The Dallas Cowboys haven't done much yet in NFL Free Agency, but that's mostly because they can't. The Cowboys are strapped on the salary cap and don't have much wiggle room to make moves, but they might be able to as the offseason progresses.
The Cowboys currently have a glaring need at the left tackle position following the departure of former first-round pick Tyron Smith, a franchise staple after being picked back in the 2010 NFL Draft. Smith bolted for the New York Jets where he will now be the blind side protector of Aaron Rodgers.
So what are the Cowboys going to do at the left tackle position? The options at this point are still pretty wide open. The Cowboys have the 2024 NFL Draft ahead of them, but they also have the ability to let free agency come to them as the offseason progresses. One possible big-name addition they could make is former Green Bay Packers All-Pro David Bakhtiari, who was released earlier this offseason to save the Packers $20 million in salary cap space.
Bakhtiari has not played much over the last handful of years, but does intend to keep his playing career going in the 2024 season.
When the #Packers released All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari, there were some questions about what's next. My understanding: He is diligently rehabbing and is focused on returning to play this coming season, I'm told. He's taking it as it comes. But plans to play.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2024
A player like Bakhtiari could end up being a great value for the Cowboys. Having him in the fold would not come at a bad price at all, and the timing could be exactly what both the player and the team need. The Cowboys may need a stopgap depending on what they're able to do in the 2024 NFL Draft. Although this class is loaded at the tackle position, the Cowboys may not be picking high enough to be able to get the Day 1 starter they need.
If Bakhtiari wants to continue playing, the Cowboys may offer the clearest path to playing time and their financial situation dictates they will need to go with a budget-friendly option. And perhaps he could oblige in that area.
There's an obvious, significant connection between Bakhtiari and the Cowboys -- Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy was Bakhtiari's head coach once upon a time in Green Bay. The thinking going into this offseason was that Bakhtiari might be able to leverage his ties to Aaron Rodgers into a job with the Jets, but the Jets obviously have gone a different direction.
Perhaps the ties that bind in Dallas could end up coming into play for Bakhtiari in 2024 NFL Free Agency.