Inside The Star
The END SESSION button for the 2024 NFL season was smashed by the Philadelphia Eagles when the clock hit all zeroes in their dominant Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Dominant is just one word we can use to describe the absolute dismantling of 3x Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the hapless Chiefs, who had no answer for the Eagles’ unrelenting front four.
The worst part about this picture is that the Eagles are in the same division as the Cowboys. For years, the Cowboys have been good enough to hold the upper hand in the NFC East, but have struggled with other NFC opponents.
Now, the top dog in the NFC is the team that will dominate the NFC East and the entire conference unless the Cowboys make some big moves in free agency.
Before the Cowboys can turn their eyes onto the third wave of free agency (see what I did there?), they have to make decisions on some of their own players first.
There are over 25 players with expiring contracts, and some of them have been with the team for more than one contract extension. There are some familiar faces that Cowboys fans may have seen the last of with a star on their helmet.
Arrived in Dallas: 2014
The top two players on this list are long-time team captains, Pro Bowlers, All-Pros, and leaders on this team.
First comes DE DeMarcus Lawrence. Tank, as he is affectionately known in the locker room, was a 2nd round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft from Boise State University.
Lawrence has been a staple on the defensive line, making big plays for the defense since his rookie season. My earliest memory of him is the Wildcard game vs Detroit that same rookie season.
He picked up a fumble by Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford that should have sealed the game, but he was stripped of the ball when he tried to pick it up and return it.
A few short plays later, he strip-sacked Stafford himself to seal the victory.
Arrived in Dallas: 2014
RG Zack Martin is another team captain and leader that has been with the team since the same 2014 NFL Draft as Tank Lawrence.
Martin was the Cowboys’ 1st round pick in that draft, taken 16th overall.
This was the famous draft where it is reported that Stephen Jones and Will McClay talked Jerry Jones out of taking QB Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M-College Station.
It turned out to be the right choice, as Martin has racked up seven NFL All-Pro selections, and for a time had more All-Pro selections than accepted penalties against him.
Martin is not the same player he once was, dealing with an array of injuries, but when healthy, he is still a valuable piece of the offensive line.
If he chooses to continue to play and the Cowboys want him back, maybe they can bring him back on a...
