Cowboys approach free agency with plenty of noise — but stability in mind

David Helman

Dallas Cowboys Insider

I’m tempting fate by even thinking this, but things feel awfully predictable in this ramp up toward another Cowboys free agency.

One way or another, this team will find a way to change that. The Cowboys have thoroughly earned their reputation for the absurd, and the offseason is long. Rumblings have already begun that perhaps this could be a more exciting start to the league year than usual.

Still, adding a flashy free agent or swinging a trade for a big-name veteran would be fun problems to have. When I say this year feels uneventful, it’s more about the drama surrounding the team’s current roster, or the lack thereof.

Typically, at this time of year, we’re arguing about some last-minute contract negotiation or fretting about the Cowboys losing big-time production to the open market. At this time last March, Amari Cooper was on the cusp of being traded away, not to mention the tension surrounding DeMarcus Lawrence’s new contract and Randy Gregory’s eventual departure from Dallas.

There’s a lot less housekeeping to do right now. Sure, we’re still waiting on an update to Ezekiel Elliott’s contract situation, but last year’s leading rusher — Tony Pollard — has been retained with the franchise tag. The front office has already publicly voiced its desire to keep Tyron Smith in place, so another juicy storyline feels settled. The rest of the Cowboys’ salary cap concerns can be fixed with a few clicks of a button.

Of course, a team’s finances are never just about one year. The Cowboys would be wise to work on extensions for Trevon Diggs and perhaps CeeDee Lamb, and it’s never too soon to start earmarking funds for Micah Parsons‘ eventual second deal. Perhaps they’re even laying the groundwork for an early Dak Prescott extension, as chief operating officer Stephen Jones alluded to just last week.

But those are all issues that don’t need immediate resolutions, important as they may be.

Even the Cowboys’ free agent list lacks some sizzle. With Pollard taking up the franchise tag, Dalton Schultz is a week away from a free-agency payday. But that writing has been on the wall for quite some time, and the emergence of both Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot last season should lessen the sting. Anthony Brown has been a better player than most will give him credit for, but it’s a harsh reality that he is nearly 30 and coming off a torn Achilles. Even if the Cowboys want to re-sign him, those two factors will likely go a long way in limiting his market.

On and on it goes. Connor McGovern’s deal is up, but there are in-house options to replace him in Matt Farniok, or perhaps even Tyler Smith — not to mention the upcoming draft. Dante Fowler Jr. may price his way out of town, but Dorance Armstrong and Sam Williams are on hand to help with that. The same goes for Noah Brown, with the obvious caveat that the Cowboys could do with some upgrades to their receiver corps. Cooper Rush is about to hit free agency, but team executives are talking openly about drafting a quarterback. Brett Maher is, too, but the Cowboys didn’t even settle on him as their kicker until last August. Considering his advanced age, it’s hard to imagine Dallas facing stiff competition for Jason Peters‘ services.

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If we’re looking for true intrigue among this crop of free agents, it basically boils down to Donovan Wilson and Leighton Vander Esch.

Wilson had perfect timing on his best season to date, as he led the team in tackles and chipped in an impressive five sacks during the final year of his rookie deal. And while the Cowboys do still have Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker under contract, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has an obvious penchant for using three safeties. Is that enough for the Cowboys to open the checkbook and keep him in the mix, or is this an area where they try to replace that production on a budget?

The same can be said for Vander Esch, who enjoyed his best season since being named an All-Pro as a rookie, all the way back in 2018. The Cowboys re-signed him for a paltry $2 million last year, a low price that came about largely due to injury concerns. Will that be the case again in 2023? It’s more of a pressing question here than at safety. Whereas the Cowboys do have Kearse and Hooker to offset that loss, this team has very little proven depth at linebacker. At this point, we can agree that Parsons is a linebacker in name only, as he does the lion’s share of his work rushing the passer. Damone Clark showed flashes of potential during his injury-shortened rookie season, but he has just five starts to his name. Heading into his third season, Jabril Cox has just eight career tackles and has yet to make an NFL start.

These still feel like good problems to have. In a league that sees 30% roster turnover every year, the core of a roster that went 12-5 is sticking around for another season.

That’s a fun jumping-off point, though it comes with the reminder of how short they’ve fallen in these last two playoff trips. Simply maintaining this roster won’t be good enough, the Cowboys must now improve it.

I’ll wait on that until I see it. This team has preferred free agency to be a bit boring in recent years, and combine whispers aren’t enough to change that perception. But even if that’s the case, it’s easier to add talent if you’re not also focused on losing it. That’s the favorable position the Cowboys seem to find themselves in this year.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.

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