Target Free Agents for the Dallas Cowboys

The list of current Dallas Cowboys free agents is notable and goes well beyond Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and Byron Jones. The team has already made it known that they will not bring back Bryon Jones but there are several other players that will need to be replaced as well. The Cowboys will look to address some of those departures in the draft but they will also have to be a bit more active in free agency this year than they have been in past years. There are a lot of holes to fill on this roster, particularly at the Defensive Tackle, Safety, and Cornerback positions. Here is a list of Dallas Cowboys free agents to target when the NFL free agency period begins.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

This is a position that has long been ignored by the Dallas Cowboys front office. Their desire to find the penetrating three technique has cost them opportunities to draft or sign quality players in the middle and is partially to blame for the teams struggles against the run at times. Rod Marinelli is gone and presumably the Cowboys reluctance to spend free agent capital on a One Technique defensive tackle or Nose Tackle is no more. Enter Damon Harrison who was recently released by the Detroit Lions. ” Snacks” Harrison is 31 years old and coming off of a down season plagued with injuries but he still has potential to regain his crown as the best run stopper in all of football. Harrison would come at somewhat of a discount because of his age, the deep Defensive Tackle free agent class, and because he is not a pass rusher but he would be extremely valuable to a team like the Cowboys who have struggled against the run. Alternatively, a player like Mike Daniels, who played under new head coach Mike McCarthy in Green Bay is another option. Daniels is another player on a downward trajectory, who might come at a discount, but who would still be an upgrade. Bringing in the new head coach’s former players is an excellent way to help promote the new culture in the locker room.

CORNERBACK

The Dallas Cowboys head office made little to no effort to re-sign Byron Jones. That is understandable since he will demand the largest contract for a Defensive Back in NFL history and they have yet to work out contracts for Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper. It would be confusing then, if they are indeed interested in signing free agent CB Chris Harris who is currently making $12 million annually and is likely not looking for a pay decrease. It is possible that the Cowboys perceive that Byron Jones value is limited due to his lack of interceptions over his career (2 in 5 seasons). The team would conceivably save at least a few million dollars per year with the older Harris as opposed to the younger Jones, and Harris would be more likely to sign a short term deal than Jones would. Perhaps the Cowboys are attempting to replace Jones as their number one Cornerback but without having to invest in a long term deal while they draft his replacement. Again, it truly seems odd that Harris would be on the Cowboys radar given the Bryon Jones situation but their have been rumors that the Dallas is interested in the coveted free agent corner.

TIGHT END

Jason Witten is likely gone for good this time around and was not the same player in 2019 as he was even in 2017. The Dallas Cowboys still have Blake Jarwin and Dalton Shultz on their roster but they need additional depth if not an upgrade. Tyler Eifert is a name that Cowboys fans have often mentioned due to his high draft status and previous success with the Bengals. Injuries have plagued Eifert and have derailed his once promising career. YEt, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have a long history of taking a flyer on a reclamation projects. Eddie George, Chris Warren, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe, Terry Glenn, Adam Jones (Pacman), Zach Thomas, Rolondo McClain, Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris, Greg Hardy, Robert Quinn, just to name a few. Obviously there have been mixed results but typically these type of players do not cost much and they are often looking for one year prove it deals. Jimmy Graham is another player that fits that mold. Graham is nowhere near what he was during his prime years but he can still make plays. I imagine that the new coaching regime is not going to be so hung up on the blocking aspect if a guy has a unique skill set such as Graham does. A third option is former Packer Richard Rodgers who is also a free agent that could provide depth for the Cowboys while getting a chance to play with his former head coach. Rodgers has experience playing special teams and Mike McCarthy is placing a premium on players that have additional value on special teams.

SAFETY

There are a ton of available safeties in free agency. That has been the case the past two seasons and many have remained unsigned deep into free agency. The Dallas Cowboys are unlikely to sign the more expensive free agent safety such as Mike McCarthy’s former player Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. This is the position where the Cowboys can get a really solid player at optimal value. Former Charger Adrian Philips would be a great signing for the Dallas Cowboys. It would be a bit of a gamble since he is coming off a major injury but Philips was named to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and was also a first team All-Pro on special teams which we know Mike McCarthy values. Reshad Jones, the long time Miami Dolphin was recently released after an injury plagued 2019 season. Jones is a former Pro Bowler with a knack for creating turnovers and at 32 years old coming off an injury could be a cheaper option for the Cowboys to bring in. Vonn Bell is an alternative option who is much younger. The former Saints strong safety is a talented player but because he is more of a box safety that does not create many turnovers he may not demand as much money as the other top safeties have in free agency. Bell would be a nice compliment to Xavier Woods and would be an upgrade at a position of weakness that is perilously thin right now.

In addition to the above mentioned positions of need, the Dallas Cowboys may have to sign free agents at Linebacker, Defensive End, Offensive Line, and even Wide Receiver depending on how many of their own free agents they can retain. Ideally they can retain Randall Cobb and Robert Quinn in addition to Dak and Coop, sprinkle in some key signings at Defensive Tackle and Safety and then maybe some valuable special teams contributors at Linebacker and Cornerback. If the Cowboys can accomplish all of this, they will be able to set themselves up nicely for the NFL draft and give themselves an opportunity to really make an impact in Mike McCarthy’s inaugural season.

*Photo by Joe Glorioso All-Pro Reels https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

**Photo by Kieth Allison K & A Sports Photos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

***Photo by Jeffrey Beall https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

****Photo by Kieth Allison K & A Sports Photos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

*****Photo by Joe Glorioso All-Pro Reels https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/