The Dallas Cowboys being quiet at the (unofficial) start of NFL free agency on Monday is nothing out of the ordinary from their recent offseasons, but being literally the quietest team as the only one not to make a single move certainly goes against an ill-fated Jerry Jones “all in” comment that hasn’t aged well since the end of January. Perhaps the biggest detriment to this plan for Dallas to truly push their chips to the middle in a contract year for HC Mike McCarthy and decisive season for QB Dak Prescott was the pre-free agency report that Tyron Smith was unlikely to return for his 14th season as the team’ starting left tackle in 2024.
Smith has yet to agree to terms with a new team, with Chukwuma Okorafor and Jermaine Eluemundor the prominent ones to agree to terms with a new team so far in a slow developing tackle market. After starting 13 games for the first time since 2019 though, it feels likely that Smith will elicit an offer outside of the Cowboys price range.
For a fanbase already mostly uninspired by the Cowboys status quo approach to improving a team that’s proven it can find regular -success under McCarthy, but not translate it to playoff wins, also losing starting center Tyler Biadasz to the rival Washington Commanders will not help the overall outlook for this team right now. Getting better up front on both sides of the ball is a clear need, and while it would be unlike Dallas to leave only the draft to do so, they haven’t exactly been proactive in the early goings of free agency or via the trade market to make any progress here.
Seeing as this is nothing new for the Cowboys at this point in the offseason, there should be some cautious optimism that the team has a plan through all of this. When it comes to the offensive line in particular, this plan may be running its course right on time.
The Cowboys definition of being “all-in” may still be cloudy, but a clear part of it is turning up the pressure on both coaches and players with either expiring or soon-to-be expiring contracts to perform. McCarthy is the most obvious example here, but as the days and weeks go by without a Dak Prescott extension in place, the idea this team could be on the brink of both a new HC and starting QB in 2025 needs to be considered.
For the sake of considering their future while also giving Prescott the best chance to take a roster that had nine first- or second-team All-Pro players last season on a deeper playoff run, the Cowboys are falling back on familiar tactics. When Prescott’s predecessor Tony Romo was nearing the final years of his career, the Cowboys also looked to the offensive line to make the most improvements in hopes of not only keeping Romo upright but building a team identity they could win with – something their current squad has lacked at times. Immediately after drafting Zack Martin in 2014, the Cowboys saw DeMarco Murray run for a single-season franchise record 1,845 yards en route to a division title and NFC Divisional playoff appearance that ended in heartbreak to the Packers.
The current Cowboys may not have a back ready to take full advantage of a stout offensive line like Murray, but going into year two of McCarthy and Brian Schottenheimer’s scheme with an infusion of young talent up front should help any runner find the running lanes this team desperately wanted to create for Pollard, but was unable to consistently do so. It may also help them establish a second wide receiver beyond Brandin Cooks to pair with CeeDee Lamb, who’s breakout in year one with McCarthy calling plays is now one of the building blocks for the entire team moving forward. Also due for a contract extension, the Cowboys would be predictable but justified to call a successful offseason retaining their own homegrown talent when it comes to Lamb and possibly Prescott too.
Michael Gallup overwhelmingly not expected back in Dallas, the Cowboys will need more than just veteran Brandin Cooks to contribute to an air attack that drove this team to wins – particularly at home from AT&T Stadium – next season. More time in the pocket for Prescott bodes well for now third year receiver Jalen Tolbert, who came on after the bye week and averaged over 12 yards a catch with even more room to grow as a vertical threat in this offense. The same can be said about the Cowboys looking to find expanded roles for last year’s seventh-round pick Jalen Brooks as a possession receiver or return man KaVontae Turpin.
The Cowboys have earned their credit to be a draft first team by hitting on these picks, yet current backup tackle Josh Ball with zero career starts stands as the highest drafted non-first-round offensive linemen under McCarthy. It would still be unlike the Cowboys to go into the draft practically announcing to the football world that they’re taking a lineman, which would be the case if Tyron Smith signs elsewhere and either a starting caliber center or left tackle isn’t brought in, the time to prioritize the engine of the offense with routine maintenance (a top 100 draft pick) is now.
New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is already expected to bring a more traditional and hard-nosed style to the Cowboys defense to set the tone up front more than Dallas was able to with the hybrid looks deployed under Dan Quinn. This new-look Cowboys defense should also complement the style of offense McCarthy wants to play more, with the HC that few fans and media critics alike have ever given a fair chance to getting his say in how the 2024 team will actually be “all-in”.
The time may very well come to discuss how a combination of new coaches and personnel for the Cowboys beyond the 2024 season have a strong offensive line in place to work with as an enticing starting point for any coach. Until then, improvements here along with further development from the likes of Matt Waletzko, T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, and Asim Richards could also create the most tangible difference in how this year’s Cowboys will answer the question of how they are any different from the talented but underachieving teams of recent years.
Of these depth players, the Cowboys saw the most progress from undrafted free agent T.J. Bass, who filled in at guard in year one. With Asim Richards also capable of lining up inside, where the Cowboys were able to play 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith at left guard alongside Tyron as intended, the clear needs the Cowboys have remaining at tackle at center align nicely with the talent available in this draft class.
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has seven tackle prospects in the top 25 of his current top 50, with four other linemen rounding out the rankings. The Cowboys met with all of these prospects at the Combine, and a total of 12 OL prospects which is more than any other position group. Their other formal interviews on offense point to their secondary needs at WR (7 formals) and RB (5 formals). The Cowboys official top 30 visits list will be the next chance to hone in on the names that they’re considering to fill what are pretty clear roster needs this front office and scouting staff have proven they can find talent at.
The work McCarthy has done at WR, TE and QB to overhaul the offense speaks for itself, leaving just the OL as a last ditch effort to have a more balanced team that can win in January and February. Not everybody has to agree with a free agency plan that saw the Cowboys sit tight while the Giants, Eagles, and Commanders all added to their teams, but the reigning NFC East champions do have a plan in place to keep themselves in the picture for not only this year’s division but future ones as well should this overhaul on the offensive line have the effect it has in not-so-distant memory.