The hope among Dallas Cowboys fans is that the front office will be more aggressive this offseason trying to add talent after the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl after a truly spectacular 2024 offseason piloted by general manager Howie Roseman.

The Cowboys spent the least money of any NFL team in free agency last year. While injuries completely derailed the season, the lack of spending reared its ugly head early in the schedule before injuries piled up.

Between starting Ezekiel Elliott at running back, banking on a 31-year-old Brandin Cooks and the inconsistent Jalen Tolbert to complement CeeDee Lamb and entrusting Mazi Smith to make a year two leap, the roster leaked oil at myriad positions.

The front office essentially told Dak Prescott to carry the team. While Prescott is a really good quarterback, he is not on the level of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. He needs a strong supporting cast. There is nothing wrong with that.

The approach this offseason has to be one of the aggressive variety. That is seemingly the message Prescott communicated when speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the Children’s Cancer Fund Gala.

Dak Prescott makes clear command to Cowboys’ front office about 2025 offseason

Prescott foresees a big change coming on the offensive side of the ball. It supports the message Brian Schottenheimer has preached since he he was hired as head coach, as well as Schottenheimer’s recent offensive hires.

“We got to get to running the ball, being a little more consistent on that,” Prescott said, via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “From there, looking at the numbers, I’ve always enjoyed play action pass, so just being able to get back to that. But to start with the run game, it will open up the rest of the offense.”

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For starters, the note about an uptick in play-action passes is highly encouraging. However, it sure sounds like Prescott is openly asking the Cowboys to get him a quality running back.

While Rico Dowdle proved last season that he is a capable starter, Dallas needs a more dynamic rusher. A home-run hitter, if you will. It is why so many mock drafts are projecting Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty to the Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick.

The 2025 free agency class pales in comparison to last year’s class that featured Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs, among others.

The top options this year are Najee Harris, who’s been inefficient in his career and has a lot of wear and tear to boot, a 30-year-old Aaron Jones, the oft-injured J.K. Dobbins, and a 29-year-old Nick Chubb, who tore up his knee less than two years ago.

Dowdle might be the safest bet of all of them.

Unless Dallas is able to draft Jeanty, it might behoove them to re-sign Dowdle for $4-6 million per year and draft a running back on day two.

Potential targets include Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, UNC’s Omarion Hampton, Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson and Kansas’ Devin Neal. The list goes on. If Dowdle signs elsewhere, Dallas should give serious thought to double-dipping at RB in the draft.

However the Cowboys revamp their backfield this offseason it better not be a repeat of last year when they signed Ezekiel Elliott after not drafting a running back. If there was ever an offseason to spend valuable resources on the position, it’s this one.