Cowboys get 4 additional picks as comp window closes; list of available free agents

With the window for comp pick qualification about to close, we examine the haul Dallas will get after losing multiple free agents this offseason. With the draft in the rear-view mirror, the team can now get back to signing free agents without concern for impacting the formula. We name a handful of candidates.

The Dallas Cowboys just finished bringing in a massive haul of expected talent in the 2020 NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t time to look ahead. The 2021 draft will be around  in another trip around the sun, and the club will likely have double-digit picks unless they decide to put a package together to trade for a Lone-Star strong safety currently stuck in the Empire State.

As of 4:00 p.m. eastern time Monday the compensatory window closes on the 2020 free agency class, meaning any player without a team can be signed by a new club without them impacting the haul of comp picks they are in line to get. Based on Cowboys Wire’s ledger of the comings and goings of qualifying players, Dallas is in line for four compensatory picks; one at the end of each round.

2021 Compensatory Pick Ledger
PLAYER LOST CONTRACT APY COMP ROUND PLAYER SIGNED CONTRACT APY
CB Byron Jones 5 yr, $82.5M $16.5M 3rd
DE Robert Quinn 5 years, $70M $14M 4th
WR Randall Cobb 3 yr, $27M $9M 5th
TE Jason Witten 1 year, $4.75M $4.75M 6th DT Gerald McCoy 3 years, $18.3M $6.1M
DT Maliek Collins 1 year, $6M $6M 6th S HaHa Clinton-Dix 1 year, $4M $4M
S Jeff Heath 2 years, $8M $4M 6th
OL Xavier Su’a-Filo 3 yrs, $10M $3.33M 6th K Greg Zeurlein 3 year, $7.5M $2.5M

 Non-Qualifying Free Agent Moves
PLAYER LOST CONTRACT APY REASON PLAYER SIGNED CONTRACT REASON
OL Cam Fleming 1 yr, $4M $4M Option not picked up CB Maurice Canady 1 year, $950K under threshold
DE Kerry Hyder 1 yr, $? $? likely under threshold DT Dontari Poe 2 yr, $9M released by tm
CB Donovan Olumba 2 yr, $1.4M $700k released TE Blake Bell 1 yr. $1.7M under threshold
CB Saivion Smith rlsd/under threshold

That leaves Dallas with 10 picks at the moment, as they traded a fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, packaged with 5.18 to move up to the end of the fourth round so they could select Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz at 4.136.

Here’s a look at Dallas’ prospective slate of picks, using Over The Cap’s projections of all 32 comp pick allocations.

1st Round
2nd Round
3rd Round
3.99 (Byron Jones comp)
4th Round
4.137 (Robert Quinn comp)
5.177 (Randall Cobb comp)
6th Round
6.219 (Jeff Heath comp)
7th Round

Available Free Agents

The Cowboys now have approximately $14 million of cap space to use on free agents, now or during the season. This is already accounting for paying their rookie class (with an eye on Travis Frederick’s retirement adding on to the current $10 million of space). The club could add up to $8 million more by restructuring or releasing DL Tyrone Crawford if they choose to. In other words, they have plenty of space for more signings if they find a good match.

Dallas didn’t draft a linebacker, safety or tackle and waited until the fifth round to find a defensive end. They could be in the hunt for those positions in the very near future, provided the price and fit is right.

Here’s a look at potential players to add to the mix.

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Cowboys Wire 2020 NFL Draft Coverage

Grading all 7 Cowboys 2020 draft picks | UDFA Tracker
QB Ben DiNucci | DE Bradlee Anae |  C Tyler Biadasz
CB Reggie Robinson | DT Neville Gallimore |  CB Trevon Diggs
WR CeeDee Lamb | Lamb jersey choice |  Lamb Gallery

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