it quickly became water under the bridge for Schottenheimer. The first-year HC was effusive when speaking about the receiving tandem after the game (via Todd Archer of ESPN).

Schottenheimer said that “[Lamb and Pickens] literally jump-started the offense when they got back in. They didn’t hang their heads, didn’t do any of that stuff. That’s why I love those guys, man.”

Lamb had a strong night, catching five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Pickens produced all-world numbers with nine grabs, 144 yards, and a score. They accounted for more than half of quarterback Dak Prescott‘s 25 completions and 210 of his 268 passing yards.

The Cowboys already have Lamb under wraps for the next few seasons, having signed the star WR1 to a four-year, $136MM extension in August 2024. Pickens’ future is up in the air, though, as he remains on track to reach free agency in the offseason.

Pickens had some behind-the-scenes issues, including with punctuality, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers then decided to move on from Pickens in the offseason, trading him and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder.

Aside from Schottenheimer’s minor disciplinary measure on Monday, there hasn’t been any reported drama involving Pickens since he got to Dallas. On the field, the 24-year-old is easily on pace for the best season of his career. He ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (908), tied for third in TDs (seven), and 11th in catches (58).

Pickens is playing his way into a sizable multiyear contract, especially if he hits the open market. However, the Cowboys could place the franchise tag on Pickens if they don’t reach an agreement before March. That would cost around $29MM, and it’s reportedly an avenue the Cowboys will strongly consider. Jones seems prepared to keep Pickens one way or other.

Asked if the Cowboys could build a balanced roster with Lamb, Pickens, and a $60MM defensive tackle trio (Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, and Kenny Clark) eating up an enormous amount of cap space, Jones told 105.3 The Fan, “Yes. Yes.”

The Cowboys will enter the offseason needing to clear out roughly $47MM just to get back to even, per Over the Cap. While Jones seems unfazed, he’ll have work to do to open up spending room to retain Pickens and address other needs on the roster.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/19/25

November 19th, 2025 at 7:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/19/25

November 19th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Designated for return from reserve/PUP: RB Eric Gray

Pittsburgh Steelers

21 days have gone by since the Steelers opened Trice’s practice window. They’ve made the decision not to activate him from injured reserve, so he will remain on IR without the possibility of being activated.

Gray has been on New York’s physically unable to perform list since they set their initial 53-man roster. With rookie running back Cam Skattebo hitting IR earlier in the season, Gray’s return could add some needed depth at the position.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/18/25

November 18th, 2025 at 9:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest practice squad moves around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL Andrew Steuber

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DL Fabien Lovett Sr.

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: WR John Rhys Plumlee
  • Released: S Jack Henderson

Seattle Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: S Marcus Banks

Tennessee Titans

Reeves-Maybin, the current NFLPA president, spent most of his career with the Lions but was released this offseason. He worked out with the 49ers in October and now returns to the NFC North with the Bears.

Odum began his NFL career in Indianapolis and is now returning to the Colts after a three-year stint with the 49ers. He will likely provide depth on special teams when elevated from the practice squad.

Kpassagnon, meanwhile, will be looking for his third team this season. He signed in Chicago this offseason to reunite with Dennis Allen, the Bears’ defensive coordinator and Kpassagnon’s former coach in New Orleans. He played 89 snaps across five games in Chicago before he was released. He then signed with the Colts’ practice squad, but did not make any appearances in blue and white.

The Seahawks signed Jones to their practice squad, but he was released the following day in a health-related move, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. Rice, the son of NFL legend Jerry Rice, will get to play for one of his father’s former teams. Jerry Rice played for the Seahawks during his last season in 2004.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/25

November 18th, 2025 at 8:09pm CST by Connor Byrne

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Las Vegas Raiders

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

After winning the Senior Bowl MVP in 2022, Winfrey entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Browns a few months later. He totaled 22 tackles and a half-sack in 13 games as a rookie. That proved to be Winfrey’s lone season in Cleveland, which waived him a few months after a misdemeanor assault charge in 2023.

Winfrey played in one game with the Jets in his second season before a stint with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions last year. The 290-pounder earned All-UFL honors, leading the Cowboys to sign him in June, but a back injury forced him to IR in early September. Now that they’ve brought Winfrey back, the Cowboys have just three activations remaining.

Winfrey’s return comes at the expense of Clark, a Cowboy since they took him in the fifth round in 2022. The former LSU Tiger was a 17-game starter who racked up 109 tackles in 2023, but his playing time drastically fell off after that. While Clark appeared in eight of Dallas’ games this year and made two starts, 138 of his 217 snaps came on special teams.

The Cowboys swung a trade with the Bengals for linebacker Logan Wilson earlier this month and recently welcomed back fellow LB DeMarvion Overshown from injury. With those in-season reinforcements in the fold, the Cowboys deemed Clark expendable.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.

Cowboys Activate S Malik Hooker From IR

November 17th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys defense has struggled mightily in 2025, but the team will be getting some veteran reinforcement in time for Monday Night Football. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, the team has activated safety Malik Hooker from injured reserve.

[RELATED: Cowboys Designate Malik Hooker For Return]

Hooker suffered a toe injury back in Week 4 that has shelved him for more than a month. He was designated for return from IR just last Thursday, and the Cowboys didn’t take long to add him to the active roster.

After serving in a rotational role during his first season in Dallas, Hooker has emerged as one of the team’s most dependable defenders in recent years. He missed only a pair of games between 2022 and 2024, starting 38 of his 49 appearances while hauling in six interceptions. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded him as an above-average safety in each of those three campaigns, including a 13th-place showing in 2022 and 14th-place finish in 2023.

After dropping down to 43rd at his position in 2024, PFR ranked Hooker only 58th among 93 qualifiers in 2025. Still, that should represent an upgrade over the revolving door of safeties the Cowboys have turned to next to Donovan Wilson, who has missed the past two contests with an elbow/shoulder issue. Juanyeh Thomas got an initial look in the starting lineup, while Markquese Bell has seen the bulk of the snaps at the position in recent weeks. Alijah Clark and Zion Childress have also gotten some run in the secondary.

To make room on the roster, the team placed rookie offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius on injured reserve. The sixth-round pick has been dealing with a knee injury that will sideline him for at least the next month. The Cowboys also promoted running back Malik Davis from the practice squad for tonight’s matchup against the Raiders.

Cowboys Activate LB DeMarvion Overshown, CB Shavon Revel

November 14th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 14: Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed on 105.3 The Fan (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) that Revel would make his NFL debut on Monday, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Overshown is expected to be on a pitch count, per Machota, though the 25-year-old linebacker said that he wanted to be on the field when “a play needs to be made.”

NOVEMBER 11: The Cowboys’ defense has been one of the NFL’s worst units this year, to the point the team made two deadline-day deals — for Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams — to help stabilize it. When those two players debut with Dallas, the team will have more reinforcements en route.

DeMarvion Overshown and Shavon Revel are moving onto the 53-man roster Tuesday, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Cowboys will activate the third-year linebacker from the reserve/PUP list and the rookie third-round cornerback from the reserve/NFI list.

Each player’s 21-day activation clock would have expired today, a season-ending development, had the Cowboys not followed through with the expected activations. Both are expected to debut against the Raiders in Week 11, per WFAA’s Ed Werder. The team also placed safety Juanyeh Thomas on the reserve/non-football illness list, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds.

Overshown is coming back from a severe knee injury sustained in December 2024. The 2023 draftee has suffered two ACL tears since entering the NFL. Revel has been on the shelf since September 2024 after sustaining an ACL tear during his final East Carolina season. Next to nothing has gone right for the Cowboys’ defense this season, but the unit having four starter-level cogs returning at once does stand to provide a boost — as the club attempts to mount a last-ditch wild-card push.

While the topic of a 3-5-1 team being a deadline buyer has generated considerable debate, the Cowboys made that move by piecing together a surprising trade package — a 2027 first-rounder (the higher of Dallas’ two firsts), a 2026 second and defensive tackle Mazi Smith — to obtain Williams. As Williams will take his place as a D-line starter, Overshown has a path back to a first-string role at linebacker. He and Wilson will be tasked with helping that unit, which has been a low-priority position in Dallas for a while.

Week 11 has loomed as Overshown’s return point for a bit; he went down in Week 14 last season. In addition to suffering his second ACL tear as a pro, Overshown sustained MCL and PCL tears to lengthen his recovery timetable. A 2023 third-round pick, Overshown played well in a 13-game sample last season. He registered 90 tackles (eight for loss) and came through with an impressive five sacks despite manning an off-ball LB role in Mike Zimmer‘s defense. Overshown has now had three weeks to practice in Matt Eberflus‘ defense.

Pro Football Focus ranks both Kenneth Murray and Shemar James as bottom-10 linebackers (among qualified options) this season. The Cowboys have Jack Sanborn on IR as well. Wilson and Overshown should see immediate playing time, though it would not surprise if the latter is brought along slowly. Still, this represents a key stretch for Overshown, who will need to show sustained health if a lucrative second contract — from the Cowboys or another team — is considered. He has missed 30 games through 2 1/2 seasons.

Revel’s debut was expected to commence earlier than Week 11. A return within the Cowboys’ first five games was viewed as likely, with an earlier report pegging September as in play. It would then stand to reason for Revel to be brought along slowly as well. Though, it will be interesting to see how cautious the Cowboys will be with both recovering talents, as they are in danger of falling out of playoff contention — largely because of the defense’s struggles.

Viewed as a first-round talent before his injury, Revel still declared for the draft after his lost final college season. His return comes at an opportune time, as Trevon Diggs is on IR with a concussion. Diggs and DaRon Bland have struggled to stay healthy, and the Cowboys have fared poorly in coverage this season. Revel’s usage will be interesting to follow. While Diggs is more likely than not to be cut in 2026, Bland and Revel profile as a potential long-term tandem.

HC Brian Schottenheimer: Cowboys To Hold RT Competition

November 14th, 2025 at 10:41am CST by Adam La Rose

When the Cowboys play their first game coming off the bye, they could have a new right tackle in place. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer opened the door to a midseason change at that position.

Schottenheimer said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) an open competition will be held at right tackle. Such scenarios are of course commonplace during training camp, but when they emerge in the middle of a season they are more noteworthy. In this particular case, a high-profile benching is being considered.

Terence Steele has operated as Dallas’ top right tackle for much of six-year Dallas tenure. The former UDFA has made 83 starts and counting, and in September 2023 he landed a long-term commitment from the Cowboys. Team and player agreed to a five-year, $82.5MM extension, a pact which has Steele on the books through 2028.

The 28-year-old has not met expectations since signing that deal, however. Pass blocking in particular has been an issue throughout Steele’s career, and in 2025 his PFF grade in that department sits at 56.4. That is the third-worst figure of his NFL tenure, and it has no doubt played a role in Cowboys’ decision to contemplate a switch. 2024 seventh-rounder Nathan Thomas is the likeliest candidate to take on first-team duties in the event Steele is benched.

A move along those lines would lead to a largely unproven figure taking on a major role up front. Thomas did not see the field as a rookie and he has logged just 96 offensive snaps in 2025. The Cowboys could stand to benefit from improved play along the O-line as they look to make a playoff push down the stretch, though.

In the bigger picture, of course, moving Steele to the bench would lead to questions about a parting of ways during the offseason. The Texas Tech product is not owed any guaranteed salary beyond 2025, and a post-June 1 release in particular would yield notable cap savings this coming spring. It will be interesting to see if such a move receives consideration by means of a right tackle change or if Steele remains atop the depth chart and plays his way into a continued Dallas stay.

George Pickens Open To Cowboys Extension; Franchise Tag In Play

November 13th, 2025 at 10:57pm CST by Connor Byrne

Unsigned beyond this year, Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens could become one of the most coveted free agents available when the market opens in March. Pickens said on Oct. 30 that he and the Cowboys had yet to discuss a new contract (via Jon Machota of The Athletic).

On the possibility of an extension, Pickens said: “That’s kinda up to what (Jerry Jones) wants to do. All I can do is perform at my best.”

If Jones and Pickens’ camp don’t reach an agreement before free agency begins, the team’s longtime owner could place the franchise tag on the Cowboys’ No. 2 wideout. Doing so would cost Dallas approximately $29MM, but it has “a strong likelihood” of happening, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. That’s assuming the relationship between the two sides doesn’t hit a snag in the coming months, Graziano notes.

A second-round pick from Georgia in 2022, Pickens was productive over the first three seasons of his career in Pittsburgh. The Steelers bailed on Pickens last offseason, though, trading him and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder.

Pickens averaged around 16 games, 59 catches, 947 yards, and four touchdowns per year as a Steeler, but they moved on after some rocky moments. Toward the end of his tenure with the Steelers, he was late for their Christmas Day game against the Chiefs. That came a few weeks after Pickens took a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a win over the Bengals, leading head coach Mike Tomlin to declare that the offensive weapon needed to “grow up in a hurry.” 

After the trade occurred in May, Steelers general manager Omar Khan told the media that “a fresh start for both sides was the right thing.” Six months later, the Cowboys surely don’t regret taking the gamble.

While the Cowboys are a lackluster 3-5-1, Pickens has done his part to keep the team afloat during a career year. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder has racked up 49 catches, 764 yards, and six scores in nine games. He’s third in the NFL with 12 receptions of 20-plus yards and tied for fourth in TD grabs.

Pickens stepped up as the Cowboys’ WR1 when CeeDee Lamb missed three full games and most of another one with a high ankle sprain earlier in the season. Lamb returned in Week 7, but Pickens has continued to post strong numbers since then. They’ve given quarterback Dak Prescott an elite one-two punch.

Despite Pickens’ success this year, some league executives are concerned about his inconsistency, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Still, his production and age (he won’t turn 25 until March) are a tantalizing combination. A high-priced multiyear deal should be in order if Pickens reaches free agency. Jones hasn’t been shy about using the franchise tag for integral offensive pieces, though, having done so for Prescott, running back Tony Pollard, and tight end Dalton Schultz in recent years.

Barring an extension, Pickens has a realistic chance to become the first Cowboys receiver to get the tag since they placed it on Dez Bryant in 2015. The Cowboys and Bryant hammered out a lucrative extension several months later. Pickens could meet a similar fate, though other options – including playing out the 2026 season on the tag or ending up in another trade – may be on the table.

Cowboys Designate Malik Hooker For Return

November 13th, 2025 at 3:47pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cowboys designated safety Malik Hooker to return from injured reserve on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Hooker, 29, started the first four games of the season (alongside Donovan Wilson, his running mate for the last four years) before a toe injury landed him on IR. That started a shuffle of safeties in Dallas, which, along with their cornerback injuries, has contributed to their bottom-five pass defense.

Juanyeh Thomas replaced Hooker in Weeks 5 and 6 before he was sidelined by recurrent migraines. Markquese Bell started next to Wilson in Week 7, but Wilson suffered an elbow injury in that game. That pressed undrafted rookie Alijah Clark into action for his first career start the following week. Thomas’ condition briefly improved, allowing him to start with Bell in Week 9, but he was placed on the non-football illness list shortly after.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said last week that he is hoping that both Hooker and Wilson can play in Week 11. The Cowboys are set to play the Cardinals on Monday Night Football, so their starting safeties will have an extra day to practice.

Hooker, a former first-round pick, dealt with a handful of injuries in Indianapolis during his first four NFL seasons. He only missed four games across his first four years in Dallas before his toe issue this season.

The veteran’s return should help a cowboys pass defense that has struggled this year. Dallas has allowed the fourth-most yards per attempt and per game this year. They seem to have made some progress in the last few weeks, though they have faced an easier slate of opponents.

Hooker will have 21 days to practice with the team before he must be activated to the 53-man roster. Otherwise, he will revert to season-ending injured reserve.

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