Dak Prescott Hoping To Play Into His 40s
After being limited to eight games in 2024, Dak Prescott has rebounded nicely through the first half of the 2025 campaign. The 32-year-old quarterback currently sports a career-high 70.3-percent completion percentage and is showing no signs of slowing down. Thanks to his continued production, the Cowboys signal caller is confident he can spend close to another decade in the NFL.
“Forties would be a good number,” Prescott estimated when asked about a potential retirement age (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I’ve been through some injuries; played very physical in college so if I can get to 40 playing at the standard that I want, that would be awesome.”
Prescott has indeed dealt with his fair share of injuries through his first 10 years in the NFL. He was limited to only five games in 2020 after suffering a fractured ankle, and he missed another five contests in 2022 thanks to a thumb injury. A hamstring tear in 2024 represented the third major injury of his career.
To the player’s credit, he’s rebounded nicely in each instance. He finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2021, tossing a career-high 37 touchdowns while guiding Dallas to 11 wins. His 2022 campaign was arguably the best of his career, as he paced the NFL with 36 touchdowns while finishing second in MVP voting. While the Cowboys’ defense is to blame for the team’s struggles in 2025, Prescott currently has the highest QBR of his career.
Those past injuries could eventually impact his on-field ability, but there’s no real reason to be pessimistic about Prescott’s goal of playing into his 40s. We’ve seen plenty of recent quarterbacks play well past this milestone. Tom Brady played until he was 45 and Drew Brees played until he was 41, while Aaron Rodgers (41) and Joe Flacco (40) are currently starting for teams. If Prescott manages to stay relatively healthy over the second half of his career, there’s no reason why he can’t join that club.
The main question will be if Dak is able to remain under center with the Cowboys. Prescott is currently signed through the 2028 season, which would be his age-35 campaign. If the former fourth-round pick hopes to stick in Dallas, it’ll likely require multiple extensions. The long-time QB once replaced an age-36 Tony Romo (who was dealing with a compression fracture in his back), and Prescott will similarly have to stave off the team’s future investments at the position.
Even if he isn’t allowed to extend his career in Dallas, it sounds like Prescott is motivated to stay on the field as long as possible.
“[My perspective] has definitely changed; I can see it more realistically now,” Prescott said (via Archer). “And I think as much as anything, the fun and the peace that this game still gives me 10 years in is going to be hard [to move on from]. You can’t supplement it, so as long as I can do this at a level that I’m proud and happy with, I’ll keep trying.”
Cowboys Activate C Cooper Beebe, Place LB Jack Sanborn On IR
The Cowboys’ 31st-ranked defense is losing another piece. The team is placing linebacker Jack Sanborn on IR, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. This move will make room for Cooper Beebe‘s return, however.
Beebe is being activated from IR ahead of tonight’s Dallas-Arizona game. The Cowboys’ starting center has been out since Week 2 with foot and ankle injuries. The second-year blocker suffered a lateral ankle sprain along with a bone fracture in his foot in September; his return comes within the initial recovery timeline.
Dallas has been using Brock Hoffman at center in place of Beebe, but the more experienced player will be set to return to backup status. Beebe has started all 18 games he has played as a pro. The Cowboys plugged he and fellow 2024 draftee Tyler Guyton into the lineup as rookies. They will now have three first- or second-year players, with Tyler Booker in the lineup, starting up front against the Cardinals. Beebe’s development will remain a priority for the Cowboys, who turned to their 2024 third-rounder to replace departed free agent Tyler Biadasz last year.
This activation will leave the Cowboys with four injury activations remaining. The team already activated cornerback Caelen Carson and used summer IR-return designations on wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and defensive end Payton Turner. The latter has not yet returned to practice, but by virtue of the summer IR-return move, he already counts toward Dallas’ eight-activation total.
Pro Football Focus has Hoffman rated 31st among centers, pointing to Beebe’s return providing a boost. The Cowboys have been wildly inconsistent this season, but they do sport one of the league’s best offenses. Beebe’s comeback figures to help Javonte Williams continue his bounce-back season.
Sanborn has started five of the six games he has played with Dallas. The team continues to wait on DeMarvion Overshown‘s return from a major knee injury. Overshown remains in the PUP-return window, having begun practicing late last month. PFF slots Sanborn 55th among qualified linebackers this season.
The former Bears defender is on a one-year, $1.5MM deal, coming over as one of a few low-cost Cowboys linebackers in recent years. A groin injury will move Sanborn off the 53-man roster for at least four games, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. Sanborn started five games before coming off the bench in Week 7. He missed the team’s Week 8 Broncos matchup.
The Cowboys also signed running back Malik Davis from the practice squad and used their standard gameday elevations on defensive back Zion Childress and tight end Princeton Fant.
Cowboys Open To Trading DT Mazi Smith?
If the Cowboys are to make a trade, it would come as no surprise if a defensive addition were to be made. Dallas could also subtract on that side of the ball. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Not Only Eyeing Rental Trade Moves]
The Cowboys “appear to be open to” dealing away Mazi Smith, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The former first-rounder’s inability to develop into a regular contributor has been a key element of Dallas’ struggles along the defensive line since his arrival in the NFL. Smith has been inactive three times in 2025, his third campaign in the league.
As a rookie, the Michigan product logged a rotational role. A significant uptick in usage took place the following year, but Smith was unable to take a step forward in terms of production against the pass. His performances as a run defender also left plenty to be desired, and as such it came as no surprise upgrading along the defensive interior was a central factor in the Cowboys’ considerations with respect to the Micah Parsons trade.
Kenny Clark is in the fold thanks to that blockbuster deal, and his contract runs through 2027. Dallas also has Osa Odighizuwa in place for years to come after he inked a four-year, $80MM deal to remain with the team this past offseason. Especially with Smith failing to find his footing in new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus‘ scheme, a fresh start could be sought out. Smith’s rookie contract runs through 2026, and any acquiring team would presumably decline his fifth-year option this spring.
It would be surprising to see a strong market for Smith given the way his career has begun. At the age of 24, though, interested teams could view him as a buy-low target with upside. As the Cowboys look into adding along the front seven (among other spots), a shake-up of a different nature will be something to watch for.
NFC Trade Notes: Mafe, Woolen, Shaheed, Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers, Lions
As one of three NFC West teams sporting a five-win record, the Seahawks do not fit the profile of a seller at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, a pair of notable defenders continue to be mentioned in trade talk.
Cornerback Tariq Woolen remains a name to watch ahead of the November 4 deadline. The most recent update on his status indicated he could remain in Seattle. Things could change in short order, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Seattle prefers to keep Woolen in place through the remainder of the season.
The former Pro Bowler has struggled this season and his rookie contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. The same is also true of edge rusher Boye Mafe, who could very well depart in free agency this spring. As such, the 26-year-old is worth monitoring on the trade front. Schefter adds, though, that the Seahawks would also prefer to keep him.
Here are some other trade notes from around the NFC:
- In terms of receivers, one of the top candidates to move shortly is Rashid Shaheed. The Saints have been connected to an asking price of a Day 2 pick for the pending free agent. In particular, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football passes along New Orleans asked an AFC suitor for a third-round selection. Shaheed would provide a notable vertical addition to any acquiring team, but a price that high would be a surprise for a rental. It will be interesting to see if the Saints lower their asking price in the coming days.
- Logan Wilson‘s trade request is still in effect, and he is among the defenders worth monitoring on the Bengals. A number of teams have made calls recently, and Schefter reports the Cowboys are among them. Dallas could stand to use one (or more) defensive additions given the team’s play on that side of the ball, and the team is not only in the market for rentals. Wilson – who has 65 starts to his name – is under contract through 2027.
- The Packers faced questions about their secondary entering the campaign, but the team sits 15th against the pass so far. Green Bay is among the teams looking into corners on the trade market, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Tyson Campbell, Roger McCreary, Michael Carter II and (most recently) Jaire Alexander have already been dealt ahead of the deadline. Other corners could be on the move, however, and with nearly $12MM in cap space the Packers can afford a rental addition.
- Sitting atop the NFC South, the Buccaneers could look to add. It would nonetheless come as a surprise if a notable acquisition were to be made. Greg Auman of Fox Sports predicts Tampa Bay will (if anything) only be in the market for a depth addition in the rental market. Adding at the linebacker spot or along the edge would be feasible, per Auman, but a major move should not be expected.
- Another team not viewed as a serious buyer is the Lions. Defensive depth could still be targeted, though, and Russini writes safety and defensive line are among the positions being explored. Detroit is also among the teams which have called the Bengals about their defensive trade candidates (including Wilson but also cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt). With over $22MM in cap space, the Lions could afford a rental with ease.
Jerry Jones: Cowboys Not Only Exploring Rental Trade Options
Nothing appears to be imminent at this point, but the Cowboys have made it clear they are in the market for at least one trade addition. Rentals are of course common at this time of year, although Dallas is also open to long-term acquisitions. 
During his latest appearance on 105.3 The Fan, owner Jerry Jones said (via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News) the Cowboys are open to making a deal for a player under contract beyond 2025. Last season provided an example of that approach in the form of the Jonathan Mingo trade.
“[Jonathan] Mingo was that type of trade last year,” Jones said when speaking about potentially adding a player with term on their contract. “We liked the value in a going forward basis.”
That assessment of the Mingo swap is certainly notable given his non-impactful Cowboys tenure to date. Dallas sent Carolina a fourth-round pick at the deadline one year ago for Mingo and a seventh-round selection. The 24-year-old made just one catch in eight appearances upon arrival with the Cowboys. He has not suited up this season, although the fact Mingo is under contract through 2027 leaves him time to emerge as a contributor.
To no surprise, a number of the players mentioned most frequently in trade talk recently are pending free agents. That applies to several defenders who could offer a short-term boost to the Cowboys, but there are of course other options on the team’s radar. Dallas has shown an interest in high-profile edge rushers which would offset the production lost in the Micah Parsons trade and Jones has expressed a willingness to use the draft capital added in that swap under the right circumstances.
Parting with one or more first-round picks would obviously not be feasible in a rental acquisition, but adding a player with term could open the door to a blockbuster swap over the coming days. The Jets are willing to entertain offers on defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, for instance, and the three-time Pro Bowler was the subject of Cowboys interest this past offseason. Dallas has nearly $31MM in 2025 cap space and the team’s post-Parsons era will include an increase in financial flexibility over the coming years.
It will be interesting to see if a swap of one kind or another is pulled off in the Cowboys’ case. The team has until November 4 to finalize an acquisition, something which could include a repeat of the Mingo deal with respect to contract length.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/29/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves around the NFL:
Dallas Cowboys
- Designated for return from IR: DT Perrion Winfrey
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: FB Jakob Johnson
New England Patriots
- Signed from practice squad: RB Terrell Jennings
New York Giants
- Designated for return from IR: CB Rico Payton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Opened practice window: DB Cory Trice
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: OL Drew Moss
Seattle Seahawks
- Opened practice window: G Christian Haynes
Winfrey, Johnson and Payton have each started their 21-day activation periods. Bringing them back into the fold will use up one of their respective teams’ eight IR activations. By contrast, Trice and Haynes were given the designated for return label during roster cuts in August. As a result, their activations have already been accounted for.
No Extension Talks Between Cowboys, George Pickens?
Acquired from the Steelers last spring, Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens has gotten off to a fast start in his first season in Dallas. This could go down as Pickens’ only season in Dallas, though, as the team has not discussed a contract extension with the soon-to-be free agent or his representatives, according to Ed Werder of WFAA.
Werder’s report comes just a week after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed interest in locking up Pickens to a new deal.
“Any and everything about George Pickens has crossed our minds,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “Certainly he’s a topic of interest and discussions because of the success he’s having.”
Pickens expressed an openness to a Dallas extension back in August, but the price tag has likely gone up since then. During his three-season run in Pittsburgh, the former Georgia Bulldog averaged approximately 16 games, 59 catches, 947 yards, and four touchdowns per year. That’s solid production, albeit far from elite, and there was drama along the way.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said last December that Pickens needed to “grow up in a hurry” after he took two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a win over the Bengals. A few weeks later, Pickens showed up late for the Steelers’ Christmas Day game against the Chiefs, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported last January. After trading Pickens to the Cowboys, Steelers general manager Omar Kahn stated that “a fresh start for both sides was the right thing.”
The “fresh start” has worked out well for Pickens and the Cowboys. Pickens has been an integral cog in one of the league’s most productive offenses, and there haven’t been any known issues behind the scenes. With 43 catches and 685 yards through eight games, Pickens is easily on track to surpass his career highs of 63 and 1,140 in those categories. He has already hauled in a personal-best six touchdowns.
Between Pickens’ spike in production and a lack of high-end receivers due to reach free agency in the offseason, the 24-year-old could push for a long-term deal in the $30MM-per-annum vicinity. That would be a hefty commitment for a Dallas team that’s already paying No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb $34MM per season on the four-year, $136MM pact it awarded him in August 2024. If the Cowboys are unable to hammer out a multiyear arrangement with Pickens, Werder points to the franchise tag as a possibility. That would cost the Cowboys around $28MM in 2026.
Cowboys Less Likely To Make Defensive Trade Addition?
One of the league’s top talking points ahead of the trade deadline has been the potential for the Cowboys to swing a deal. Any acquisition made for the remainder of the campaign would be aimed at improving the team’s underperforming defense. 
Calls about high-profile edge rushers such as Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson have been made recently, but nothing is imminent regarding a move of that magnitude. Owner Jerry Jones has publicly expressed a willingness to part with some of the draft capital acquired in the Micah Parsons blockbuster. It would come as a surprise if that were to take place in the middle of the campaign, of course, but even a smaller deal may not be forthcoming.
The Cowboys fell to 3-4-1 on the season with their lopsided loss to the Broncos on Sunday. Dallas’ defense delivered another poor outing, surrendering over 400 yards for the fourth time in 2025. Internal reinforcements are on the way in the form of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown in particular, and Jones’ latest comments certainly suggest his return to full health will mark the most significant addition for the Cowboys’ defensive outlook.
“I don’t know what’s realistic,” Jones said about a trade addition (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “Could one better player — if we didn’t pay too big a price to have a better player on defense to possibly help?… Are we one player away on defense? I think we’re not. I think we’re more than that away, but what we’re closer to than it looks, in my mind, is executing better on defense.”
Many will no doubt remain skeptical about the Cowboys’ ability to rebound defensively, at least to the point of helping the team emerge as a true contender. A rental addition would likely do little in that regard, so standing pat on the trade front could prove to be a sensible move. On the other hand, Dallas ranks second in the league in scoring and fourth in total offense on a per game basis; even a move to mediocrity on the other side of the ball could allow the team to contend for the playoffs as a result.
With over $31MM in cap space, Dallas could easily afford a rental addition ahead of the November 4 trade deadline. If Jones holds true to his stance on the team’s defense needing more than one short-term acquisition, though, it would come as no surprise if he elected to stand down on the trade front this season.
Latest On Cowboys’ Pursuit Of Defensive Help
OCTOBER 26: Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer confirms (video link) the Cowboys made calls about both Crosby and Hendrickson. To little surprise, those inquiries were rebuffed in each case. Dallas could still be in the market for a less splashy acquisition over the coming days, especially if the team’s defense continues to struggle.
OCTOBER 23: Ranked first in the NFL in yards and second in points, the Cowboys’ offense has been one of the league’s best during the first seven weeks of the season. The other side of the ball has been a different story. Thanks to a defense that ranks last in yards allowed and 30th in points given up, the Cowboys are a middling 3-3-1 and sitting in 10th place in the NFC.
With an eye on returning to the playoffs after missing the postseason in 2024, owner Jerry Jones has been making calls around the league to acquire defensive help before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Cowboys swing a deal for a defender by then, Adam Schefter of ESPN says.
Dallas, which is tied for 14th in the league in sacks, is among many playoff hopefuls angling for a pass-rushing addition over the next week and a half. The Cowboys have predictably struggled without all-world edge rusher Micah Parsons, whom they sent packing to Green Bay before the season amid a contract dispute.
While the Cowboys received defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks in the swap, moving Parsons left a massive void in their defense. Jones said earlier this month that he’d consider parting with those draft choices for immediate help.
With the Cowboys seeking a Parsons replacement, rumors have connected them to elite edge players in the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson and the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby. Hendrickson is likely to remain in Cincinnati, though, and Las Vegas isn’t moving Crosby. The Cowboys “presumably” inquired about Crosby in their extensive search for an “impact” defender, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. They’re out of luck on that front. Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has also come up as a potential fit for the Cowboys, but he’s reportedly not available.
Although Jones is focused on an outside acquisition to improve the Cowboys’ defense, the team regards it as an “ascending” unit, Schultz says. The Cowboys liken soon-to-return linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to a “superstar midseason acquisition in a trade,” according to Schultz.
During his first NFL action last year, Overshown piled up 90 tackles and five sacks in 13 games before suffering a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL. It was the second major knee injury for Overshown, who missed his rookie campaign in 2023 with a torn ACL. The 25-year-old returned to practice as a limited participant on Wednesday, setting up a season debut sometime soon.
Overshown is on his way back, but if the Cowboys have their way, he won’t be the only addition to their defense in the coming weeks. With the draft capital the Cowboys have on hand, not to mention the second-most cap space in the league, Jones may be in for an aggressive deadline.
Raiders Aren’t Shopping Maxx Crosby
OCTOBER 25: Owner Mark Davis spoke about Crosby after the fall league meeting. He reiterated (via Pelissero’s colleagues Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo) his stance and that of the team has not changed with respect to a trade in this case. While interest will no doubt continue to be shown, Crosby can still be expected to remain in Vegas moving forward.
OCTOBER 21: Maxx Crosby isn’t going anywhere. While the Raiders could be open to moving some significant pieces, the team doesn’t have any intention of trading their defensive star. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders met with Crosby today and told the pass rusher they’re neither shopping nor trading him.
Following a report earlier this morning that the Cowboys had made inquires on Crosby’s availability, Pelissero notes that rival teams do indeed have interest in acquiring the four-time Pro Bowler. That probably goes without saying when it comes to a player of Crosby’s caliber, and it would simply be a continuation of this past offseason when teams (including the Seahawks and Patriots) were rebuffed in their attempts to acquire the star. No matter how many suitors line up for Crosby’s services, it sounds like the Raiders refuse to budge.
Perhaps best of all for the franchise, Pelissero notes that Crosby wants to stick with the Raiders. While the edge rusher has a strong desire to win, he wants that to happen in Las Vegas. Of course, the player previously showed his commitment to the franchise when he inked a three-year, $106.5MM extension this past offseason.
After missing the final four games of the 2024 campaign, Crosby has picked up where he left off. Through seven games this season, the 28-year-old has collected 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, and a force fumble. Pro Football Focus currently ranks him 21st among 113 qualifiers, although the site graded him as a top-four player at his position between 2021 and 2023.
While the Raiders won’t be trading Crosby, that doesn’t mean they won’t be active ahead of the deadline. Both the Raiders and Jakobi Meyers seem motivated to get the receiver out of Las Vegas, and there have even been rumblings that the front office could add to their defense. Despite the Raiders 2-5 start, the team isn’t anticipating any major changes to leadership, and it appears the organization will be looking to support their foundation with an eye on 2026.
As for the unsubstantiated Cowboys rumblings, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News denies that the organization hasn’t reached out to any teams about potential trades. However, the reporter notes that the front office has discussed potential deals internally, so perhaps a trade (for someone other than Crosby) could eventually materialize.