Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton Suffers Bone Fracture
Cowboys left tackle Tyler Guyton suffered a knee injury during training camp today that has been diagnosed as a bone fracture, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Guyton is also dealing with a sprained knee, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
Initial signs pointed toward an ACL tear, Guyton will not require surgery and may even be ready for Week 1 with a projected four- to six-week absence. In the meantime, Dallas will have to find a new first-team left tackle for training camp who can step up in the regular season if Guyton experiences a setback.
The current roster doesn’t offer any obvious answers. Chuma Edoga, who started four games amid Guyton’s injury woes last year, is now in Jacksonville. Asim Richards replaced Guyton for one game and rotated in during several others, but has been lining up at guard in training camp. Left guard Tyler Smith moved to left tackle for two games in 2024 as well, but he spent the other 14 developing into one of the best guards in the league.
2024 seventh-rounder Nathan Thomas, who spent his rookie season on injured reserve, may also be an option. He has been rotating in as the second-team left tackle in training camp in addition to some time at guard, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Guyton, the No. 29 pick in the 2024 draft, dealt with some injuries in college with five absences due to his injury over his last two seasons at Oklahoma. Despite appearing in 15 games with 11 starts as a rookie in Dallas, he only played 57.22% of the team’s offensive snaps over the course of the year. Guyton played every snap in the first four games before leaving the game in Week 5 and missing Week 6. He played almost every snap in Weeks 8 and 9 before another injury that sidelined him for Week 10. From Week 11 on, he only commanded a 43.4% snap share with a rotational role at left tackle due to poor play that may have been exacerbated by his injuries.
The Cowboys will be hoping that Guyton can hit the ground running when he returns in late August or early September so he can put together a much stronger 2025 season compared to his disappointing performance as a rookie.
Cowboys G Robert Jones To Miss Time
The Cowboys’ offensive line will be shorthanded through the remainder of training camp and into the start of the regular season. Guard Robert Jones has suffered an injury which will keep him sidelined for the time being. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Todd Archer report Jones broke a bone in his neck yesterday. As a result of the ailment, an absence of two to three months is expected. The news marks a blow for the free agent signing, especially given his workload early in training camp.
Jones had spent time at right guard with the starting offense during camp, supplanting first-round rookie Tyler Booker in that role. WFAA’s Ed Werder notes Jones had been enjoying a strong camp to date, but his ability to compete for a first-team gig has now disappeared. Surgery will not be required in this case, per Archer.
After spending his first four seasons with the Dolphins, Jones signed a one-year, $3.75MM deal to join the Cowboys. The 26-year-old has 30 starts to his name, including 17 from last season. Tyler Smith is in position to operate at his preferred left guard spot, however, and the decision to select Booker on Day 1 of the draft put the Alabama product on track to handle right guard duties. Especially with Jones now injured, the Smith-Booker tandem will prepare to play together in the regular season.
The offensive line was an issue for Dallas during the disappointing 2024 campaign, Booker’s ability to succeed in a starting role – along with the development of second-year left tackle Tyler Guyton – will be critical in determining how the unit fares this season. Jones will represent an option to fill in along the interior if needed once he returns to full health. That will not be possible at the start of the year, however.
Cowboys, TE Jake Ferguson Agree To Extension
The Cowboys and tight end Jake Ferguson have agreed to a four-year, $52MM extension, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The deal features $30MM in guarantees, including a $12MM signing bonus.
Although it was reported earlier this year that Dallas was eyeing a new deal for Ferguson, the negotiations mostly flew under the radar. In terms of average annual compensation, the contract places Ferguson seventh in the NFL’s tight end hierarchy. It also makes him the highest-paid TE in franchise history (h/t Rapoport).
Ferguson, 26, was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. He played in just 40% of the club’s offensive snaps in his rookie campaign, but he assumed TE1 duties in 2023, when Dalton Schultz left in free agency. As part of a prolific Dallas attack that led the league in scoring and finished fifth in total offense that year, Ferguson tallied 71 catches for 761 yards and five TDs.
Of course, 2024 was a different story. With quarterback Dak Prescott missing over half of the season due to injury, Ferguson totaled just 494 receiving yards and failed to reach the end zone. Nonetheless, Ferguson has shown he can be a productive member of a healthy and capable offense, and the Cowboys have opted to bet on that upside rather than allow the Wisconsin product to play out the final year of his rookie contract.
In addressing the extension, new head coach Brian Schottenheimer partially attributed Ferguson’s downturn in production to the TE’s own health concerns (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). Ferguson suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1 of the 2024 slate and then dealt with a concussion in the middle of the season, but those issues appear to be behind him. Schottenheimer also said Ferguson has lost weight and is moving well.
“I have zero doubts in my mind that his production will get back to where it was the year before,” Schottenheimer said. “I think last year was just kind of one of those years that you look back on your career and it was more of a fluke than anything.”
Historically, Prescott has relied heavily on his tight ends, so getting the Ferguson deal done represents a key piece of business for the Cowboys. The team remains in a holding pattern in its talks with star edge rusher Micah Parsons, and while that situation has understandably generated the most headlines, new contracts for players like Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland, and Brandon Aubrey could also be in the works.
CB Rumors: Flott, Giants, Sneed, Titans, Hill, Bengals, Barron, Broncos, Diggs, Packers
The Giants used a first-round pick on Deonte Banks in 2023 but have not seen the Maryland product justify his draft slot yet. This led to the Paulson Adebo signing. While Adebo is entrenched as a first-stringer, Banks may not be merely set to slide from New York’s No. 1 cornerback to a sidekick role. Cor’Dale Flott‘s latest summer ascent continues, as The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes the fourth-year defender received the first crack at the CB2 role during team drills. This appears a full-on competition. Flott had received minicamp work with the 1s, doing so after he impressed last summer en route to a slot-to-boundary shift.
Banks has started all 29 games he has played; being unable to hold off Flott would represent another setback for the former No. 24 overall pick. Flott would not have a path back to the starting slot role were he to lose this battle, as 2024 third-rounder Dru Phillips resides there now. This competition represents a big chance for the 2022 third-round pick, who is due for free agency in 2026.
Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:
- A quad injury led to a lengthy L’Jarius Sneed absence last season; it was severe enough to end his season five games in. The trade acquisition did not receive full clearance during the Titans’ offseason program; this came before he proclaimed himself fully healthy in late June. Sneed has since landed on the active/PUP list. Brian Callahan said (via ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport) a knee surgery led to placement on the injured list. The knee cleanup, rather than the quad injury, kept Sneed out of Tennessee’s offseason program. An ominous June report suggested anything the Titans receive from Sneed in 2025 would be “a bonus.” This is a situation to monitor, as Sneed is on a four-year, $76.4MM extension.
- In better AFC CB news, Dax Hill avoided Cincinnati’s active/PUP list. Coming back from a Week 5 ACL tear, Hill avoided the Bengals‘ camp injured list despite not participating during Cincy’s offseason program, SI.com’s Jay Morrison notes. While Hill will be eased into work slowly, new DC Al Golden said the former first-round pick — a converted safety — has the flexibility to play outside or in the slot. Hill saw just 23 slot snaps last season before going down, playing mostly on the boundary. Despite Hill not contributing much just yet, the team picked up the young DB’s fifth-year option in May.
- On the versatility topic, Jahdae Barron could land at multiple positions in Denver. While the first-round pick has been viewed as most likely to replace Ja’Quan McMillian in the slot this year, the Denver Post’s Luca Evans notes he opened Broncos camp as the starting outside corner opposite Patrick Surtain. This would threaten Riley Moss‘ job security, but the Broncos have been cross-training their top draftee. Barron played across the secondary at Texas, including at safety, giving Denver a chess piece of sorts, but primarily manned the perimeter during his standout 2024. Moss impressed before a late-season MCL injury last year, but Barron could carve out some time at the CB2 spot rather than merely being a slot-focused cog.
- Bo Melton‘s wide receiver-to-corner switch is sticking. With the Packers loaded at wide receiver following first- and third-round investments, Matt LaFleur said (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) Melton will indeed play mostly corner during training camp. A wideout during his first three seasons, Melton began working at corner during the Pack’s offseason program. While not a roster lock at corner, Melton will switch and avoid a logjam that includes the team’s four top incumbent WRs (Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Christian Watson) along with Matthew Golden and Savion Williams.
- Trevon Diggs saw a $500K salary reduction for not working enough at the Cowboys‘ facility this offseason, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. Diggs needed to attend 84% of Dallas’ offseason workouts to ensure the $500K. Although the former All-Pro corner said he was surprised the Cowboys are withholding the $500K, he indicated he remains happy in Dallas (Twitter links via Watkins and CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker). Diggs, whose knee rehab leaves him likely to miss early-season time, is due $8.5MM in base salary this season.
Jerry Jones: No Real Consideration Given To Stepping Down As GM
The Commanders’ surprising journey to last season’s NFC championship game left the Cowboys with the longest-running drought in the conference. Dallas has famously failed to reach the conference title round since its Super Bowl XXX victory nearly 30 years ago.
Only the Browns have the Cowboys beat here entering the season; the Texans have never reached an AFC title game, but they have only been in existence since 2002. In a scenario in which the Cowboys held a traditional power structure, there is next to no chance the same GM would be calling the shots from the mid-Troy Aikman period to now. The numerous playoff disappointments, even as a host of first-round gems have ascended to All-Pro status over the past 15 years, would have undoubtedly prompted Jerry Jones to make a change. Fortunately for Jones, he is the GM as well.
Jones will turn 83 in October, and while the iconic owner is in the Hall of Fame for his work in that area, his work in the front office draws annual scrutiny. Micah Parsons is now applying it from the inside, criticizing Jones for yet another delay in a high-profile contract negotiation. The Cowboys would assuredly be better off if a traditional exec were in place as GM under Jones, but the longtime owner remains against such a change.
When asked if he has considered removing himself as GM, Jones responded, “Uh… yes. Momentarily. Small fractions of seconds, I promise you that.” Jones named himself GM upon buying the team in 1989. He promptly fired Tom Landry, while Hall of Fame GM Tex Schramm moved on not long after. Jimmy Johnson then steered one of the great rebuilds in NFL history. Since the Jones-Johnson divorce (1994) centered around credit for that rebuild, a Jones-centric Cowboys operation has lost ground in the NFL hierarchy.
“I don’t apologize at all for the fact that I’ve got the passion to be in the spot I’m in or I have the background or I have the qualifications,” Jones said, via Fox4News.com. “I don’t apologize about that at all to my mirror.”
While Jerry Jones delegates considerable draft responsibilities to VP of player personnel Will McClay, his son Stephen serves as the Cowboys’ executive VP. McClay has led the way in providing the Cowboys with Parsons, Tyler Smith, CeeDee Lamb, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith. He has also turned down GM interest, highlighting his central role in the Cowboys’ front office. Jones gave McClay an extension this offseason.
Even as McClay has remained a constant, Jones has run into rampant criticism regarding roster management and his handling of head coaching situations. Jones kept Jason Garrett in place for nine-plus seasons as HC; of the 10 seasons he finished, Garrett produced three playoff berths. Jones then fired him days into the 2020 offseason, before conducting a narrow search that brought in Mike McCarthy. That sequence repeated this offseason, with the Cowboys waiting several days to separate from the five-year HC. They then promoted Brian Schottenheimer, who had not conducted a head coaching interview anywhere else since PFR’s 2014 launch.
Schottenheimer will be the latest HC to operate in a Jones-centric workspace. The Cowboys have posted 12-win seasons in each of the previous three slates Dak Prescott has finished, but two of those seasons ended with home playoff losses. Although the Bengals also have their owner (Mike Brown) in a GM role, Duke Tobin operates as a de facto GM for the AFC North club. Jones also has tenure on Brown, being the longest-serving active GM. Among non-owners, Mickey Loomis (hired in 2002) is the closest to the two owner/GM figures.
Micah Parsons Avoiding Hold-In, Not Practicing Due To Back Issue
While Micah Parsons is still seeking a new contract, the star pass rusher was in attendance for the start of Cowboys training camp. However, it sounds like the veteran won’t be hitting the practice field anytime soon.
[RELATED: DE Micah Parsons: Cowboys Ownership Has Made Negotiations “More Complicated” Than Necessary]
While speaking with reporters today, Parsons revealed that he’s nursing a back injury and doesn’t intend to practice until his body feels right. While Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News described the situation as a “hold-in,” Parsons said he’s not engaging in that negotiation tactic. The veteran also said he doesn’t plan on holding out (via Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports).
“Just being mindful,” Parsons said of his refusal to practice (via Jane Slater of NFL Network). “Obviously, just want to get the body going the right way and where I want it to. But, obviously, with D-Law gone, like I said, I just feel like it was my turn to lead and it’s hard to do that from the crib. So, I want to be here with the guys, show them that I care; I want to be here, win championships. So, that’s why I’m here.”
Parsons and the Cowboys appeared to be progressing towards a deal earlier this offseason, but there have been no developments on that front over the past few months. In the meantime, a handful of pass rushers have earned lucrative new deals, and Parsons admitted that those contracts have left him discouraged about his own contract situation.
“When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys, I seen T.J. [Watt] gotten taken care of. Maxx [Crosby] got taken care of. Myles [Garrett] got taken care of, [and] he’s got two years left on his deal,” Parsons said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “You see a lot of people around the league taken care of, and you wish you had that same type of energy.”
Parsons provided some more insight into his negotiations with the Cowboys…or lack thereof. The pass rusher said there’s “really not much movement” on the extension front (via Jon Machota of The Athletic), and the player said his agent, David Mulugheta, recently reached out to the organization but hasn’t heard back (via Watkins). Parsons even went as far as to acknowledge a potential divorce, noting that “if this is the end, this is the end…I understand the nature of the business” (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Yesterday, Jerry Jones didn’t convey the same urgency as Parsons, as the Cowboys owner indicated that he’s not in any rush to finalize a new deal. On the flip side, Jones also said the two sides effectively came to an agreement on a new contract earlier this offseason (via Hill), but it’s uncertain when negotiations went off the rails. ESPN’s Adam Schefter seemed to contradict Jones’ comments, noting that the two sides still haven’t engaged in formal contract talks.
While a long-term pact once seemed like a certainty, it sounds like Parsons is at least considering a potential exit out of Dallas. While a number of edge rusher standoffs (particularly between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals) have commanded headlines this offseason, this developing Parsons/Cowboys saga is suddenly center stage.
Cowboys, DE James Houston Agree To Deal
The Cowboys are among the teams making free agent moves just ahead of training camp. Veteran defensive end James Houston has a deal in place, as first reported by Jon Machota of The Athletic. 
Houston was one of three edge rushers who recently conducted a workout with the team, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. His visit obviously went well with an agreement being reached in short order. As the Micah Parsons extension situation drags on, Houston will spend camp looking to earn a roster spot.
The Houston signing is now official, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, fellow defensive end Luiji Vilain has been released. The former UDFA spent time on Dallas’ practice squad last season, and he landed a futures deal after the campaign. Vilain has only made four regular season appearances to date in his career, and he has yet to manage a season like Houston’s 2022 campaign in terms of production.
As a rookie with the Lions, Houston recorded eight sacks. Considering that figure came about with a defensive snap share of just 32%, expectations were high moving forward for the former sixth-rounder. Instead, he made just two appearances the following year and then split his time between the Lions and Browns last season. Houston has managed only one sack since his impressive rookie campaign.
As a result, expectations will be tempered upon arrival in Dallas. The Cowboys lost DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency, but they still have Parsons in the fold (once his extension is finalized) along with the likes of Dante Fowler, Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland. Those three, along with second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku, will enter camp with a stronger grip on a roster spot than Houston. The 26-year-old could nevertheless offer his newest team a depth option along the edge during the summer as he looks to survive roster cuts ahead of Week 1.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/25
Training camps are underway around the league, bringing more and more roster adjustments every day. Here are the latest minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on active/PUP list: WR Dan Chisena, TE Tommy Tremble
- Placed on active/NFI list: P Sam Martin
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on active/PUP list: CB Josh Butler, CB Trevon Diggs, LB DeMarvion Overshown
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Shavon Revel
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Will Sheppard
- Released: K Alex Hale
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Hal Presley
- Placed on active/PUP list: CB Kristian Fulton, OT Jawaan Taylor, TE Tre Watson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Dresser Winn
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on active/PUP: TE Gavin Bartholomew, LB Chaz Chambliss
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Kam Alexander, DT Justin Rogers
- Waived/NFI: CB Zy Alexander
Martin, a 12-year veteran who signed with the Panthers this offseason, is dealing with a minor hamstring injury, per Joe Person of The Athletic.
The Cowboys’ trio of cornerbacks were all expected to be placed on their respective lists given where they are in the rehab process, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The same is true of Overshown, who recently shared a positive update on social media (via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk).
An eye injury will sideline Hale for several weeks, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, forcing the Packers to release him. Hale was not expected to push Brandon McManus for the starting job in Green Bay, but the team will need another kicker for training camp.
The Seahawks swapped undrafted cornerbacks, adding Alexander out of Oregon and waiving Alexander with a non-football injury designation. Rogers, meanwhile, was signed after a successful tryout.
DE Micah Parsons: Cowboys Ownership Has Made Negotiations “More Complicated” Than Necessary
JULY 21: When speaking to the media on Monday, Jones said (via NFL Network’s Jane Slater) he does not share Parsons’ frustrations about the lack of a deal this deep into the offseason. He added he has still yet to speak with Mulugheta, something which is relatively common in negotiations. COO Stephen Jones often makes contact with agents, although he too said no conversations with Mulugheta have taken place yet (h/t All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr.). Suffice it to say, there is little urgency on the team’s part to finalize a pact.
JULY 20: In April, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and star edge rusher Micah Parsons seemingly put the framework of an extension in place. After that report surfaced, however, there has been no indication that talks have gained any traction.
The Jones-Parsons summit did not include Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, and Jones’ public comments minimizing the importance of Mulugheta in the negotiation process did not sit well with Parsons. The four-time Pro Bowler nonetheless expressed optimism that the two sides would strike an agreement before training camp, which opens Monday.
In light of Parsons’ recent comments on the matter, such a development appears unlikely. In an appearance on the Six Feet Under podcast (video link via ESPN’s Field Yates), Parsons suggested the needle has not moved, and he laid the blame for that squarely at the Cowboys’ feet.
“We obviously wanted to get done early. We want that relief off our backs,” Parsons said. “But, obviously, ownership is always gonna make it drag out, make it more complicated than it has to be. Lack of communication and that standpoint, but, you know, I just always say, God has me this far, he ain’t done with me yet, so, you know, I just just keep working, keep going, and then when it comes, I’m gonna be ready. But, you know, ain’t gonna be no drop-off” (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
Indeed, Dallas has been criticized for its delay in resolving contract situations with its best players, delays that have resulted in increased tension and increased price tags as the markets for premium positions (like edge rusher) continue to soar. Parsons himself recently indicated the new deals for players like Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett have driven up his own asking price, and during his Six Feet Under appearance, he seemed surprised Dallas would not want to get ahead of the curve for once.
“We wanted to do the contract last year,” Parsons added. “They were just kind of like, ‘We want to do Dak [Prescott] and CeeDee [Lamb].’ Then you go out there and perform again and, you know, you would think, like, alright, we’ll get it done early. We know there’s some guys that’s about to get ready to get repaid, like Garrett, you know, Crosby is gone. So you’d think like, hey, let’s get ahead of that, you know what I mean?”
Instead, the Steelers and T.J. Watt just pushed the EDGE market even higher by virtue of a massive three-year, $123MM extension that features an exceedingly player-friendly structure. Watt, 31 in October, is nearly five years older than Parsons, who missed time due to injury last season but who nonetheless posted 12 sacks, giving him a total of 52.5 over his first four years in the league. It would be quite surprising if Parsons does not top Watt’s deal, and with a record-setting extension for the soon-to-be 25-year-old Aidan Hutchinson possibly in the offing, it looks like Dallas will again be paying for its willingness to slow play a high-end negotiation.
Assuming no deal is in place by the time camp opens, Parsons is expected to stage a hold-in (though as NFL insider Jordan Schultz confirms, Parsons will report to training camp). As Florio notes, Parsons’ remark regarding a “drop-off” implies the Cowboys may be worried his performance will suffer once he signs a lucrative new deal, though not having him as a full camp participant – particularly with a new defensive coordinator in Matt Eberflus at the controls – is also not ideal.
“It’s extremely important,” Parsons previously said of the significance of a deal being done by the onset of training camp. “You really see a lot of players struggle when guys aren’t participating in camp and they get off to slow starts. I want to hit the ground running.”
Cowboys Agree To Terms With Second-Round DE Donovan Ezeiruaku
Another second-round pick has been signed. The Cowboys have agreed to terms with second-round defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
As second-round picks around the NFL have pushed for guaranteed deals, Ezeiruaku got part of the way there. Per Garafolo, the rookie got 38 percent of the fourth year of his rookie pact guaranteed. Based on recent deals, we can assume a large portion of the first three seasons of the player’s contract were also guaranteed.
Ezeiruaku is coming off a standout career at Boston College, although he took his play to another level in 2024. The pass rusher finished this past year with 80 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 16.5 sacks. That performance earned him a number of accolades, including the Ted Hendricks Award, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top defensive end.
The pass rusher didn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called, as the Cowboys used the 44th-overall pick on the edge rusher. The rookie will be joining a deep DEs grouping that’s already led by Micah Parsons and Dante Fowler, although Ezeiruaku could eventually carve out playing time ahead of Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland.
With the signing, the Cowboys have now inked their entire draft class to rookie contracts:
- Round 1, No. 12: Tyler Booker (G, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 44: Donovan Ezeiruaku (DE, Boston College)
- Round 3, No. 76: Shavon Revel (CB, East Carolina) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 149: Jaydon Blue (RB, Texas) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 152 (from Cardinals): Shemar James (LB, Florida) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 204 (from Lions through Browns and Bills): Ajani Cornelius (G, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 217 (from Titans through Patriots): Jay Toia (DT, UCLA) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 239 (from Packers through Titans): Phil Mafah (RB, Clemson) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 247 (from Chiefs through Panthers): Tommy Akingbesote (DT, Maryland) (signed)