Can the Cowboys Finally Break the Curse? The Answers May Lie with Three Players in Big D
Hold on tight, Cowboys Nation. There’s a storm brewing in Big D, and it’s got names—Miles Sanders, Jake Ferguson, and Mazi Smith—plastered across every headline.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Dallas’ run game was a trainwreck last season. Ezekiel Elliott faded, Tony Pollard couldn’t carry the load, and the Cowboys were left scrambling. But now? There’s buzz. Miles Sanders, once a Philly star and recent Carolina castoff, has been taking first-team reps in OTAs and minicamp. He’s looking fast. Real fast.
But is he tough enough to take hits behind this O-line? That’s the million-dollar question. Sanders has the résumé—but something went sideways in Carolina. If he can bring back that Philly magic, Dallas might finally have its ground game savior. If not, it’s back to the RB carousel.
Meanwhile, Jake Ferguson—our tight end with the elusiveness of a greased pig—has fans and analysts debating his value. He’s been a top-tier tackle-dodger for two straight years, but injuries and Dak’s absence in 2024 dimmed his shine.
Now he’s approaching contract time. Will Dallas lock him up, or let him walk like Dalton Schultz? With Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyler Smith all needing extensions, Ferguson’s price tag must match production. Give him the 2025 season to prove he’s worth $12M/year. If he balls out, pay the man. If not, the Cowboys have options—they always do.
And then there’s Mazi Smith, the high draft pick with the high risk. Once hyped as the future anchor of the defensive front, Mazi’s first year was… meh. Under Zimmer’s system, he’s struggled to stand out. Former Cowboy Greg Ellis even hinted that if Mazi doesn’t shine in 2025, a trade could be on the table.
But let’s be real: defensive tackles take time. Osa Odighizuwa didn’t explode until year two. Mazi just needs patience—and this year is the make-or-break.
With Parsons and Lamb entering their prime, the Cowboys don’t have time to wait. This isn’t about stats or contracts—it’s about decades of heartbreak and the weight of the star on that helmet. It’s about hope.
If Sanders shows he still has that breakaway gear, if Ferguson proves he’s more than a Dak sidekick, and if Mazi becomes the monster he was drafted to be—then Dallas isn’t just competing. They’re contending.
But if they flop? It’s another chapter in a saga of “what ifs.”