These Cowboys role players will need to shine bright in 2025

It is starting to look like the Dallas Cowboys might be done spending in free agency, and although they added a handful of depth players, they are going to need to hit on the NFL draft in April.

Not only will they need a few of the players they draft starting in 2025, with all the other departures they suffered this offseason, a few role players are going to have an increase in playing time this year.

Dallas might end up making one or two more moves before the draft, I just wish they would get the Micah Parsons deal done first and then most everything in house would be taken care of.

With that said, these are players who I think will need to be on their A game in 2025. As a role player you don’t have much room for error.

#Cowboys S Israel Mukuamu will return on a one year deal to the Dallas Cowboys terms are undisclosed. @davidcanter @nessmugrabi @aurasportsgroup

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 13, 2025

Israel Mukuamu

With some of the losses in the secondary including Jourdan Lewis and Trevon Diggs still recovering from his injury late last year, guys like Israel Mukuamu may have a bigger role.

Mukuamu and the organization came to a one-year deal last week.

Mukuamu, 25, was a Cowboys’ sixth round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He’s spent all four of his NFL seasons in Dallas.

Though Mukuamu was always listed as a safety by the Cowboys, the versatile defensive back made his way to the NFL as mostly a cornerback at South Carolina before being shoehorned into the safety room for depth reasons.

He’s developed into a solid depth piece, which was evident in 2022 when Lewis missed 11 games and Mukuamu was asked to take over as the nickel back. So it is not like he can’t step in, and honestly may be a guy who has a breakout year.

Over the course of his four seasons, Mukuamu has appeared in 50 games with three starts. He has 42 tackles, four pass defenses, three interceptions, and one fumble recovery.

Jonathan Mingo

I mean if he is on the roster, and Dallas drafts a WR, Mingo is going to need to show up in 2025, it is that simple.

This offense is weak outside of CeeDee Lamb with Brandin Cooks heading to free agency.

A second-round pick in 2023, Mingo has more fumbles (two) than touchdown catches (zero). Though he is still young and has an intriguing athletic profile – and Dallas needs another receiver – he is a complete dart-throw.

Dallas didn’t expect Mingo to come in and immediately push for playing time on the depth chart behind CeeDee Lamb, even in the absence of Brandin Cooks. Even then, after the trade, there was no plan to integrate Mingo into the offense. In the eight games after the trade, Mingo only targeted 16 times and caught five passes for 46 yards.

The Cowboys are not trading for a veteran receiver after already giving up a fourth for Jonathan Mingo.
Make it make sense.
That’s not even considering the contract

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) March 2, 2025

If they get this type of production next season, this offense is going to struggle big time.

They have no go to running back, and outside of CeeDee Lamb who scares you on that offense? They need to draft a wide out and hope they get production out of Jalen Tolbert and Mingo.

These are the two players I think as I look at the depth chart today are going to need to have an increase in production as role players.

Lets see what this front office does over the next few weeks, yes they signed Parris Campbell, but do we really think he is going to stay on the roster outside of training camp, I doubt it.

I would really like them to beef up the offense a bit more. The moves in Dante Fowler and Jack Sanborn are going to help, but man they need more fire power on offense.