Tag: 2025 Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys will need free agents currently on the back end of roster

Did any bottom roster free agents earn a spot on the 2025 Dallas Cowboys roster with their performance in 2024? | From @cdpiglet

Most of the focus on Dallas Cowboys free agents will be on the bigger-name players with known pedigree. Some will be spent on guys who aren’t totally free to roam around the league, such as Kavontae Turpin.

The reality is a team can only go as far as the bottom of the roster takes them, and the Cowboys have other low-cost decisions that will need to be made in free agency. These players will likely hit the open market to see what is available to them, but Dallas may have a chance to bring some back on the cheap. Which will they choose to pursue?

Linval Joseph, Carlos Watkins, and Carl Lawson were all brought in this year to help with defensive line injuries. Some defensive tackles must be signed for Dallas to fill the position. Either Watkins or Joseph could work, but Lawson could be more difficult to bring back. He had an eye-opening bounce-back year with five sacks, 18 pressures, and 15 QB hits in 14 games. He could get a decent deal on the open market, but Dallas should want him back if the price tag doesn’t get too expensive.

Israel Mukuamu has played safety, boundary and nickel corner for Dallas, including an outstanding 2022 playoff performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Tom Brady, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin.

Dallas loves to reward players like Mukuamu with roster spots, and he shouldn’t cost much to bring back. Amani Oruwariye could also find a place in Dallas based on how he played this season. They may follow Al Harris if he goes elsewhere, but Dallas could get deals with these two defensive backs, which they use as depth pieces as insurance for Lewis leaving or Diggs being injured.

Brandin Cooks has been an excellent second receiver and mentor, but the Cowboys need to upgrade their receiving core with a more impactful veteran or a high draft choice to pair with CeeDee Lamb. Cooks isn’t likely to return. Chuma Edoga could be the swing offensive tackle again, but the ascension of Asim Richards could elevate him to that spot, and the Cowboys let Edoga move on to get younger.

Dallas has more work to do than it should because of its team-building approach. It needs to decide on its coaching direction quickly so that the front office can make the best decisions with all its free agents.

You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social

2025 Free Agency: Cowboys have intriguing mix of legends, RFAs, ERFAs, and coaches’ faves

Dallas free agency decision begin with their RFAs, ERFAs, injured Cowboys’ greats, and coaches faves. | From @cdpiglet

There are some huge decisions for the Cowboys to make with their long list of free agents. With the number of holes on Dallas’ roster, it will be difficult for the Cowboys not to bring back every pending free agent on a restricted rights or exclusive rights contract. In addition, they’ll need to decide whether to make an effort to get back long-time contributors who ended the year on IR and a group of players who seem tied to the current coaching staff.

An exclusive rights free agent is a player with an expired contract and less than three accrued seasons in the NFL. A restricted free agent is a player with an expired contract, but only three accrued seasons in the league, keeping them from being unrestricted.

To keep a restricted free agent, Dallas has to offer him a predetermined one-year deal, known as a “tender.” If they do, the Cowboys can match any free agent deal the player signs for another team or receive draft compensation from the new team he signs with. Dallas could offer a first or second-round tender that would earn Dallas a subsequent draft choice from the team the player signed with. An original round tender would give the Cowboys a draft pick from the round he was originally drafted in, or they could offer a right to first refusal to match any offer the player agrees to.

Interior offensive lineman Brock Hoffman, safety Juanyeh Thomas, and defensive end Tyrus Wheat are all on exclusive rights contracts. Dallas only has to send a one-year qualifying offer for the league minimum based on each player’s experience level. This prevents the player from negotiating with other teams, ensuring their return.

Restricted rights free agents include pro bowl kick return specialist KaVontae Turpin, safety Markquese Bell, and much-maligned corner Andrew Booth Jr.  Dallas will need the first two back but could move on from Booth Jr., who hasn’t played well for them. Still, the roster is so thin that he could even return as a special teams player.

Meanwhile, the injured veteran front has two difficult decisions to make.

Demarcus Lawrence was still playing at a high level but is aging and coming off of another injury, but has already confirmed he plans to play next season. The team is already returning edge rushers Micah Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, and Sam Williams, who will be returning from a serious injury himself.

Dallas will have a dead-money hit of nearly $7.5 million for Lawrence next season, so having him back on the roster would help justify the use of cap space, but he could get a final big payday elsewhere from a contender.

Guard Zack Martin will likely decide his own fate. If he wants to return for another season, the Cowboys are likely to bring him back. He has $27.7 million in dead money cap charges that can land across either one or two years.

Martin and Lawrence joined the franchise together and are now completing their 11th seasons with the club. With the club letting Tyron Smith go last season, it will be interesting to see what happens with the last remnants of the Tony Romo era.

Then there are these free agent signings who are a more simple concept.

Eric Kendricks signed in Dallas because of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. If Zimmer returns, so could Kendricks and Nick Virgil.

The specialists could go elsewhere if John Fassel doesn’t return as the unit coach. Punter Bryan Anger, long-snapper Trent Sieg, and gunner C.J. Goodwin could all need to be replaced this offseason.

Cooper Rush, Trey Lance, or even Will Grier as the backup to Dak Prescott likely depends on if Mike McCarthy returns as the head coach.

Coaching ties matter. When Dan Quinn left to coach the Commanders, he took with him multiple players who played for him in Dallas. The new coaches might have the players they want to bring in to teach their system to the rest of the players.

You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or Bluesky @mike-crum-cdpiglet.bsky.social