It’s relatively easy for Cowboys fans to live in a vacuum when it comes to observing offseason moves. The general perception during the first two weeks of free agency has been that every other team in the NFL has made huge strides to do blockbuster deals and exponentially improve their roster while the Joneses have willfully sat on their hands and watched the world burn.
But the truth is, not every team nailed free agency, and just because a front office is active in signing players that other clubs deemed expendable doesn’t mean they’re getting appreciably better.
USA Today’s Nate Davis recently released his free agency report card, and, perhaps surprisingly, it doesn’t have the Cowboys bringing up the rear. Actually, Davis gave Dallas an “I” for incomplete, using the logic that until the team extends Dak Prescott beyond 2024, they’re “effectively unable to conduct other significant business.”
It’s a generous allowance in that it implies some development on that front is still going to happen, with enough time for additional moves to be made. There’s been nothing but the Joneses’ own stubbornness stopping the Cowboys from getting Prescott’s future sorted, and their choosing to let their quarterback’s massive cap hit draw ever closer- like a North Atlantic iceberg in the night- and prohibit other necessary transactions means they probably deserve a big fat F.
Maybe- with a single phone call and the stroke of a pen- it all still works out and the Cowboys’ offseason improvements can begin in earnest.
But for now, let’s take a look at how the teams the Cowboys will face in 2024 were graded for their free agency efforts.
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The Falcons’ high grade is largely predicated on the big $180 million swing the club took to land quarterback Kirk Cousins. Pairing him with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts gives the Atlanta offense a promising core. But the front office went out and got Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore, too. With new head coach Raheem Morris running the ship, the Falcons might be real contenders in 2024, and the Cowboys’ visit to The A could be a real challenge.
The Buccaneers have taken the opposite approach as Dallas this free agency period by re-signing a majority of their bubble players. From Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans, Lavonte David to Antoine Winfield Jr., Jordan Whitehead to Chase McLaughlin, the defending NFC South champs are returning nearly intact in 2024. They’ve made the playoffs four straight years while undergoing heavy-duty turnover; what happens with a little continuity on their side?
Saquon Barkley is a massive upgrade to a Philadelphia offense that was plenty dangerous in 2023, and DeVante Parker will improve a WR room that already had A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, though the retirement of Jason Kelce will be felt (especially on tush-push plays). Defensively, don’t underestimate the retention of Brandon Graham, Haason Reddick, and Josh Sweat. Fletcher Cox can’t be easily replaced, but newly-signed Bryce Huff and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are strong adds to a roster that will continue to pose a tough test for Dallas.
Dan Campbell’s crew hasn’t made a huge splash in free agency, but their moves have been quietly solid. Few will argue with adding Kevin Zeitler, D.J. Reader, Marcus Davenport, and Carlton Davis to a team that finished 12-5 and made it to the conference championship last year. They retained favorites like Michael Badgley and Dan Skipper while losing the likes of Gardner-Johnson and Jonah Jackson. Call it a wash, as the Lions should remain a top team in the NFC, even if they’re no longer a Cinderella-type surprise.
The Steelers completely overhauled their quarterback room by turning Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph into Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Wide receiver Van Jefferson joins a pass-catching corps that already featured Denzel Mims and George Pickens. Defensively, they added linebacker Patrick Queen and cornerback Donte Jackson. A trip to Pittsburgh is never easy, and the one the Cowboys make in 2024 will be no exception.
The Commanders may need to wear name tags for a while, with all the new faces for 2024. Dan Quinn has brought four former Cowboys players with him to Washington, but he’s also found plenty of quality by sorting through the discards of the 30 other teams in the league. Frankie Luvu, Austin Ekeler, Zach Ertz, Jamison Crowder, Jeremy Chinn, and Bobby Wagner are among the value upgrades made to the Comanders roster in what figures to be a long-term (and possibly dramatic) rebuild.
Derrick Henry is, in fact, coming to AT&T Stadium in 2024, but he’ll be wearing purple. The Ravens made the bold move that many Cowboys fans had hoped for by signing the two-time rushing champ, but Baltimore does need to shore up their O-line for him and Lamar Jackson, now that three starters in that unit have departed. Re-signing defensive tackle Justin Madubuike was a shrewd decision that will keep the Ravens D solid, despite several losses and a few more still likely to come.
The defending NFC champs have seen several big names leave recently (Javon Kinlaw, Chase Young, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Clelin Ferrell, Arik Armstead), but adding the likes of Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos means the 49ers should be just fine moving forward. And that’s just on defense. The San Francisco offense figures to be its usual potent self once again in 2024.
Jerry Jeudy could prove to be a brilliant pickup opposite Amari Cooper in the Cleveland passing attack, and while Joe Flacco made for a heartwarming story last year, Jameis Winston is likely a better backup plan behind Deshaun Watson. The Browns also re-signed Za’Darius Smith, Shelby Harris, and Maurice Hurst Jr. on the defensive line as they look to build on last year’s postseason berth.
The Texans have been busy. Danielle Hunter, Azeez Al-Shaair, Jeff Okudah, Folo Fatukasi, and Denico Autry were all big-money adds, Joe Mixon was acquired in a trade, and ex-Cowboy Dalton Schultz earned a hefty three-year bag. Houston needs to make their free agency strategy pay off, because they won’t get a ton of high-profile help in the draft; they don’t pick until the 42nd spot.
The losses of Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney will hurt, although snagging linebacker Brian Burns in a trade may ease the sting somewhat. Several A-list Giants are still wading in the free agency waters, like Adoree’ Jackson, Shane Lemieux, Justin Pugh, Sean Harlow, Matt Breida, and Sterling Shepard. New York is said to be looking at a Daniel Jones replacement at quarterback with the No. 6 pick. However they spend it, 2024 is likely to be a tough year for Big Blue.
The Bengals made some nice free agency pickups: Trent Brown, Vonn Bell, Mike Gesicki, Geno Stone, Zack Moss, and Sheldon Rankins. But losing Mixon, Jonah Williams, D.J. Reader, and Chidobe Awuzie diminishes at least a few of those gains. Most concerning for Cincy right now, though, has to be the Tee Higgins situation. They’re a better team with him, but he wants out. How it unfolds could be thing that decides the Bengals’ final offseason grade.
The Saints’ signing of Chase Young is the only major move the Saints have made in free agency this year, though they’ve also signed two-time Super Bowl champion linebacker Willie Gay and Cedrick Wilson, the former Cowboys multi-tool. After a 9-8 record and almost claiming a playoff berth last season, New Orleans may be heading in the wrong direction in 2024. They do have nine picks in the upcoming draft, but seven of them are Day 3 selections.
The Panthers are trying to build something around Bryce Young, signing a pair of guards (Damien Lewis, Robert Hunt) to protect their second-year passer. They went out and got him a wideout weapon, too, in Diontae Johnson and added depth with David Moore; the shift sure seems to be toward the offense under new head coach Dave Canales. Defensively, they let Burns and Luvu get away but signed Josey Jewell, A’Shawn Robinson, Jordan Fuller, K’Lavon Chaisson, and D.J. Wannum as they try to piece together something new on that side of the ball.