Cowboys Notes: Murray, Prescott, Overshown
Kenneth Murray‘s trade to the Cowboys came as a surprise to the 26-year-old linebacker, but he has no complaints about playing in Dallas.
“I’ve always loved the Cowboys,” said Murray (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “I grew up a Cowboys fan. My whole family are Cowboys fans. So this is definitely a dream for me playing here.”
Murray was born outside of Houston in 1998. Though the Texans would become the NFL’s 32nd team a year later, Murray was still raised supporting America’s Team. He just wasn’t planning to play for them anytime soon.
“It was extremely surprising for me, just because I wasn’t expecting it,” continued Murray. After will compete for a starting job in Dallas as DeMarvion Overshown recovers from last season’s knee injury.
- Overshown underwent extensive surgery in December to repair a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in his right knee. The Cowboys won’t rush him back to the field, but he is planning to play next season. “I’ll be back playing football for sure in 2025,” said Overshown, per Machota. “And it won’t be in December. It will be before that.” The exact timeline for his return remains uncertain given the severity of his injury.
- Dak Prescott doesn’t have a clear timeline, either, but he is on track to return by the beginning of the regular season. “I’ll be ready for the first game and when anything matters and very, very ready,” said Prescott (via Cowboys team writer Patrik Walker). He missed most of the 2024 season with a partial avulsion of his right hamstring that required surgery.
- Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey also underwent minor shoulder surgery this offseason, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. Obviously, shoulder surgery isn’t expected to have a major impact on a kicker, but any procedure brings potential complications with it. The Cowboys know that all too well after Brandin Cooks missed multiple games last season due to a infection resulting from injections in his right knee.
- In non-injury news, the Cowboys are expected to keep Cooper Beebe at center in 2025, per Machota. Beebe primarily played left guard at Kansas State, but started 16 games at center for the Cowboys as a rookie in 2024. Brock Hoffman and Jack Anderson both have experience at the position, but neither profiles as a better starting option than Beebe.
Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott’s Deal
The Cowboys have restructured Dak Prescott‘s contract, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer, creating $36.6MM of cap space on top of the $20MM created by yesterday’s restructure of CeeDee Lamb‘s deal.
The move converts $45.75 of Prescott’s 2025 salary to a signing bonus that is then prorated across the next five years of the contract. His cap number in 2025 dropped to $53MM with increases of $9.15MM in each of the next four seasons. Prescott’s cap hits in 2026, 2027, and 2028 are now above $70MM, giving him leverage to negotiate another extension in the next two years.
Dallas entered the week above the the 2025 salary cap. By avoiding a franchise tag for Osa Odighizuwa and restructuring the contracts of Lamb and Prescott, the team now has $54.3MM in cap space, the eighth-most in the NFL.
That’s not a final number, as the Cowboys could still make a few moves in the next week. They are expected to place a second-round RFA tender on KaVontae Turpin that will cost $5.35MM, and negotiations are underway with Micah Parsons on an extension that could lower his $24MM cap hit.
All told, Dallas should enter free agency with about $50MM in cap space, but recent comments from owner and general manager Jerry Jones should temper expectations of a spending spree.
“I don’t think aggressive is the right word,” said Jones (via WFAA’s Ed Werder). “I’m not looking at free agency as a place to fill voids.” Jones added that the team is planning to prioritize the draft over free agency, though their creation of cap space suggest that they intend to make some signings.
Cowboys QBs Coach Scott Tolzien Not Expected Back In 2025
The Cowboys are sticking with continuity on their coaching staff, as the team promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to the head coaching role. However, it sounds like the team will need to slightly revamp their offensive coaching staff.
[RELATED: Cowboys Hire Brian Schottenheimer As HC]
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Scott Tolzien isn’t expected back in Dallas next season. The former NFL journeyman was attached to an expiring contract, so there doesn’t need to be any formal divorce separation the two sides.
Tolzien could have been a logical candidate to replace Schottenheimer in the offensive coordinator role. After spending three seasons as an assistant, Tolzien spent the past two years coaching the Cowboys quarterbacks. Dak Prescott finished second in MVP during the 2023 campaign, and while the QB’s numbers took a step back before his season-ending injury in 2024, Tolzien still earned a reputation as a “talented QB tutor” (per Rapoport).
Rapoport also notes that Tolzien could “resurface soon.” Plenty of teams are still settling their coaching staffs, and the 37-year-old may have done enough in Dallas to garner a coordinator interview. At the very least, Tolzien shouldn’t have any issues finding another job coaching QBs.
Schottenheimer will now be searching for at least an OC and a QBs coach, but the new Cowboys head coach will look to add to his own offensive responsibilities. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, Schottenheimer is expected to call the offensive plays next season. The former coordinator didn’t have this specific duty under Mike McCarthy, but it sounds like Schottenheimer is only going to increase his offensive oversight moving forward. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be an issue for Prescott; ESPN’s Todd Archer says the QB has a good relationship with Schottenheimer and likes the coach’s “creativity.”
While the Cowboys are anticipating more changes to their coaching staff, there’s hope that some of the current coaches will stick around. This includes tight ends coach Lunda Wells, with Archer noting that the long-time Giants staff member could be a candidate to coach the offensive line.
Cowboys Rumors: Free Agency, Prescott, McCarthy
The Cowboys’ 2024 campaign has not gone quite according to plan as the team sits at 5-8, fighting for their playoff lives. While some of the blame for this can be cast on injuries, the makeup of the roster has to be taken into account, as well. That means it’ll be up to coaching and team management to make the improvements necessary to turn this team into a playoff squad in 2025.
Many members of the Cowboys’ fanbase were up in arms following an offseason that saw little free agent movement. That lack of movement has, no doubt, contributed in some part to some of the team’s struggles this year. Despite this likelihood, chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel Stephen Jones, son of owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones, has claimed that this year could see another conservative offseason in the free agent market for the Cowboys, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The younger Jones told the media that free agent spending will be “really tight.” Starters like guard Zack Martin, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence are all in contract years, as are several other key pieces. There are plenty of areas, namely running back, that could use significant investment, as well.
With no commitment to free agent pursuit from ownership, Cowboys fans are going to need to look to the draft and internal development for answers to the team’s current weaknesses.
Here are a couple other rumors out of Dallas:
- According to Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports, quarterback Dak Prescott made a big stride in his recovery earlier this month, driving his vehicle while still walking with the assistance of a brace and crutches. Per Epstein, “Prescott expects his recovery window to conclude before 2025 offseason activities start.” Even with “no hard timeline” and an effort not to rush back, Prescott is hoping to have zero restrictions when the offseason arrives.
- There have been mixed opinions from pundits on the future of head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas. Many believe he will be fired come season end, while others are under the impression that the senior Jones will retain him. Jones has expressed that he’s open to keeping McCarthy around, but per DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr., Jones has identified a connection with Prescott as a key part of his decision-making. Luckily for McCarthy, Prescott recently endorsed the current head coach, but Jones has made it clear that he wants someone in the job who can get the most out of their franchise quarterback.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/18/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: OT Charlie Heck
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived from IR: LB Deion Jennings
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: QB Dak Prescott (story)
- Signed to active roster: DB Josh Butler
- Promoted: TE Princeton Fant, DB Kemon Hall
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: RB MarShawn Lloyd
Houston Texans
- Promoted: DT Tommy Togiai
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: CB Alex Austin
- Waived: CB Marco Wilson
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: K Anders Carlson
- Waived: DL Bruce Hector
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: TE Tyler Mabry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: CB Troy Hill
- Waived: S Kaevon Merriweather
MarShawn Lloyd‘s path back to the Packers active roster has taken an unusual turn. The rookie third-round pick landed on IR in September with an ankle injury. He returned to practice last week but suffered appendicitis only a few days later, putting his activation within the 21-day window in doubt.
Worried that Lloyd wouldn’t be ready to play by his early-December activation deadline, the Packers consulted with the NFL about the best route forward (per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That ultimately led to today’s transaction, which is only the start of several transactional machinations. As Tom Silverstein of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Lloyd will temporarily join the active roster before landing on the non-football injury list. That means he won’t count against the team’s roster limit until he’s healthy enough to return to the field.
Lloyd doesn’t have a return timetable from this recent setback. While the rookie entered the year as the hopeful RB2 behind Josh Jacobs, there’s a good chance he’ll also behind Emanuel Wilson for the stretch run of the season.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Out For Season
NOVEMBER 14: Prescott’s surgery was a success, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. The lengthy rehab process will now begin as the Cowboys consider their other quarterback options to close out the campaign.
NOVEMBER 12: The Dak Prescott surgery scenario will commence. Although rumors about a potential late-season return emerged, Prescott’s hamstring injury will ultimately shut him down.
A round of medical opinions will lead Prescott to the operating table, with Jerry Jones confirming during a 105.3 The Fan appearance (h/t The Athletic’s Jon Machota) his quarterback will undergo surgery in New York. The operation will take place Wednesday.
Considering the Cowboys’ trajectory and the nature of Prescott’s injury, it is not too surprising this is how his season will end. The Cowboys will stick with Cooper Rush in the immediate aftermath of a blowout loss to the Eagles, though veteran Cowboys reporter Newy Scruggs adds the team is bringing in Will Grier to join its practice squad. The Eagles released Grier from their P-squad last week.
Prescott, 31, is believed to have suffered a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon. Reminding somewhat of the injury that cost Tyron Smith most of his 2022 season, Prescott’s malady prompted visits with multiple doctors — including one in New York. That meeting will provide the impetus for the ninth-year QB to wrap his season. This will go down as a wildly successful Prescott year on the contract front but a poor one in terms of performance.
Signing a four-year, $240MM extension — one that raised the QB market by a staggering $5MM in terms of AAV — Prescott ranked 25th in QBR when he went down during the Cowboys’ Week 9 game against the Falcons. A scramble produced the hamstring malady, and Prescott winced as he attempted a subsequent pass. The Cowboys certainly needed Prescott to salvage what looks like a lost season. With Rush at the controls in front of Trey Lance, Dallas is likely barreling toward a regime chance due to Mike McCarthy‘s lame-duck status.
The 2020s have brought extreme vacillations for Prescott, who has nevertheless signed two player-friendly extensions during the decade. A fractured ankle — an injury that has affected the QB in the years since — shut down Dallas’ starter in 2020, while he then powered the team to a No. 1 offensive ranking during a 12-5 2021 season. While the Cowboys repeated their 12-5 record in 2022, Prescott led the NFL in INTs (15) upon returning from an early-season thumb injury. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year bounced back last year, earning second-team All-Pro status, before another regression defined his 2024 showing.
When Prescott went down in 2020, the Cowboys sank to 6-10. This preceded a 7-9 Washington team winning the NFC East. The Cowboys and Eagles yo-yoed in the division over the next three seasons, but McCarthy is almost certainly on his way out after this one. Dallas now sits 3-6 and will play 10 games without its starting QB this season. Jones endured steady criticism for his roster construction this year, as his Prescott and CeeDee Lamb extensions came as the owner operated passively at other positions. McCarthy’s successor will likely have a top-10 pick to use in April as a result.
Grier spent nearly two years with the Cowboys, arriving as a waiver claim in 2021 and staying on until not being retained on the 2023 roster coming out of camp. The former third-round pick rejoined Kellen Moore with the Chargers to close last season, following Bengals and Patriots stints, and caught on with the ex-Dallas OC in Philly this offseason. Grier will round out Dallas’ QB room, which remains fronted by Rush, who has been Prescott’s backup for most of the former fourth-round find’s career.
It would stand to reason Lance would receive extended time moving forward, given the Cowboys’ situation, but McCarthy confirmed Rush will see at least one more start. Lance’s rookie contract expires at season’s end, while Rush’s two-year, $4MM deal wraps after this campaign as well.
Thanks to the mammoth re-up he inked in September, Prescott is tied to to the Cowboys through the 2028 slate. The latest Prescott deal featuring no-tag and no-trade clauses, the contract will need to be adjusted in 2025, as it carries an untenable $89.9MM cap number.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Seeking Final Opinion On Surgery
NOVEMBER 10: Prescott confirmed that he will be in New York on Monday to seek a final opinion on his partial right hamstring avulsion, per WFAA’s Ed Werder.
If the specialist determines that surgery is necessary, then it will take place in New York this week with a three-to-four month recovery period. If Prescott avoids surgery, he will still need six-to-eight weeks to heal before he can return to the field, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.
NOVEMBER 9: After the Cowboys baffled the media by not placing quarterback Dak Prescott on injured reserve today, reports have followed detailing the reasoning for the delay. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Prescott is still seeking multiple opinions as he attempts to avoid surgery. 
After it was reported that Prescott had suffered a partial hamstring tendon avulsion, it became clear that the 31-year-old would miss an extended period of time. Further investigation of the injury determined that it may be necessary for Prescott to undergo season-ending surgery. Yesterday it was announced by team officials that Prescott was headed for injured reserve, but at this point, no such transaction has been made.
Schefter reported today that the plan is for Prescott to undergo the season-ending surgery. The only reason he hasn’t already is because he plans to seek “the opinion of one final specialist.” Prescott flies to New York next week to meet with the specialist. If the specialist agrees with every other opinion so far, the quarterback will undergo surgery on Wednesday.
Multiple sources set the recovery timeline for the surgery at six to eight weeks. Cowboys staff are already convinced that he’ll require surgery, so it wouldn’t make a difference whether they place him on IR today or later this week. If, by some miracle, the specialist comes away with a different opinion, the Cowboys keep open the potential option for Prescott to return sooner.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Headed To IR, Aiming To Avoid Surgery
NOVEMBER 9, 1:36PM: In an interesting decision, the Cowboys have elected not to place Prescott on injured reserve today. According to Ian Rapoport, they have only submitted their standard gameday practice squad elevations today, deciding not to make a transaction for their injured quarterback.
While this does leave open the possibility that Prescott may not need to miss four weeks, allowing him to return earlier, it could hinder a comeback, as well. If Prescott is, indeed, still headed for IR, and the Cowboys wait until after tomorrow’s game to make the move, it will delay his return one week more than it would be if they made the move today.
NOVEMBER 8, 4:00PM: Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said that the team is planning to put Prescott on injured reserve on an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Prescott will be sidelined for at least the Cowboys’ next four games, though Jones indicated that the team is not sure how long his absence will last.
“Right now, I don’t think anyone knows whether it will be four weeks, six weeks or the season. We’ll just have to continue to monitor that and see where it takes us,” said Jones on Friday.
NOVERMBER 8, 12:38PM: The hamstring injury which left Dak Prescott sidelined for the end of the Cowboys’ Week 9 contest will lead to missed time. It remains to be seen if season-ending surgery will be required, but the quarterback’s preference would be to avoid it. 
“He doesn’t want surgery,” owner Jerry Jones said of Prescott during a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic). “He wants to be on the field and go for it. We’ll just see how it goes here.”
Nevertheless, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports the Cowboys plan to move Prescott to injured reserve today or tomorrow. That move will ensure at least a four-game absence and leave the team shorthanded on offense while attempting to return to playoff contention. Sitting at 3-5 on the year, Dallas’ postseason prospects were already in question, but shutting Prescott down for a notable stretch would hurt them even more.
Updates from earlier in the week pointed to an IR move, so it would come as no surprise if Dallas ultimately takes that route. Provided the team does so, Cooper Rush will be in position to handle QB1 duties with Trey Lance being elevated to the status of backup. The latter is not under consideration to serve as the Cowboys’ starter at this point, something which is signficant since both signal-callers are pending free agents. Rush has made six starts and 30 appearances in his career, all with the Cowboys.
The 30-year-old’s most recent run atop the depth chart came in 2022, when he logged five starts in place of an injured Prescott. Rush went 4-1 in those contests, although he managed only 116.8 passing yards per game during that span while throwing five touchdowns and three interceptions. Improved efficiency through the air will be critical over the coming weeks for Rush and the offense given Dallas’ lack of success on the ground this season.
Considering Prescott’s $60MM-per-year extension signed this offseason, a cautious approach on the team’s part would be sensible. That is especially true given Dallas’ record and steep path to the playoffs as things stand. As Jones noted, however, more time will likely need to elapse before a final decision is made with respect to surgery. As Rush prepares to take over for the foreseeable future, Prescott’s health status remains uncertain.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Likely Heading To IR, Could Require Season-Ending Surgery
NOVEMBER 6, 9:00pm: The Cowboys are evaluating Prescott’s injury to determine if the quarterback will require season-ending surgery, per Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.
If Prescott’s tendon can heal on its own, he will have a chance at returning this year. If surgery is necessary, Prescott won’t play against this season, likely ending any playoff hopes for the 3-5 Cowboys.
5:15pm: Prescott may be looking at a longer absence than four weeks. The initial diagnosis revealed a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon — an injury in which the hamstring tendon is partially torn off the bone — NFL.com’s Jane Slater reports. Prescott is seeking additional opinions, but the Cowboys want a definitive timeline before acting here.
This sounds somewhat similar to the injury that knocked Tyron Smith out of most of the 2022 season. The then-Cowboys left tackle went down with an avulsion fracture, tearing a hamstring tendon during a late-August practice. He did not return until December that year, obviously opening the door to a reality in which Prescott does not return this season. But the Cowboys will wait on more information.
NOVEMBER 5: The hamstring injury which forced Dak Prescott to exit Dallas’ Week 9 loss threatens to sideline him for a notable stretch. Owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday (via Jon Machota of The Athletic) the team’s franchise quarterback is likely headed to injured reserve. 
Testing which took place yesterday revealed the injury is worse than the Cowboys originally thought. As a result, a multi-game absence was already expected, but that would be ensured by a stint on IR. Such a move would leave Prescott unavailable for at least the team’s next four contests, a stretch which includes games against each of the other three teams in the NFC East.
Given their current state of affairs, the Cowboys – losers of three straight – would have faced a difficult path back to postseason contention even with Prescott available. With him out of the fold for any notable period, attention would no doubt quickly turn to the offseason with a playoff berth becoming increasingly out of reach. Of course, Prescott’s absence would create opportunities for Cooper Rush (and potentially Trey Lance) to see time under center.
2020 marked the first and only time (for now, at least) that Prescott found himself on IR. He managed to miss only five contests since then prior to Sunday’s hamstring injury, one which represents an unwanted development on a number of fronts. Sitting at 3-5 on the year, Dallas already faced a steep climb to a wild-card spot, and reaching the postseason will be more difficult without last year’s MVP runner up in the lineup. Prescott secured an historic extension on the eve of the regular season, landing a four-year pact averaging $60MM per year – a $5MM bump from the previous top of the QB market.
Given the massive financial investment made in Prescott, his health over the long and short term will remain a central priority for the Cowboys. In his absence, Rush, 30, will look to add further to his 30 career appearances (including six starts) ahead of a trip to free agency. Lance is also on track to reach the open market this spring, and he could rebuild his value to a degree by seeing game action in Prescott’s absence.
Wideout CeeDee Lamb‘s AC joint sprain is not seen as serious, and he may be able to suit up in Week 10 against the Eagles. The same could also be true of edge rusher Micah Parsons, whose return would mark a notable boost on defense. In spite of that, the Cowboys’ chances of turning their season around are on track to take a hit with a Prescott IR stint.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks; Door Open For Trey Lance?
The Cowboys’ slide has called into question their offseason decisions, with Jerry Jones‘ inactivity at the center of many discussions. The longtime owner did ultimately pay his two contract-year standouts, however, but the deals for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have preceded a 3-5 record.
This situation may well worsen soon, as Prescott’s hamstring injury is expected to sideline him. Tests have revealed the issue to be worse than initially suspected, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, who report a multiweek absence is on tap for the ninth-year quarterback. Although Prescott will seek a second opinion, Rapoport adds, at least a short-term absence should be anticipated.
Jones had said he was worried about Prescott’s availability for Dallas’ Week 10 matchup against Philadelphia, and the reigning MVP runner-up went through an MRI today. Prescott damaged his hamstring on a scramble against the Falcons, per AllDLLS.com’s Clarence Hill, but visibly aggravated it during a subsequent pass attempt. It is not yet known if IR is in play, though committing to Prescott missing four games would be a risk due to Dallas’ early-season struggles.
The injury moved two-stint Dak backup Cooper Rush into action, as the former UDFA replaced Prescott as he did in 2022 during the starter’s time away due to a finger injury. Rush is the Cowboys’ backup, but EVP Stephen Jones opened the door to some Trey Lance work (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris) as well. Lance joins Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones as 2021 first-round QB draftees in contract years as reserves. Wilson and Lance, the Nos. 2 and 3 picks that year, entered the season as third-stringers.
After it looked like Prescott would go into a contract year, the Cowboys finalized a deal hours before their Week 1 kickoff in Cleveland. Prescott’s extraordinary leverage led to a $60MM-per-year extension that included the no-tag and no-trade clauses his second deal — which also came with the QB in a unique leverage position — ended up including. This came after the Cowboys made Lamb the NFL’s second-highest-paid wide receiver. While injuries elsewhere have hurt this Cowboys edition, the Joneses have received scrutiny for not doing more to add talent elsewhere. These expenses also came months before true Micah Parsons extension negotiations are expected to begin.
Prescott, 31, has bounced back from absences before. He finalized his first Dallas extension — four years, $160MM — after a season-ending ankle injury. Dak returned and did not miss a start due to injury for the 2021 Cowboys, though he admitted this offseason his ankle injury has continued to affect him and require regular maintenance. Following the finger issue, Prescott returned that October and has not missed a start since. That streak is expected to stop at 36 games, introducing more obstacles for a struggling Cowboys squad.
Last year’s second-team All-Pro passer, Prescott sits 25th in QBR this season. The Cowboys brought down his historic cap hit this year but are tied to the former fourth-round find through at least 2027 now. Prescott is due a $47.75MM base salary in 2025, and the Cowboys will need to adjust his cap number — pushing more money into future years — due to it currently residing at $89.89MM. Even the Browns’ Deshaun Watson contract/calamity does not enter that neighborhood in terms of cap hits. The Cowboys will hope Prescott bounces back, but he received tremendous security in September.
Lance receiving work would represent the most interesting component here, as he has gone from 2022 49ers Week 1 starter to afterthought. Sam Darnold beat out Lance to back up Brock Purdy in 2023, leading to the Cowboys giving up a fourth-round pick for the former North Dakota State star. Lance’s career quickly drifted off track, and the ankle fracture he sustained in 2022 moved him to a crossroads.
No real updates have changed that status, despite a rumor indicating Lance could leapfrog Rush for the QB2 gig. That did not end up happening. The Cowboys could certainly consider going with a higher-upside play rather than Rush, though the latter has seen extensive work in Mike McCarthy‘s offense and offers more stability. At 3-5 and in a lame-duck year, McCarthy will obviously lean toward stability over development. Though, it would be interesting if ownership overruled him — given the HC’s contract status — on a potential play to see what Lance can contribute.