The 2025 NFL season is so shut we are able to nearly really feel it.
The lengthy offseason mercifully involves a detailed on Thursday when the Dallas Cowboys and the reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles kick issues off at Lincoln Monetary Subject.
To prepare, listed here are 10 gamers who will outline the Thursday night time opener.
Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley
The 2024 Related Press Offensive Participant of the 12 months might be simply as instrumental to the Eagles’ offense this season as final, when he rushed for two,005 yards within the common season and added 499 extra within the group’s run to a Tremendous Bowl LIX win.
He has a good matchup in Week 1.
Barkley gained 233 dashing yards towards the Cowboys a season in the past. In 12 career games versus Dallas, he has 165 carries, 814 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and three dashing touchdowns. NFL Pro tasks Barkley to hurry for 114.9 yards on Thursday, suggesting it is probably he continues to run straight via the Cowboys’ protection.
Cowboys proper guard Tyler Booker
After 11 seasons, seven-time first-team All-Professional and future Corridor of Famer Zack Martin retired this offseason, making a vacuum at proper guard, with the Cowboys hoping they stuffed it with Booker. The No. 12 general choose of the 2025 NFL Draft, Booker, who performed faculty soccer at Alabama, was Sports Info Solutions‘ top-ranked guard on this 12 months’s class and No. 14 general prospect.
Per SIS information, Alabama gained 4.6 yards per rush when operating behind Booker in 2024, together with a median of two.4 yards earlier than contact per try. His inside matchup towards a stout Eagles entrance might be paramount to the Cowboys discovering stability of their offensive assault.
First-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke extremely of his rookie this week, telling the Cowboys team website, “Guide is prepared for the problem, and it will be a enjoyable one to look at.”
Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell
One other rookie first-round choose, Campbell, who additionally attended Alabama, fell into the Eagles’ lap at No. 31 general. The 2024 first-team All-SEC linebacker ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at this 12 months’s NFL Scouting Mix, tied for the third-fastest amongst linebackers on the 2025 occasion.
Forward of Thursday’s opener, 2024 first-team All-Professional linebacker Zack Baun mentioned enjoying alongside the speedy, rangy rookie and mentioned, “We’re about to cowl a whole lot of floor… That is for certain.”
“Now we have sufficient vary and velocity to make each play,” Baun added, setting a excessive bar for Campbell to cross.
Eagles defensive deal with Jalen Carter
Carter may give Booker a number of “Welcome to the league” moments. Final season, the 2023 first-rounder generated 53 pressures (h/t Pro Football Focus) and was credited with 27 stops, or tackles that represent a failure for the offense. According to NFL Pro data, Carter tied for eleventh in fast quarterback pressures (underneath three seconds).
Cowboys defensive deal with Kenny Clark
Clark was traded to the Cowboys final Thursday as a part of final week’s gorgeous Micah Parsons deal. The three-time Professional Bowl nostril deal with will get an early alternative to make a distinction in Dallas towards the dominant Eagles dashing assault.
Per NFL Pro, Barkley averaged 5 yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns on carries between the tackles final season, whereas the Cowboys allowed 5.1 yards per carry between the tackles.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts
Hurts has gained three of his previous 4 begins towards the Cowboys, together with 34-6 final November in Dallas. (He missed a Week 17 recreation with a concussion.) The Tremendous Bowl LIX-winning quarterback has by no means misplaced in Week 1, going an ideal 4-0. Hurts is 87-of-134 (64.9 %) for 955 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions, and the Eagles have averaged 32.3 factors per recreation.
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell
The person matchups between Mitchell and Cowboys receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens might be definitely worth the value of admission alone. As a rookie final 12 months, Mitchell allowed one reception for 5 yards to Lamb, a 2023 first-team All-Professional. (h/t PFF)
As NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro famous, the Cowboys could transfer Lamb to the slot to keep away from a matchup with Mitchell on the perimeter, which might drive the 2024 Related Press Defensive Rookie of the 12 months runner-up onto Pickens in his Cowboys debut.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott
After buying and selling Parsons, the Cowboys won’t have a lot of a protection, making Prescott’s well being in his return from a season-ending hamstring damage essential for Dallas to have a puncher’s likelihood in 2025.
Prescott has only lost twice in his previous 10 video games towards the Eagles, averaging 293.3 go yards per recreation whereas finishing 69.9 % of his makes an attempt with 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Cowboys vast receiver George Pickens
Having worn out his welcome with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickens will get a second likelihood with the Cowboys. Contemplating Dallas will probably path many of the recreation (it is tied for Week 1’s largest underdog at -8.5), the fourth-year wideout ought to get a number of targets as he goals to make a splash in his Cowboys debut.
Cowboys defensive finish Sam Williams
Subsequent man up. With Parsons now not on the roster, it is Williams’ time to shine at edge-rusher. The 2022 second-rounder missed all of final season with a torn ACL he suffered in July 2024. Williams completed fifth in Defensive Rookie of the 12 months voting in 2022, and he has 8.5 profession sacks and 15 tackles for loss.
“I simply wish to be nice, man,” Williams just lately told the Cowboys team website.
After final week’s stunning commerce, he’ll have the chance to succeed in his objective.
