The free agent market is open, but will the Dallas Cowboys be buyers or browsers?
The new NFL season official began on Wednesday and the Dallas Cowboys stayed in the starting blocks — or rather at deficit — considering the holes across on the roster due to free agency, trades and expected departures.
The Cowboys have needs across the board as they navigate reloading in free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft next month.
Defensive end, offensive line, safety, linebacker and receiver are the positions the Cowboys need help the most. And finding a pass rusher became even more acute after the fiasco on Tuesday, when defensive end Randy Gregory abruptly switched from re-signing with the Cowboys to taking a similar deal with the Denver Broncos because he objected to some of the language in the contract.
Still, it was important that the Cowboys were able to retain fellow defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence with a three-year, $40 million deal.
But with linebacker Micah Parsons as the only other proven pass rusher and difference-maker in the front seven, additional help is a must.
The Cowboys are doing their homework on available free agents, but the market tightened up Wednesday evening when two-time Super Bowl champion Von Miller opted to leave the Los Angeles Rams for the Buffalo Bills. Despite being a native of DeSoto, growing up a Cowboys fan and idolizing franchise pass rush leader DeMarcus Ware, Miller thought that Buffalo was the better place for him. That’s gotta hurt.
Another option could be Za’Darius Smith, who is coming off back surgery after sustaining an injury in Week 1 while with the Green Bay Packers last season.
And there is a chance the team may make a play for veteran Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner, who was cut by the Seattle Seahawks. He has a relationship with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from his days leading the Seahawks defense in 2013 and 2014.
But money is a factor and the Cowboys have no interest in getting in a bidding war for an aging linebacker.
The Cowboys are still focused on re-signing safety Jayron Kearse, who led the team in tackles last season and was the play caller on defense.
And on offense ...
Heading into the offseason, upgrading the offensive line was considered the team’s biggest offseason priority.
But so far the unit has taken a step back with left guard Connor Williams signing with the Miami Dolphins and right tackle La’el Collins on his way out of the door via a trade or upcoming release.
The Cowboys had no interest in bringing Williams back and have a replacement for Collins in the form of Terence Steele. They will likely target a guard or tackle in the first round of the draft.
The receiver position is also a focus at the top of the draft, though the team could make a play to shore up the position in the second wave of free agency.
The losses of Amari Cooper via a trade with the Cleveland Browns and Cedrick Wilson, who signed with the Miami Dolphins, has the team short on talent from where it was last season with only CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, who’ll be coming off of an ACL tear, as the only viable outside threats returning for quarterback Dak Prescott.
Cowboys free agent tracker
Players re-signed
WR Michael Gallup: 5 years, $62.5 million
TE Dalton Schultz: 1 year, $10,931,000 (franchise tag)
S Malik Hooker: 2 years, $8 million
WR Noah Brown: 1 year, $1,187,500
LS Jake McQuaide: 1 year, $1,272,500
TE Jeremy Sprinkle: 1 year, $1,035,000
Players signed by other teams
DE Randy Gregory: 5 years, $70 million (Denver Broncos)
OG Connor Williams: 2 years, $14 million (Miami Dolphins)
WR Cedrick Wilson: 3 years, $22 million (Miami Dolphins)
Players traded
WR Amari Cooper and 6th-round pick to Cleveland Browns for 5th- and 6th-round picks
