Facing crucial decisions this offseason, the Dallas Cowboys could either let these five players walk or cut them heading into the 2020 campaign.
How the Dallas Cowboys patrol the 2020 offseason will have a dramatic effect on the future of the franchise. Whether it’s who they sign in free agency, who they choose to re-sign or not from last year’s roster or what direction they choose to go in the NFL Draft, what Stephen Jones and Jerry Jones choose to do will be critically important to what happens moving forward.
Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows that the decisions regarding the contracts of Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper and Byron Jones are at the top of the Cowboys’ priority list. However, key players such as Robert Quinn, Anthony Brown, Randall Cobb and many others are also due for new contracts.
Subsequently, it’s going to take some skill to navigate the offseason. Not only do the Cowboys have to make sure to sign the right guys to the right numbers but also to make sure of who to let walk or, in the interest of saving money, perhaps who they should cut.
Taking all of that into account, these are five players who will likely not be back with the Dallas Cowboys for the 2020 season. While players like Maliek Collins, Noah Brown, Xavier Su’a-Filo and others qualify, these are five of the most notable. (Note: All salary cap figures via Over the Cap.)
5. Michael Bennett
The Cowboys needed some versatility and depth up front on defense at midseason to try and make a playoff push. While that push towards the postseason was ultimately not fruitful for Dallas, they did make a move to improve the defensive line as they traded a seventh-round pick for veteran Michael Bennett.
Considering the minimal compensation that Dallas had to send New England to get the deal done, it was surely worth the investment. Bennett came in and gave the team a solid boost, registering 27 total tackles and four sacks in nine games with America’s Team.
At 34 years old, however, Bennett is not a viable long-term piece, even if he was a necessary and welcomed addition during the 2019 season. That’s especially true if he’s looking to get anything close to the $8 million annual salary that he was making on his previous contract.
Barring Bennett being willing to take an extremely team-friendly contract, which doesn’t seem likely given his effectiveness and recent valuation, his time in Dallas will be short-lived. That does put pressure on young defenders in Big D but that’s better than committing substantial portions of the cap to a 34-year-old.