The Dallas Cowboys are using a unique excuse for not being aggressive in the first wave of free agency that started last week. According to the Cowboys website, the team has only added one player in free agency who played for another team during the 2023 season: linebacker Eric Kendricks.
The Dallas Cowboys lost a few key players last week
Houston Texans, Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
Dec 17, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard (20) takes the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
In the offseason, owner Jerry Jones said he wanted to be “all in” and keep the core intact to compete for the playoffs. Last week, the Cowboys watched as numerous core players fled to other teams in free agency. Tyler Biadasz, Tyron Smith, and Tony Pollard are a handful of big losses for the Cowboys in free agency this year.
Stephen Jones blames an inflated market for a boring free agency
Jul 31, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones during training camp at the Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge playing fields. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
According to Todd Archer with ESPN, Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ executive vice president, said inflation is the cause of their front office’s apathy in free agency. No, Jones is not talking about the type of inflation that is seeing record prices for US consumers at the grocery store. Jones said the Cowboys don’t believe in overpaying in free agency:
“I’ve always been of the ilk that you, in this first couple of days of free agency, you pay good players like they’re great, you pay average players like they’re good, and so on and so forth,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said.
“Because the market’s inflated in our mind. That’s one opinion. The way I look at things, too. I’ve always said it: Player acquisition is 365 days a year. It’s not just the first or second or third day of free agency.”
Actually, Stephen, player acquisition in 2024 is a 366-day process because of the leap year.
The Cowboys can’t afford inflated prices this offseason because of Dak Prescott’s contract and the burden it carries for their cap space. Per Over The Cap, the Cowboys have just over $7 million to spend this offseason.
Josh Kendall with The Athletic had a harsh take on the Cowboys offseason thus far in their updated power rankings, claiming the team made no notable additions:
“People are going to stop believing Cowboys owner Jerry Jones when he says he’s “all in” after Dallas added no players of consequence and watched three good linemen walk out the door. Yes, the Cowboys have to hang on to money for new deals with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, but there’s a difference between being prudent and playing dead.”
The Cowboys want to build in the draft
Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and son Stephen Jones walk on the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys need to keep a good chunk of that for emergency spending in the regular season. But much of that cash will be spent when they sign their draft picks this spring. Per Archer, Jones said the draft is where they want to build their roster instead of in free agency:
“It’s not frustrating because it means we’ve done a good job with the draft,” Jones said, adding, “that’s a sign in my mind that our organization — Will and the scouting department and the coaches that have been through here — we’ve done our job of developing players.”
The Cowboys lost considerable talent with players who took what Dallas considers inflated contracts with other teams. Are the Cowboys really banking on rookies to help them in January?
