Cowboys' Smith: Super Bowl still the expectation

OXNARD, California -- Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl defender Tyler Smith is not shy astir what helium expects successful 2025 arsenic grooming campy begins this week.

"Super Bowl champions," Smith said arsenic the squad arrived astatine the StayBridge Suites successful Oxnard, California pursuing their formation from Dallas. "That's ever the expectations."

The Cowboys person not played successful a Super Bowl since 1995. Nor person they made it to an NFC Championship Game successful the past 30 years, the lone squad successful the league with specified a drought with the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions making it each of the past 2 years. The Cowboys finished 7-10 past twelvemonth and volition person a rookie caput manager successful Brian Schottenheimer replacing Mike McCarthy.

"I deliberation it's a realistic goal, yeah," Smith said.

Why?

"Because we tin triumph a Super Bowl. Why not? Why can't we win?" helium said. "Do you deliberation it's unrealistic?"

Prior to 2024, the Cowboys finished 12-5 3 consecutive seasons but mislaid to the San Francisco 49ers (twice) and Green Bay Packers successful the postseason. The Cowboys traded for wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers to bolster the radical alongside Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb. They added a fig of escaped agents successful linebackers Kenneth Murray Jr. and Jack Sanborn, antiaircraft tackle Solomon Thomas and walk rusher Dante Fowler Jr. They acquired erstwhile first-round prime Kaiir Elam, a corner, from the Buffalo Bills arsenic well.

They volition besides person a steadfast backmost successful Dak Prescott, who missed 9 games past twelvemonth with a hamstring avulsion but cleared for afloat activities successful camp. When Prescott has played astir of a season, the Cowboys person made the playoffs successful 5 of 7 years.

"I deliberation we built a large halfway connected offense, the summation of George and each the different cardinal pieces," Smith said. "I deliberation drafting [guard Tyler] Booker [in the archetypal round], he's going to beryllium a helluva feline conscionable to bolster the beforehand line. And we person galore guys crossed the board, but those are immoderate of the guys who are the cardinal pieces connected what we bash this year."

Perhaps the biggest cardinal volition beryllium walk rusher Micah Parsons, who is entering the last twelvemonth of his rookie declaration and looking for an hold that volition successful each likelihood marque him the highest paid non-quarterback successful the NFL. There has been nary caller dialog betwixt the 2 sides. Parsons tin instrumentality the squad charter to California, but helium does not person to officially study until Monday for the commencement of grooming camp.

He said during June's minicamp that helium would be campy but helium did not bespeak if helium would practice. Owner and wide manager Jerry Jones volition clasp his State of the Cowboys' quality league connected Monday. Parsons' declaration and the team's bid for a Super Bowl quality volition beryllium astatine apical of mind.