Can the Cowboys be among the most physical NFL teams in 2025?

[KingCorcoran]

As in where we’ll be picking next year?

Has a guard ever been selected with the third overall pick?

 

[morat1959]

Has a guard ever been selected with the third overall pick?

I’m dying!

 

[TheMightyVanHalen]

We will see some dominance.

1/3 of the league we will dominate.

1/3 of the league we will play very physical with.

The remaining 1/3 of the league is the big question. Have we gained enough ground? Time will tell.

Totally agree with all this.

Personally, I think we have. I've been saying "this is our year" for 20+ years now, eventually I'll be right one year. Lol

GO COWBOYS!

 

[gtb1943]

its possible on the offensive line
if booker is what we hope and Guyton steps up. Steele is the weak link I think

Defensively we are expecting a 7th rd pick and Mazi to really step up
not likely

 

[AyeAtey]

The OL could average in the vicinity of 6'4" 325, so there's some chance there.

Tend to agree with #6.

 

[slick325]

It’s no secret. The fundamentals of football never, ever stop being important. The teams who can block and tackle the best, execute their schemes the best and have at least a few skill people who are special - they are always going to win big.

Taking it a step further, in addition to the fundamentals, the NFL’s most physical teams are usually winning the most playoff games.

Who have been the most physically dominant teams the last few seasons?

• In 2024, the most physically dominant team in the league was hands down Philly. The eagles OL/DL just manhandled opponents in the run game and on defense. The “Tush Push” works not because it’s a great play design. It works because their OL is physical.
• In 2022 and ‘23 it was the Niners. SF’s defense, especially their LBs, were just maulers.
• In the AFC the last few years, to the surprise of some, the chiefs are a lot more physical on D than most fans realize. DT Chris Jones needs a double team every play. They have had a top end D for three years now.
• The ravens also are widely known as one of the most physical in the league.

Here’s my point: One of the biggest keys to the Cowboys possible return to playoff glory is being able to bully some opponents. Those 90s teams were physically dominant in the trenches.

So when was the last time we had a really physical team? Here are some recent candidates:

• 2014 team - had a dominant OL with Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin. The run game that year led the league. It was no coincidence it was Romo’s best season. Problem was we had a defense that was not particularly physical.
• 2016 team - Adding the young talent of Zeke coupled with the continued dominance of that same core OL as 2014, the Cowboys took the #1 seed in the NFC. Once again it was the defense that was the soft spot.

We could certainly discuss other Cowboys teams’ physicality but my hope is with the influx of physical players like Tyler Booker and Donovan Ezeiruaku it can only help us get more physical.

Do I think the Cowboys will be able to play some “bully ball” next year? Honestly I think we still need some help on the defensive side of the trenches but I am hopeful we have taken a step forward in getting more physical. Maybe we’re another year away. We will see come September.

Another good piece, Bullet. I'd add the Lions to the list over the last few seasons. They had a ton of injuries on defense and I think it caught up to them in the Washington 2nd round game.

As for the Cowboys, I think the OL has a chance to become a true strength of the team and potentially dominant. The development of Guyton at LT is crucial in that equation. Also, seeing if Steele can be more than serviceable at RT post-injury is important as well. My hope is that Steele is pushed in TC by Cornelius (assuming the Cowboys leave him at Tackle...they have a litany of Guards already). He was physical at Oregon.

Defensively, they are another free agency (if they really use it) and draft away from staffing a dominant defense. They didn't use one of the strengths of this past draft (DT depth) to fortify the interior DL. Mazi's development is critical in the defense being better. Maybe they add a vet or two who get released during camp or after TC.

 

[FVSTONE]

I think they're taking strides haze, the 1st round pick wasn't sexy, but it builds to our physicality we're trying to establish, I like us getting a BIGGER guy at DT! We all wanted it to happen, and it did, hopefully he can do good things for us

My Friend, don't get too excited about the 2025 Cowboys, this team will be lucky to win 5 games.