Schottenheimer on Cowboys free agents: ‘We’re going to make it tough to let those guys leave’
The Dallas Cowboys are in full force in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, as the entirety of the front office and coaching staff has descended upon the NFL’s annual spring conference that doubles as an opportunity to sit down with agents ahead of free agency in mid-March.
The Cowboys have 27 players who are set to hit free agency, including major contributors such as defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and running back Rico Dowdle.
While Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team plans to be “selectively aggressive” in player acquisition when free agency opens next month, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the priority will be free agents who are in the Cowboys building.
“I think as you look at it, you have to look at your roster first,” Schottenheimer said. “Who can we bring back? Who do we feel like are cornerstones to what we’re trying to get done? There’s talent acquisition, internal or external. There’s also talent development. I think that’s what we’re focused on as a staff.”
The Cowboys met with the representation of Odighizuwa this week, as momentum has trended toward a multi-year extension getting done with the 26-year-old in the coming days, although “there is still work to be done,” according to one source. The team will continue their conversations with the agent of DeMarcus Lawrence, Rico Dowdle and Jourdan Lewis on Friday in hopes of reunions with some of the major contributors from the 2024 season.
“We’re always going to start with our guys,” Schottenheimer said. “We know them, we have history with them. We’ve developed those guys. It all depends on how things go. It’s a competitive business and a competitive time of the year. It’s the exciting part of this time of the year. You really are competing with these other teams that want to come in and acquire your players.
“We’re going to make it very tough to let those guys leave.”
