Ask any Cowboys fan what they thought of the team’s performance over the offseason and to a person they are likely to respond viscerally. The team chose to do what it always does and not dabble in high-pedigree free agency. What was different in 2024 than any other year is the club allowed some of their own free agents to walk out the door, and then did nothing to replace them with any sort of experienced vets.
The only replacement that was grabbed was after the retirement of Leighton Vander Esch, linebacker Eric Kendricks joined the fold. Tyron Smith is gone, as is Tyler Biadasz, out of the starting offensive line group. Tony Pollard went home to Tennesee, leaving the running back room depleted. Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler are gone from the defensive end rotation and Stephon Gilmore is still on the street after being an integral boundary corner for the club. While the club filled those holes in the draft, there’s a readiness issue which already has a bad taste after the 2023 class did next-to-nothing as rookies.
So where does thatleave the Cowboys’ offseason in light of the other 32 teams? ESPN recently ranked the transactions of each club and unsurpringly Dallas finished behind their division mates, and towards the bottom of the league.
Biggest move: Drafting QB Jayden Daniels
Move I liked: Signing edge rusher Dorance Armstrong
Move I disliked: Not upgrading the offensive line moreThe Commanders are headed in a new direction with a new coach and, most importantly, a new quarterback in Daniels. How they fare will largely hinge on the Daniels’ performance, though we’re primarily judging how they have elected to build the team around him.
The team made a slew of midlevel free agency moves to improve the roster, signing Armstrong, center Tyler Biadasz, guard Nick Allegretti, linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, quarterback Marcus Mariota, running back Austin Ekeler and safety Jeremy Chinn. Luvu and Wagner are a fun combination that could turn linebacker into a strength if Wagner has more left in the tank. And Armstrong is a solid edge rusher who recorded a better-than-average 18% pass rush win rate last season.
The Commanders have the second-most cap space in the league (and third-most in 2025) and should have used some of those resources on the offensive line. Of their five projected starters on the depth chart — Brandon Coleman, Allegretti, Biadasz, Sam Cosmi and Andrew Wylie — only Cosmi qualified and had an above-average pass block win rate at his position last season. That’s not ideal for a rookie quarterback.
Kendall Fuller leaving in free agency could sting on defense, as it leaves a weakness at corner.
Biggest move: Trading for edge rusher Brian Burns
Move I liked: Signing OL Jermaine Eluemunor and Jon Runyan
Move I disliked: The cost of trading and extending BurnsThe Giants’ biggest splash was their trade and ensuing contract for Burns. It was a curious choice, as the Giants spent a lot of capital to upgrade one of their only strengths — maybe their only strength. And they did it at a time when they don’t appear close to contention. As good of a player as Burns is, they traded a premium draft pick for the right to pay top money to a player.
The Giants are hamstrung by their Daniel Jones contract error a year ago, when they guaranteed the quarterback $80 million with the franchise tag available. That didn’t preclude them from going after another quarterback — they tried to trade up to pick Drake Maye — but once they failed to make that move, I think it was OK to pass on the second tier of rookie QBs.
I like the more under-the-radar free agent signings of Eluemunor and Runyan, who should help the offensive line. On the other hand, fully guaranteeing $9.5 million to running back Devin Singletary seemed unnecessary. The loss of safety Xavier McKinney stings but at least the Giants are likely to receive a fourth-round compensatory pick for him.
Biggest move: Extending WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith
Move I liked: Swapping edge rusher Haason Reddick for edge rusher Bryce Huff and getting a third-round pick
Move I disliked: Signing RB Saquon Barkley for $26 million fully guaranteedThe Eagles’ 2023 season ended with a whimper and future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce retired, but their 2024 offseason set them up to be Super Bowl contenders once again. The team turned its offense and defense over to coordinators Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio, respectively, who both appear to be upgrades. That’s critical because the roster is still really good.
Philadelphia engineered a pass-rusher swap of sorts with the Jets, signing Huff in free agency, then dealing Reddick back to New York. Philadelphia came out ahead. Even though Reddick is the more proven pass-rusher, Huff’s metrics — he ranked eighth in pass rush win rate at edge rusher in 2023, one spot behind Reddick — suggest he’s a similar player (and four years younger). The Eagles also got a conditional third-round pick (which could become a second). Toss in defensive end Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Jalen Carter, and this team will be able to get after the quarterback.
The secondary was a weakness, but they threw resources at it, drafting cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and bringing back safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. And they still have corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry, who could easily bounce back.
I wouldn’t have paid Barkley real money like they did ($26 million fully guaranteed), but he should be an upgrade at running back, adding to the team’s plethora of skill position riches along with Brown, Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert.
Philadelphia was aggressive about signing its own, too, inking Brown, Smith, guard Landon Dickerson and offensive tackle Jordan Mailata to new deals. While the wide receiver contracts were expensive — $32 million (Brown) and $25 million (Smith) APYs — they are stellar players in their prime. Dickerson’s deal was well-timed, just ahead of a very expensive guard market. Though he now has the highest APY of any guard, win rates suggest he’s an elite player and might have cost more if the team had waited until after the free agency rush to extend him.
The Eagles also maneuvered the draft well, reaping expensive prices when trading down and only trading up when the moves were cheaper.
Biggest move: Not signing its stars to new contracts
Move I liked: Spending two of their first three picks on the offensive line
Move I disliked: Not signing QB Dak Prescott to an extensionOwner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys were “all-in” and then spent free agency doing … almost nothing.
In fact, their most notable offseason move was not signing wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, linebacker Micah Parsons or Prescott to new deals. The last is the most problematic: Prescott cannot be franchise-tagged after this season, which means if the Cowboys do not sign him to a new deal, he could enter next offseason as a true free agent. If Dallas is having second thoughts about Prescott based on how the 2023 season ended, it shouldn’t — Prescott finished second in QBR and was an MVP candidate up until the end. The Cowboys are fortunate to have a franchise QB and shouldn’t risk losing him.
Waiting to sign Lamb has probably cost them money, too. While impossible to know the nature of negotiations, the fact that they waited until 2024 and after Justin Jefferson signed his $35 million APY new contract probably raised Lamb’s price, too.
The Cowboys let offensive tackle Tyron Smith walk to the Jets for cheap (just $6.5 million fully guaranteed) and while they have other players who can play tackle — Terence Steele, Chuma Edoga, Tyler Smith and first-round pick Tyler Guyton — Smith is coming off a strong season and could have been an asset for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
And with such a strong core, Dallas is a Super Bowl contender. Sitting pat in free agency — their biggest moves were for cornerback Jourdan Lewis, linebacker Eric Kendricks and running Ezekiel Elliott, each getting less than $3 million in fully guaranteed money — doesn’t feel ideal, but the team is going to have to eventually pay those stars, and that will take resources.
The Cowboys avoided the bottom rung of the NFC ladder, barely, only ranking above the Las Vegas Raiders and the New Orleans Saints, both of whom received D grades.
Other NFC teams that fell below average were the Atlanta Falcons (C-) and Minnesota Vikings (C-), so Dallas is the only team which made the playoffs last year that seemed to regress in a major way.
Of course, this is all on paper and will mean nothing if the team’s rookie and sophomore classes are able to come through and rejuvenate the roster. Those are key and among 8 things that must go right for the Cowboys to have a strong 2024.