The Dallas Cowboys were officially eliminated from playoff contention this past weekend with the Philadelphia Eagles locking up the NFC East. With the postseason off the menu, it cements 2025 as another lost season, leaving a frustrated fan base ready for meaningful change. The Cowboys wasted a great season from quarterback Dak Prescott, sending owner/general manager Jerry Jones back to the drawing board yet again.
For the Cowboys, the frustrating results clearly spelled the end for several key contributors who need to find a new landing spot. Starting with a defensive leader who didn't live up to expectations and simply wasn't able to find any answers
1. Matt Eberflus, DC
The Dallas Cowboys defense has given up 30.3 points per game (31st) heading into Week 17 this season. Add in the fact that the secondary has been among the league's worst, while the pass rush has managed only 29 sacks (T-24th). Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has looked completely lost and lacked any answers dating back to the first weeks of the season. The veteran coach was given the benefit of the doubt and every chance to show even marginal improvement.
Instead, the defense remained a liability, and Eberflus made it clear the Cowboys simply cannot afford to continue to accept his failure. All the Dallas defense needed to do was be mediocre, and this was a playoff team built around two star receivers and a great season from Prescott.
Eberflus deserves a heavy level of blame and shouldn't be given a second chance. If the Cowboys are serious about turning the corner, it is past time for the two sides to part ways — even if it means starting the 2026 season with a fourth DC in as many years.
2. Jalen Tolbert, WR
The biggest question when it comes to the 2026 receiver room is whether or not George Pickens will be re-signed after a breakout season. What is less of a mystery is the future of Jalen Tolbert, who's struggled to take advantage of his situation. With Pickens and CeeDee Lamb on the field, he's always going to be matched up against the defense's weaker coverage options. Still, Tolbert hasn't capitalized on that spot, offering only 172 yards and a lone touchdown on 14 catches in 11 games.
Not only has Tolbert failed to take advantage of this chance, but he was surpassed in receptions by both Ryan Flourney and KaVontae Turpin. Flourney was especially impactful and made a great case that he is more than capable of being the third receiving option for Dallas, tallying two 100-yard performances this season.
For comparison, Tolbert has yet to achieve that feat.
This leaves Tolbert clearly on his way out and the Cowboys with zero motivation to bring back an underperforming player. It is a frustrating ending to a player who once appeared to have a clear path to becoming a key depth contributor.
3. Dante Fowler Jr., DE
Dallas brought back Dante Fowler Jr. in hopes of breathing life into a pass rush that was down Micah Parsons and now lacked an elite edge rusher. While Fowler wasn't expected to perfectly fill this void, the defender was supposed to be a far more consistent contributor. Instead, he's only picked up three sacks thus far and hasn't been anything close to the hoped-for impact.
According to Pro Football Focus, he also has just 30 pressures across 235 pass rush opportunities. The fact that only 10% of those opportunities resulted in a sack is disappointing, given that the number was at 22% last season.
Every veteran who is a free agent should be allowed to walk, with one notable exception. The way that this defense played demands that the Cowboys start fresh outside of their star players. No one is safe, and that is especially true for Fowler, who likely needs a clean slate next season after his return to Dallas didn't go as planned.
The second time around in the Lone Star State was anything but productive, leaving little reason to run things back. The Cowboys need a big defensive shake-up, starting with veteran free agents like Fowler, who helped define a frustrating 2025.