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Jalen Hurts ruled out for remainder of 2026

A terrifying situation has developed in Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts, the franchise quarterback for the Eagles, developed what was initially diagnosed as a superficial blood clot in his leg that led to him being ruled out indefinitely by the team.

He has since undergone additional imaging that not only resulted in the Eagles moving Hurts to injured reserve, but that also revealed, per his agent, the initial clot has become DVT (deep vein thrombosis) a life-threatening issue with additional clots discovered in his lungs.

Per reports, Hurts will not return to the field in 2026, as he continues to be monitored and evaluated.

For the Cowboys, it means preparing to face Tanner McKee and/or Joe Milton, the latter poached last week from Dallas' practice squad. McKee threw for 276 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Panthers, and Milton has been itching to prove himself for Dallas, with a potential opportunity to do it against them.

Micah Parsons will not play Sunday vs. Cowboys

Former Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons, who Dallas traded to the Green Bay Packers before the 2025 season, will not play on Sunday when the Cowboys travel to Lambeau Field for Week 6, as Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he "getting closer" to returning, but is not there yet.

Parsons suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in December 2025, and has been on the physically unable to perform list since. He has yet to return to practice since suffering the injury, and is still awaiting medical clearance from the Packers medical staff before returning to the practice field, according to LaFleur. Green Bay will also be down LB Edgerrin Cooper and DT Javon Hargrave due to season-ending Achilles injuries.

Cowboys fans are well aware of the kind of impact Parsons can have on a game for a defense, as he spent four seasons with the Cowboys and was a Pro Bowler each season. He's the only player in NFL history to record 12 or more sacks in each of his first five NFL seasons. Just over a year after the blockbuster trade that sent Parsons to Green Bay and got the Cowboys two first-round picks and DT Kenny Clark, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan the team didn't underestimate what kind of impact he could have.

"We did not underestimate [Parsons'] ability," Jones said. "It was reinforced when Green Bay gave us all the picks that we got. We're on plan with how we're using those picks. We want to have that show up in success with wins on the field. But nothing about that has surprised me at all. And we wish Micah the best."

How do Packersrespond after Cooper, Hargrave injuries?

When the Cowboys travel to Green Bay for Sunday night football, the Packers defense will be down two of their star players in LB Edgerrin Cooper and DT Javon Hargrave, both of whom suffered season-ending injuries.

The Packers lost Cooper for the season in the third quarter of their Week 4 win over the Buccaneers to a torn Achilles. On Sunday in their win over the Bears, Hargrave also suffered a torn Achilles late in the game and will be out for the rest of the season. Cooper and Hargrave had been two of Green Bay's biggest defensive contributors early on this season.

"It was unfortunate," Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters of Hargrave's injury on Monday. It took a lot of wind out of my sails last night. When you have a devastating injury like that, to anybody, let alone to a guy that has come in here and done things the right way, been a real asset to our football team."

Injuries have been a difficult obstacle for both the Packers and Cowboys heading into their Week 6 matchup. Of course, there's also former Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons, who remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list for Green Bay.

What does Eagles O-line look like now with Jurgens trade and Johnson retirement

A lot, and that's saying the very least. With Lane Johnson's unexpected decision to retire this week, and the Eagles decision to trade Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens less than 24 hours later, the offensive line in front of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley is effectively in shambles.

The only notable and proven player on the five-man unit is Jordan Mailata, leaving four vulnerable areas of attack for Christian Parker's defensive front that is headlined by Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark.

It will be paramount that the Cowboys take advantage of this weakness when the time comes, knowing they must first take care of business against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on short week and then the Green Bay Packers thereafter.

But, suddenly, the back-to-back NFC East champion Eagles look like anything but a contender, kicking the door wide open for the Cowboys to potentially take back the division.

What are the ripple effects of Lane Johnson's retirement and key injuries to upcoming opponents like Baker Mayfield?

The decision by Lane Johnson to retire from Philadelphia, and with 13 regular season games left to play, is a potential extinction-level event for the Eagles.

Already without Jason Kelce, who retired previously, the loss of two future Hall of Famer offensive linemen means the Eagles will have the hardest time they've had in more than a decade keeping the quarterback upright.They're also 2-2 heading to London for an international game against the red-hot Jaguars, and their claim to the NFC East crown is in major jeopardy.

That works out well for Dallas if, and only if, they can string together wins. They'll need to mount up on a short week after narrowly defeating the Texans to host and hopefully take down the Buccaneers, who are without Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. for several weeks, and may also be without Josiah Trotter.

The Cowboys then travel to meet the Packers who will be without Edgerrin Cooper, and recent reports claim Micah Parsons may not be ready to return from his torn ACL until November, at the earliest. These are massive losses for the Cowboys' next three opponents.

What does the addition of Joey Porter Jr. mean for Dallas?

Weeks ago, owner and general manager Jerry Jones made it clear the Cowboys were open for business and willing to "trade a top pick" to land an impact player more willing to sacrifice the future for right now than he's been in decades. That lead to the addition of Joey Porter Jr. one year after the blockbuster trades that acquired Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams.

And only months after adding Caleb Williams to the mix as the team's rookie 11th-overall pick. With Porter in the mix, the addition of Downs and surging rookie third-round pick Jaishawn Barham adds to Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark in establishing an instant identity for Christian Parker's defense.

That identity will be physicality and a take-no-prisoners attitude. Porter arrives in time to potentially help the Cowboys stave off a 1-3 start to the season and to compete for the NFC East crown in a division that s wide open at the moment.

By not adding a player to the deal for Porter, Parker keeps his current defense intact as key players work to return from injury and that means that once all are healthy, with the addition of Porter, the reshaping of the defense in Dallas is one that holds major, major weight in the league going forward.

What defenses will the Cowboys face without Tyler Smith?

The excitement for the arrival of the regular season opener against the New York Giants suffered a blow on Monday. That's when the Dallas Cowboys announced perennial All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith would miss 4-6 weeks with a thumb injury that requires surgery to repair, and that means the tests become bigger over the first four games.

Up first comes the aforementioned Giants, whose defensive line is stacked with talent and an ability to get after the opposing passer. TJ Bass will be moved to starter at left guard for the duration of Smith's absence, and Bass has proven himself capable of stepping in and saving the day for the Cowboys on occasion, hence the reason he was tendered and re-signed this offseason.

Beyond Week 1, the Cowboys' offensive line will face the Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans in Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4, respectively.

Each of those teams provide a huge challenge with their defensive fronts, particularly the Texans, coached by DeMeco Ryans and led by Will Anderson, rounding out the first quarter of the 2026 season that will require Bass to, once again, help be a savior on the offensive line with Smith not able to return until some point in October, at the earliest.

How NFL's removal of Pro Bowl Games will affect the Cowboys?

The NFL has officially discontinued the Pro Bowl Games, ending the event that had long been positioned between Championship Weekend and the Super Bowl. The league will still announce Pro Bowl selections, but there will no longer be any form of competition.

In recent years, after eliminating the traditional football game, the event had shifted to lighthearted AFC-NFC contests such as dodgeball, obstacle courses and a flag football game.

George Pickens was the MVP of last year's flag game, representing the Cowboys. But with the Pro Bowl Games now gone entirely, one major change will be the removal of replacement players. In the past, any injured player who couldn't participate was replaced by an alternate, and all players from the Super Bowl teams were automatically swapped out.

Last season, the Cowboys had five initial Pro Bowl selections, with three more added as replacements. Under the new rules, KaVontae Turpin, Jake Ferguson and CeeDee Lamb would not have appeared on the Pro Bowl roster. Moving forward, the NFL plans to honor 88 players - 44 from each the AFC and NFC.

Von Miller to sign with hometown Cowboys, what next?

A product of DeSoto and a Texas A&M legend, two-time Super Bowl-winner and future first ballot Hall of Famer Von Miller has agreed to terms with his hometown Cowboys for the 2026 season.

It's another big free agency splash for Dallas this offseason, and it helps set them up for defensive success in the first year of the Christian Parker's era, adding to other pieces like rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs.

Miller is expected to officially sign his contract imminently, though his date for full practice participation is to-be-determined as he ramps up for the regular season. One of the most decorated players in NFL history, the seven-time All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl MVP adds instant firepower to the defense alongside the trade to acquire Rashan Gary.

With Miller onboard, the Cowboys must now decide who to part ways with to make room for him on their already full roster, and that move will also arrive any minute now.

Quinnen Williams first contract domino to fall in training camp

One year after things to shambles in the Micah Parsons contract negotiations, the Cowboys have awarded a massive contract extension to Quinnen Williams acquired thanks to the haul received for trading Parsons to the Packers.

The All-Pro defensive tackle, arguably the best in league at the position, has agreed to terms on three-year, $105 million extension that follows being added to the team's leadership council in his first offseason in Dallas.

The question now becomes ... who is next? Kenny Clark, the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle acquired directly in the Parsons trade is the next worthy candidate seeing as Pro Bowl receiver George Pickens is locked into the franchise tag until next free agency.

Time will tell who is next to cash out, but no one can argue that Williams deserves every penny.

Will Micah Parsons play against the Cowboys in Week 6?

Former Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons, who was traded to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks and Kenny Clark before Week 1 of the 2025 season, said on Tuesday that a return from a torn ACL last season is "very realistic" in Week 6 when Dallas travels to Lambeau Field to face the Packers.

There is still work to do in the recovery process for Parsons, who will head into his second game against his former team in the 2026 season if healthy.

In their first meeting in Week 4 of the 2025 season, Parsons posted three tackles, three quarterback hits and a sack a month after being traded. Speaking to reporters in Green Bay on Tuesday, Parsons said opposing teams should be worried about how he returns, not if he'll return.

"People are worried about the knee; they should be worried about how I'm going to play when I get back," Parsons said. "The anger, the frustration, the things that I'm going to have to let out because of how long it's been since I played."

As wide receiver market grows, so does George Pickens' value

On Tuesday, Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers agreed to terms on a four-year, $140 million extension to remain in Baltimore, according to multiple reports including NFL Media. Flowers now becomes tied with Justin Jefferson as the fourth-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL in average annual value at $35 million per season.

The last three big wide receiver deals have been at $35 million a year for Flowers, $33 million a year for Saints wide receiver Chris Olave and $35.25 million for Falcons wide receiver Drake London.

With the market at the position continuing to rise, Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens' price is likely on the rise too, especially if he can put together a similar season to his 2025 campaign.

For now, Pickens is playing on his $27.3 million franchise tag for the 2026 season. He'll become a free agent following this year, and if he plays at a Pro Bowl level like he did in his first year with Dallas, will likely seek to be paid among the highest-paid players at his position. The Cowboys do have the option to franchise tag him again at 120% of his current tag, which would be approximately $32.8 million.- Tommy Yarrish

What Jadeveon Clowney's decisions means for the Cowboys defense

On Sunday, multiple reports including from NFL Media announced that former Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is will sign with the Houston Texans, the same team that drafted Clowney with the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of South Carolina.

Clowney, who is heading into his 13th NFL season, led the Cowboys in sacks in 2025 with 8.5 across 13 games, six of which he started. While the Cowboys initially expressed potential interest in bringing Clowney back in 2026, after the hiring of Christian Parker as defensive coordinator it didn't seem like Clowney's skillset was an ideal fit in the scheme that Parker is planning to run in Dallas.

Now, Clowney stays in the state and goes back to his first team, where he'll team up with one of the better pass rushing units in the league that features Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Clowney will face the Cowboys in Week 4 of the 2026 season.

When training camp started, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones expressed interest in the potential of adding a player on defense, through either the trade market or free agency, if the right opportunity comes across the table. If a veteran pass rusher is what Dallas is looking for, one of them is now off the table in Clowney. There still are others available, like Dallas native Von Miller, who have yet to sign with a team ahead of the season. Other veterans at different positions, like linebacker Bobby Wagner, are also in the same boat. Could the Cowboys acquire one of those players or another veteran that's available? It seems to be a possibility.

What does Chris Olave's extension mean for George Pickens?

Any time a player signs a big contract for another team, it's natural to wonder how it might relate to the Cowboys, especially a wide receiver, considering George Pickens is eyeing a new deal at the end of the season and it won't be long before CeeDee Lamb goes back to the negotiating table, too.

So the Saints just signed Chris Olave to a four-year extension worth $132 million. But the real number that people want to know is the average salary per year and where it ranks among the other receivers. Olave's deal is paying him just under $33 million per season, making him sixth in the NFL, right behind CeeDee Lamb at $34 million.

You wonder how that might affect Pickens, but then again, considering he's on the franchise tag and won't be allowed to get a new contract until the season is over at the earliest, it might not matter at all because Pickens, and every other receiver, will go through this upcoming season and it's likely the landscape of the WR market will certainly change.

But just comparing Pickens and Olave is interesting enough. The stats are similar, with both of them having an edge in certain categories. Olave (55) has played 10 less games than Pickens' 65, but still has 24 more catches. And while Pickens has a slight edge in touchdowns at 21-19, he has proven to be more of the big-play threat, with nearly 500 more yards and a 16.0 average per catch, compared to 12.8 for Olave. Either way, another contract into the mix is just another way to analyze what will be an interesting situation all season and shortly after. - (Nick Eatman)

Could Jalen Carter's deal speed up a Quinnen Williams extension?

On Tuesday, Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension worth up to $160 million and with $106 million guaranteed. He now becomes the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, and will average $38 million per year.

Cowboys Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is under contract through 2027, but with the defensive tackle market rising, a getting a deal done at training camp to get ahead of other deals in the future may be a good option.

Being in Oxnard has proven to be friendly grounds for contract talks in years past, and Cowboys COO/co-owner Stephen Jones said Tuesday that Dallas is "absolutely" willing to start talks on a long-term deal with Williams.

"We're very open to that," Jones said. "We want Quinnen here for the long haul. Obviously, we've got a lot of resources tied up in him. He knows what we think about him, we've had some discussions with the agent about how to go about the process. Certainly he's one of the best in the business, and we know kind of what that market is. Obviously, it evolves and changes with each new deal which is the case at any position. Certainly he's at the top of the list in terms of the people that we want to keep around here long term, and there's other players on the roster that we may take a look at as well." - (Tommy Yarrish)

NFL releases important dates for 2026-27 season

The NFL's annual important dates announcement for the 2026-27 season released on Tuesday, with several events to mark down on your calendars ahead of time.

As far as in-season important dates go, the one that gets the most attention is the NFL's trade deadline, which will fall on November 10, 2026 and trading officially closes at 3:00 p.m., which will fall six days later than the 2025 trade deadline.

At the deadline last year, the Cowboys made two trades for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson.

When it comes to offseason dates, the window for teams to place the franchise tag on players begins on February 17, 2027. The deadline for the tag to be placed will be on March 3, the third day of the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana that runs from March 1-8. Right after the conclusion of the combine, the NFL's legal tampering period will begin at 11:00 a.m. on March 9. The official beginning of free agency and the 2027 league year is on March 11. - Tommy Yarrish

How Jeffery Simmons' contract extension can affect Quinnen Williams

The Tennessee Titans made defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history, with the 29-year-old signing a three-year, $105.8 million deal with $100 million guaranteed and $35.3 million in AAV, well above the previous high from Chiefs DT Chris Jones at $31.8 million per year.

Who could be next among star defensive tackles to earn a big pay day?

Cowboys DT Quinnen Willaims' name certainly comes to mind. He and Simmons are both 29, and Williams is only under contract for the next two seasons with Dallas.

As it stands, Williams is currently the ninth-highest paid DT in the league in AAV at $24 million per year. The Cowboys being willing to trade a first-round pick for him in next year's draft shows how important they feel he is to the defense, which means a contract extension to back that up could be in the future to make Williams either the highest paid, or close to the highest paid, player at his position. - Tommy Yarrish

What Drake London's new deal could mean for George Pickens

Falcons WR Drake London is now the NFL's third-highest paid wide receiver in AAV, signing a four-year, $141 million extension with $100 million guaranteed and $35.26 million per year.

London, who is 25, is the same age as Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens, and both are heading into their fifth seasons in the NFL. Pickens too was seeking a long-term contract, but the Cowboys told him and his representation that would not happen this offseason, and he instead signed his $27.3 million franchise tag that keep shim under contract for the 2026 season.

Pickens' one-year deal on the tag makes him the 17th highest-paid wide receiver in the league in AAV. Should Pickens go out and post a year similar to his 2025 campaign where he had more than 1,400 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, a deal similar to London's may be in the ballpark of what Pickens could seek. For reference, CeeDee Lamb is the league's fifth-highest paid WR at $34 million annually.

If Pickens surpasses him and is closer to London's $35 million per year mark, he and Lamb would become the highest-paid WR duo in NFL history, surpassing the Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who currently combine for $69 million per year. Tommy Yarrish

Examining Eagles' WR room after trading AJ Brown to Patriots

Eagles WR AJ Brown isnow reunited with Mike Vrabel for the New England Patriotsgoing forward, taking him out of the Cowboys' crosshairs entirely during the 2026 regular season after Philadelphia traded him for 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick.

One of the best receivers in the league, Brown was again set to square off against Dallas at least twice this year, once in Week 7 and again on Thanksgiving Day the holiday game likely playing a massive role in ultimately determining this year's NFC East champion.

A three-time All-Pro, Brown was a perennial 1,000-yard receiver for Jalen Hurts, leaving Philly to figure out how they'll replace the production of someone who amassed 5,034 total receiving yards and 32 touchdowns while averaging nearly 15 yards per reception since arriving via trade with the Tennessee Titans in 2022.

The Eagles are banking largely on rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon combining with DeVonta Smith to answer that question, as they look to test the new-look and newly-led defense in Dallas that is headlined by All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs. Patrik Walker

Cowboys now set to face Myles Garrett in 2026 after blockbuster trade to Rams

A seven-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, Myles Garrett was initially not scheduled to take on the Cowboys in 2026, but he is now, when head coach Brian Schottenheimer and All-Pro quarterback Dak Prescott lead their offense into SoFi Stadium on Dec. 20 (Week 15) against the Rams.

The Brownstraded the reigning defensive player of the year to Los Angelesin exchange for Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.

It won't mark the first time Garrett has squared off against the Cowboys, but the quality of the team he's on has changed stratospherically, especially if speculation regarding a potential unretirement of future first ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald becomes real. But even if not, the Rams, already contenders yet again, just got far more difficult to wrangle.

And Dallas will actually get its first look at Garrett in a Rams uniform far ahead of Week 15 seeing as the Rams and Cowboys have previously held joint practices in training camp, as recently as 2025. Though nothing is confirmed or official on that front as of yet, there remains a possibility Schottenheimer and Rams head coach Sean McVay opt to run it back in SoCal in 2026. Patrik Walker

NFL teams no longerableto protect home games from international play

At the league's owners' meetings in May, the NFL approved bumping up the maximum number of international games to be played in a year from eight to 10 beginning in 2027. The Cowboys are set to play their first international game since 2014 in Week 3 against the Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, and may be playing in more over the new few years because of another rule change.

The NFL also voted in favor of taking away teams' ability to protect home games that may have become international play. Teams were allowed to protect up to two games from being moved outside of the US.

In years past, the Cowboys have been a popular team that opposing teams will veto playing overseas against because of the revenue it can bring to their home stadiums.

With that no longer being the case, the Cowboys could very well end up playing in at least one international game every year should the NFL decide they want to bring the team to some of their international sites. Tommy Yarrish