The Dallas Cowboys have 22 players entering the final year of their contracts. For many of these players, next season will be the last they play in a Cowboys uniform. For the Cowboys front office, that means there are some tough decisions ahead of them. Today, we are going to go through these players and decide which should be prioritized for contract extensions and which ones can just carry out their deals and look for a new home next season.
Get finished!
Trevon Diggs
The Cowboys retain their All-Pro corner. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether they will become proactive or be forced to use the franchise’s next off-season.
Tyler Biadache
The Cowboys traded for this Badger blocker and it has developed into everything they could hope for. He continues to improve, and his growth last year has earned him Pro Bowl Honours. Biadasz is a great tackler, helps call protection at the line of scrimmage and his blocking continues to improve as he didn’t allow a single sack last year. Not only is he a reliable piece of the offensive line, but the Cowboys don’t really have many backup centers on the roster because Matt Varniuk would be the next best option. Cowboys shouldn’t even think about this. Reliable players allow for a good investment.
Terrence Steele
Sticking to the offensive line, Steele is another blocking ace who has seen huge growth in his development. This UDFA was thrown to the Wolves during his rookie season running right side. While there were many learning moments, his improvement was so good that he played Lyle Collins off the list. Steele is playing under the $4.3 million second-round bid this season and has been injured. These factors could provide the Cowboys with a hint of leverage and allow them to secure a friendly deal with the team before it strings together another good season and becomes more expensive next season.
Hooker owner
This may not be the security you were expecting to see in this group, the Hooker is the highest security coverage on the list. After struggling to stay healthy during his time in Indianapolis, he found a new health bill in the Cowboys minor league. Hooker has played in high-profile matches in back-to-back seasons, so it’s no surprise to see him produce good numbers. While the team has several strong safety options, Hooker is the only free safe on the list. If they could sign him to another deal that would give him a raise but also be fairly reasonable, he’d be worth going back for.
Wait and see
This next group of players has more to do with what happens with other players than it does with themselves because they fall into the bridge category.
Stephen Gilmore
The team traded its late draft pick to lease Gilmore’s services for a year. He provides a veteran overseas presence opposite Trayvon Diggs, but the steps their younger corner takes this year will determine how important he is to the team going forward.
Jonathan Hankins
Dallas traded for Hankins last season when they were struggling to stop the run. Nose choices like Carlos Watkins and Quinton Bohanna were average at best. This year they added first-round pick Mazie Smith and in a perfect world Hankins would provide a bridge and bounce for one year, but as we’ve all seen, the world isn’t perfect.
Ronald Jones
The Cowboys waited for the sixth round before investing in running back Deuce Vaughn, and while there are reasons to like this pick, we’ll have to see things pay off first. Jones is an interesting veteran who could give a running ensemble a little pop in what is an explosive duo of Tony Pollard and Vaughn.
Choma Eduga
The range of results for this low cost free agent goes from cutting back to the starting left guard. With so much to discover in the Cowboys offensive line, the 26-year-old veteran is in a tough spot for playing time that may or may not extend beyond next season.
While Jess Nevarez was covering the Dallas Stars, I joined Brandon Loree on the latest episode of The Writers Block as we discussed what the Cowboys should do with some of these players in the final year of their contracts.
It’s time to say goodbye
Tony Pollard
Who doesn’t love a little blast in your offense and that’s what Pollard has brought to the Cowboys since joining the team in 2019. Playing a center that hits as well as having a great supply, it’s hard to justify a team throwing heavy resources his way. The front office is just beginning what should be a lesson learned with Ezekiel Elliott. Pollard is a great player, but he missed time with a torn plantar fascia and groin and a painful ankle injury in last year’s playoff game. He is in no way susceptible to injury, but running backs have been known to take a beating, so exploring a cheaper option is the way to go.
Tyrone Smith
Speaking of being battered, Smith has struggled with father time since 2016 missing time due to injury in seven straight seasons. He’s on a friendly deal with the team for one year now and no one would complain if they re-do something similar after the season, but it’s only a matter of time before the future Hall of Famer’s mileage causes him to be suspended. higher.
Jaron Kerse
Kearse is the best safekeeping on the list, but recent investments in Donovan Wilson and DaMarvion Overshown are giving the team an abundance of fullbacks lurking at the line of scrimmage. It would be nice to keep him around, but it would be better for them to distribute their resources.
Dante Fowler
The same argument can be made for Fowler in the position of the edge. In the void, it’s great. On a cowboy, it’s deep. With Micah Parsons and Sam Williams the future on the brink, the team must keep looking for low cost veterans who won’t get the lion’s share of the cast.
Dorrance Armstrong
The front office seemed like geniuses after re-signing Armstrong and watching him take off early in the year (five sacks in his first six games). He’s only slowed a bit after getting half a sack over the last six games. However, Armstrong is a do-it-all guy who is undoubtedly very valuable to the team, but potentially even more valuable to the team as more actors become available.
Until we meet again
Jordan Lewis
The veteran has been a solid cornerback for this defense in recent years, but suddenly the Cowboys have a large pool of candidates who can gamble. DaRon Bland is the top option right now and Israel Mukuamu could be up there with Lewis for a backup spot. Not to mention, they let Kelvin Joseph crack at it (but don’t hold your breath on that one). All of which means there’s not much need for Lewis and it wouldn’t be too shocking to see him released this year to save the Cowboys $4.5 million in cap space.
Neville Gilmour
The emergence of Osa Odegizo relegated Gallimore to a reserve position. Plus, the team just drafted Villiami Fiocco and still have Chauncey Goulston on the team. 3-tech is suddenly a crowded house and with a dearth of roster candidates, not only is Gallimore unlikely to be re-signed next season, but he could make a potential trade candidate for a team that needs defensive tackle.
Sean McCune
This UDFA is a strong ban for a tight end, but the Cowboys have added three new types (Luke Schoonmaker, Jake Ferguson, and Peyton Hendershot) over the past 14 months. McKeon may still be playing TE4, and it won’t cost as much, but there won’t be another newcomer like UDFA Princeton Fant either.
other men
This group includes CJ Goodwin (special teams), Trent Sieg (long snapper), Takkarist McKinley (edge), Rico Dowdle (running back), Will Grier (quarterback), and Malik Davis (running back). The Cowboys may choose to return them or they may release them before the start of the season. They’ll have a little time to show their worth, but none of these players would be considered huge losses for the Cowboys if they weren’t around much longer.