The Dallas Cowboys have been busy during free agency—that’s not something you often hear. Followers of the team have been surprised and delighted by the apparent break in tradition taking place. For years, the front office has stuck to a strict philosophy: build through the draft; stand pat during free agency. Every March as free agency opens, fans clamor for more activity out of Dallas; analysts lament over savvy moves made by other teams; and the front office sticks to their decade-long philosophy.
As much as you want them to, they won't deviate from their free agency plan in recent years. The last time they made huge splash was 2012 with Brandon Carr. They tried to sign Sammy Watkins a couple years ago. So go in with low expectations and hope to be surprised.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 13, 2023
After a slew of questionable signings in the 2000s, Dallas has maintained a belief that overpaying in free agency does more harm than good in the long run. They will use the first few weeks to retain their own players, then plug holes with whoever is left over. In theory, it provides the team an opportunity to draft without any major needs tilting their board. For their part, the Cowboys have shown to be good-to-excellent at drafting year after year. Still, the idea of balance between drafting and acquisition should be something every front office strives for. The Dallas Cowboys struck that balance during this free agency period.
Dallas Cowboys Make Significant Moves During Free Agency
A combination of quality signings, advantageous trades, and tough decisions have even the staunchest critics uncrossing their arms and applauding instead. Maybe the thrill of change is causing some to prematurely crank the optimism all the way up. March through August is a time ripe for offseason fantasies. Either way, the Dallas Cowboys have objectively been making the right kind of moves during free agency.
Keeping Their Own
One thing that isn’t new is the Dallas Cowboys using free agency to retain their own players. As reported earlier in the offseason, the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Tony Pollard. This guarantees his presence in the backfield for another year after an explosive 2022 season. It was a season that was also unfortunately cut short due to an injury during the playoffs. While Pollard is expected to be ready for training camp with no limitations, there still needs to be more around him. In response, the Dallas Cowboys have made significant moves around the running back position during free agency, which will be addressed later in this article.
Other early signings included key defensive players Donovan Wilson and Leighton Vander Esch. Wilson, part of a three-safety grouping and favorite of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, will return on a three-year $24M deal. The Dallas defense will benefit from Wilson’s flexibility in and out of the box. Similarly, Vander Esch played a big role last season in his return to early form. In retaining his services on a two-year $11M contract, the Dallas Cowboys have shown they want to keep their defense as intact as possible.
The Cowboys also resigned defensive end Dante Fowler and longtime backup quarterback Cooper Rush. These moves, while significant, are the low-cost/high-upside moves the Dallas Cowboys are known for in free agency. The trades that happened over last week are where most of the surprise and elation is coming from within Cowboys Nation.
Adding Stars to the Star
Seemingly out of nowhere in the early stages of free agency, the Dallas Cowboys traded a compensatory fifth round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for star cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Knowing that another receiver was a big need, the Cowboys then traded another 2023 fifth-round and 2024 sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. These two moves have huge implications for next season and somehow only involved day three draft capital.
Stephon Gilmore
The five-time Pro Bowler joins the Dallas Cowboys during free agency off a resurgent year in Indianapolis. A few injury-plagued seasons with the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers led Gilmore to the Colts in 2022. Entering his 12th season, Gilmore has proven he still has plenty left in the tank as he joins a defense primed for another stellar season.
From Free Agency Frenzy: #Colts CB Stephon Gilmore lands with the #Cowboys in a blockbuster trade. pic.twitter.com/sKr7ylW2g4
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2023
The addition of Stephon Gilmore undoubtedly has defensive coordinator Dan Quinn thrilled at the possibilities. The Dallas secondary is already teeming with stars and ascending young players. Trevon Diggs continues to grow into one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Jourdan Lewis has been solid in the slot for years. DaRon Bland snagged five interceptions and seven pass defenses in just eight games started as a rookie. Second year safety Israel Mukuamu also saw some slot corner work late in the season and performed admirably. Gilmore’s addition solidifies the CB2 spot with quality depth behind him.
Brandin Cooks
At age 29, Cooks will be on his fifth team as he joins the Dallas Cowboys. The explosive receiver has quizzically had a hard time finding a long-term home to this point. Even shuffling through teams and varying levels of quarterback play, Cooks has posted six 1,000 yard seasons to date. The Dallas Cowboys flirted with trading for Cooks last season, and it now comes to fruition during free agency. Cooks’ addition to a receiving corps already boasting CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup greatly increases the potency of the Dallas passing game. Lamb is already WR1, so Cooks can use his speed and veteran knowledge while not being a defense’s focus. It’s a huge move that also takes pressure the off taking a receiver early in the draft.
Other Signings
Through the second “wave” of free agency, the Dallas Cowboys addressed other needs of concern with quality players. On Tuesday, the Cowboys signed running back Ronald Jones to a deal, adding a two-time Super Bowl champion who is only 25. The signing will add further depth to the backfield, which was sorely needed. They also inked offensive guard and former New York Jet, Chuma Edoga to a one-year deal. With last year’s starter, Connor McGovern, leaving for Buffalo, the line needed some shoring up headed into the draft. Edoga isn’t a superstar, but he provides nice insurance heading into the draft. All of these quality additions came with some tough, yet uncharacteristic, decisions out of the front office.
Amazing how much smarter those bargain bin signings look when they’re expected to complement two legitimate additions, rather than do all the heavy lifting themselves.
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) March 22, 2023
The End of Ezekiel Elliott Era
Another surprise during free agency was the release of Ezekiel Elliott, longtime stalwart of the Dallas Cowboys offense. Since being taken fourth overall in the 2016 draft, Zeke has a been a centerpiece of the offense. A two-time rushing champion, Elliott developed into a consummate professional on and off the field. He played ridiculously tough and was often the wheels that kept the Cowboys offense moving early in his career.
It didn’t take long for Zeke to make his mark. His rookie season was the best of his Cowboys career.
He rushed for a league-high 1,631 yards, the third-most ever by a rookie, adding 15 TDs. A first-team All-Pro selection in his first year, the ‘Boys had their RB of the future. pic.twitter.com/reOnikOj9f
— NFL (@NFL) March 17, 2023
Unfortunately, injuries and wear caused his massive contract to outweigh his performance on the field. Jerry Jones is often criticized for his soft nature surrounding the players he loves. His constant insistence that the offense ran through Zeke, even up to last season, was mercilessly criticized. It is part of what makes this move surprising, but the Dallas Cowboys have been surprising many with their moves since Coach McCarthy joined.
With the tag of Pollard, the release of Elliott, and signing of Jones, the Dallas Cowboys are using free agency to remake their backfield. Many mock drafts have shown Dallas taking star Texas RB Bijan Robinson in the first round. There’s no guarantee he lasts to pick 26, though. Plus, taking a running back so early is widely considered bad draft strategy. A backfield of Pollard, Jones, Rico Dowdle, and Malik Davis works fine on paper. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cowboys go a different direction in the first round.
What’s Next?
This free agency period should have the Dallas Cowboys and their fans feeling great heading into the draft next month. There are still some questions surrounding defensive tackle, but resigning Johnathan Hankins is not completely off the table. Bringing back his talent at nose tackle would add a lot of confidence in that area. There are also still rumblings surrounding a possible Odell Beckham signing before next season begins. After contract restructures, the team has $16M in cap room with $10.9M more coming after Elliott’s post-June cut. The Dallas Cowboys don’t appear to be done spending in free agency yet.
Picking in the back end of the draft requires flexibility and an open mind from coaches and staff. “Letting the board come to you,” as the saying goes, is a key strategy in making quality picks. After a surprising and productive free agency period, the Dallas Cowboys should be able to draft confidently at pick 26.
