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Dallas Cowboys: Prioritizing free agency positions and potential candidates

By Terence Watson

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 29: Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Executive Vice President Stephen Jones talk before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on September 29, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 29: Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Executive Vice President Stephen Jones talk before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on September 29, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 24: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys runs onto the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 24: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys runs onto the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

Dallas Cowboys Free Agent List

Unrestricted Free Agents: CB Anthony Brown, WR Noah Brown, Edge Dante Fowler Jr., LB Luke Gifford, CB C.J. Goodwin, DT Johnathan Hankins, WR T.Y. Hilton, K Brett Maher,    G Connor McGovern, LS Jake McQuaide, LS Matt Overton, OT Jason Peters, RB Tony Pollard, QB Cooper Rush, TE Dalton Schultz, LB Leighton Vander Esch, DE Carlos Watkins, S Donovan Wilson

Restricted/Exclusive-Rights Free Agents: RB Rico Dowdle, OT Terence Steele

The Cowboys have 19 unrestricted free agents about the hit the open market along with two restricted free agents and they aren’t going to be able to pay all of them. So the job of this front office can’t really begin until they figure out which players they intend to keep or make offers to and who they are going to let test the market and just collect compensation picks for the 2024 draft, it’s been the gameplan thus far for them, but it hasn’t worked out that well.

So I expect a change in philosophy this offseason from the Cowboys’ front office as they look to improve this roster from top to bottom and it starts with their free agents. At the top of their list will obviously be running back Tony Pollard but what will the rest of their must-sign players list look like, well I have an idea of how it should look.

  1. Tony Pollard
  2. Leighton Vander Esch
  3. Johnathan Hankins
  4. Connor McGovern
  5. Donovan Wilson
  6. Terence Steele
  7. Anthony Brown
  8. Noah Brown
  9. Cooper Rush
  10. Dalton Schultz

Of the 21 unrestricted free agents, these are the only players the Cowboys should be focusing on and if I’m being honest Schultz might not even be on their list after the impressive rookie seasons of Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. The Cowboys will have the option of tagging Pollard but that will take quite a bit of their cap space much like this season with Schultz and Dallas couldn’t get a deal done. We know they could move money around by restructuring contracts as they have in the past but it will still be tough to get all of these players under contract.

The players that aren’t on this list aren’t going to be seen as a priority to this front office whether it be because of play on the field, injury concerns, or just wanting to find a younger player to fill that role through the draft or free agency.

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