We all know the Dallas Cowboys desperately need help on the defensive side of the ball, but they have a major question to address this offseason offensively, too.
So, how will Dallas thread the needle when it’s roughly $30 million above the salary cap (per Over The Cap)? Well, FOX Sports NFL writer Greg Auman believes that the Cowboys will land four players on his top 100 free agents list, including the No. 1 overall player.
Of course, the Cowboys will need to aggressively hit the open market this offseason after going 7-9-1 in 2025 to miss the playoffs for a second straight season. But they’ve got two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft as well (No. 12 and No. 20), potentially setting the Cowboys up for a big offseason.
Let’s dive deeper into Auman’s free-agent predictions for the Cowboys.
Sign Steelers CB Asante Samuel Jr.
(95th-best free agent, 11th-best cornerback free agent)
Auman’s thoughts: “Samuel, 26, is a tempting reclamation project, limited to 10 games over the last two seasons due to a shoulder injury, but a late-season cameo with the Steelers showed promise. Samuel once had three interceptions in one playoff game against the Jaguars, and his first three years in the league netted six interceptions and consistent play. Could he land with the Cowboys and his old Chargers position coach, Derrick Ansley?”
(62nd-best free agent, 12th-best edge rusher free agent)
Auman’s thoughts: “Clowney, turning 33 next week, is a unicorn of a late-bloomer edge rusher, a former No. 1 overall pick who has played for seven teams in the last eight seasons and somehow has more sacks in his last five years (34.5) than he did in his first seven (32). That includes 8.5 sacks this season for Dallas as an absolute bargain, costing them all of $3.45 million. He might cost a little more this time around, but it’s still smart value for any team looking for reliable veteran depth and surprisingly good production.”
(54th-best free agent, fourth-best linebacker free agent)
Auman’s thoughts: “Bush, 27, found himself this past year in Cleveland, filling up the stat sheet with 125 tackles, three picks (two returned for touchdowns), two sacks and two forced fumbles. Once the 10th overall draft pick with the Steelers, his play there dropped off after a promising rookie year. He made $3.2 million with the Browns and should be a coveted free agent. Pro Football Focus is high on him, ranking him as the No. 8 overall free agent and projecting $12 million a year.”
(Best overall free agent, best wide receiver free agent)
Auman’s thoughts: “Pickens, still just 24, had a breakout year in 2025, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns after the Cowboys acquired him from the Steelers. He’s due to make $30 million a year or more, but Dallas is already paying CeeDee Lamb $34 million a year — perhaps the franchise tag, at about $28 million for 2026, is a short-term solution if they don’t want to invest more in Pickens. It seems like Pickens is a strong candidate to get the franchise tag as well, which could result in him getting traded. He’s averaged at least 15 yards per catch in each of his four NFL seasons. Out of 56 players with 200-plus catches since the start of 2022, he ranks No. 1 in yards per catch at 16.0.”
