NFL
By: Greg Rector
Dallas Cowboys fans are never pleased with Jerry Jones’s actions. Count me as one of those fans. This free agency period, though, has many fans confused, yet I am not one of those confused fans.
Free Agency
Several million dollars were available after the Dallas Cowboys restructured Dak Prescott and Ceedee Lamb’s contracts, so many fans were hoping and praying for a big-name signing. That wasn’t about to happen. Jerry and Stephen Jones said they would be “selectively aggressive” in free agency. Yet again, Jerry misspoke when he said they wouldn’t be filling voids.
Jerry and Stephen Jones do not like giving up compensatory picks, which meant they would sign free agents to fill the voids. For two years, the Dallas Cowboys let many depth players go and use the NFL Draft to restock their roster. Well, the team that has drafted successfully over the years has had two horrible draft classes. Yes, Will McClay drafted Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker. Is it working out well? I say that the draft two seasons ago was horrific. Last season, after trading down in the draft, they decided to select Tyler Guyton, the eighth Offensive Tackle taken.
Guyton was forced to play left tackle and had played right tackle at Oklahoma. It’s not an easy transition, and Guyton struggled with penalties during his rookie season. Using the NFL Draft to develop a roster with two seasons of duds has genuinely hurt the Dallas Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys don’t like spending big money on any player they haven’t drafted, and that meant no one was signed to be there to assist Tyler Guyton and allow him time to understand that the NFL game is far different from college football.
The Signings
Dante Fowler returns to the Dallas Cowboys, allowing the team to rush the passer on the opposite side of Micah Parsons. Fowler is the one signing for six million dollars. With incentives, he can make eight million dollars. This is a new high water mark for the Joneses. Is Jerry Jones giving away a compensatory pick? Who knew that could happen?
Payton Turner: Okay, here we go with the first of the former first-round draft picks that the Dallas Cowboys have signed. Turner is not a pure pass rusher, but he is very good at stopping the running game. Since Demarcus Lawrence is now a Seattle Seahawk, this deal makes sense. Yes, he was on the draft board for the Dallas Cowboys in his draft class. This was a void that the Dallas Cowboys needed to fill.
Solomon Thomas: Thomas was the third overall draft pick in 2017. He quickly fills the void coming in behind Osa Odigizuwa and can bring pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Javonte Williams: Williams is 24 years old and needs a new spot. If he returns to his form, gives the Cowboys a decent third-down back, and can block for whomever they decide to draft at RB, this could be a steal.
Miles Sanders: If he can make the team out of training camp, Sanders is an excellent option as a third running back. It would be especially nice if he had two massive games next season against his former team; yes, he was a Philadelphia Eagle. He lost his playing spot to Chubba Hubbard. His contract was the veteran minimum, so it doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme.
Jack Sanborn: This might be a massive signing for the Dallas Cowboys. Many Chicago Bears fans were upset that the Bears didn’t even offer Sanborn an ERFA. This young man was a UDFA signing, and he played very well under Matt Eberfleus, who is now the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. He plays beautifully against the pass as a SAM linebacker.
TWO TRADES
Kair Elam: Yes, this is another player the Dallas Cowboys had rated highly when he was drafted. The cornerback from the University of Florida plays excellent press-man coverage and is needed since Trevon Diggs will likely not be ready until the second half of the season. Using their compensatory picks, the Dallas Cowboys addressed a key spot that needed to be addressed.
Kenneth Murray: Trading for Murray was essential for the Dallas Cowboys. Yet again, our regular starter, DeMarion Overshown, is out with an injury, and getting someone who can wear the green dot was a significant factor.
Free Agency is designed for teams to get the players they NEED. The NFL Draft is best when teams select the best players available instead of searching for needed guys like Tyler Guyton was last season.
Micah Parsons Contract
Please ignore any rumors surrounding Micah Parsons and his new contract. His agent wants him to be the highest-paid non-QB. Indeed, Parsons’s words about needing to be the highest-paid non-QB have the interest of Jerry Jones. Jerry and Micah met in person this past Tuesday, and they need to decide whether Micah signs a four-year or five-year deal.
I expect a deal to be in place around June. If it’s a four-year deal, Micah will get $40 million a season, and you guarantee him $125 million. If they decide on a five-year deal, I expect the contract to be worth $42.5 million, and his guaranteed money would increase to around $160 million.
Jerry Jones
Of course, Jerry Jones misspoke when he said the Dallas Cowboys weren’t filling voids. The guy is 82 years old, and he didn’t even speak to the media at the draft combine. Maybe, just maybe, the new coaching staff will mean the Dallas Cowboys can improve upon a disastrous 2024 NFL season.
THE 2025 NFL DRAFT
The Dallas Cowboys have ten picks in the upcoming NFL Draft in Green Bay from April 24th to the 26th. Will McClay be responsible for this draft this season rather than listening to the coaches who saw Dan Quinn fail with two picks when he wanted Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright and even worse when Mike McCarthy wanted Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker?
Please tune into TeamNBSMedia every Wednesday at 9:15 PM EDT. Next Wednesday, Jeff Barnes, Bill Carroll, and I will reveal our MOCK 2.0 for this NFL Draft.
See y’all later on Cowboys Nation.
