The Dallas Cowboys were asleep at the wheel until recently, when they traded for Jordan Phillips and then signed Carl Lawson in free agency (via Jordan Schultz). Dallas desperately needed to improve the depth behind second-year man Mazi Smith, and improve their defensive end depth after Sam Williams tore his ACL.
Dallas also lost several key players in free agency, including Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr., Jonathan Hankins, and Neville Gallimore. They didn’t need to acquire high-end talent on the defensive line, but they absolutely needed to improve the depth, which they now have.
While these reinforcements are a good sign, Jerry Jones still has yet to address some of the biggest concerns surrounding the team. These recent moves are beneficial to the depth of the defensive line, but there are bigger fish to fry, and the Cowboys aren’t even in the kitchen yet.
The Elephant In The Room
Dallas increased their d-line depth before they extended any of their three stars
Credit: Jerome Miron – USA TODAY Sports
Nothing will matter regarding the Cowboys’ offseason until they extend one of Dak Prescott , CeeDee Lamb , or Micah Parsons . Despite the fact that Prescott and Lamb are scheduled to hit free agency in 2024, the team has failed to sign any major extensions. And at this point, all three of those players have leverage.
GIVEMESPORT Key Stat: Dak Prescott has a $40.1 million cap hit, whether or not he’s on the roster in 2025.
The Cowboys front office doesn’t have much wiggle room in negotiations. Prescott and Lamb are both coming off of career-years, while Parsons has the third-most sacks in the last three years, with 27.5.
Prescott and Lamb can both play out the 2024 season and enter free agency in 2025, where the Cowboys wouldn’t get anything in return. Prescott has a no-trade clause and a no franchise tag clause, so this is the last year the Cowboys have contractual control. Lamb can be tagged in 2025, but it doesn’t appear he will return to the team unless he receives a contract extension this offseason.
There’s a lot more flexibility with Parsons since he won’t hit free agency until 2026. However, the problem with waiting is the price is only going to increase. Nick Bosa is currently the highest paid edge rusher at $34 million per year, and the price will only increase as time passes. This is the case with all three of these players, which might be why Prescott could get paid over $60 million per year.
Until the Cowboys extend one of these three players, nothing else seems to matter.
Addressing Needs, While Leaving Other Glaring Holes
There were several other position groups that needed to be addressed
Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Since the beginning of free agency, improving the Cowboys’ depth on the defensive line has been a priority. But, Dallas has still failed to address some major holes that they have on their roster.
Between the running back, wide receiver, and offensive line positions, the Cowboys had some work to do. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Cowboys were able to upgrade their offensive line by selecting Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe. However, these players need some time to transition to the
NFL . They should’ve considered signing veteran offensive linemen in free agency, while they ramp up these rookies.
Currently, the running back and wide receiver position groups aren’t deep heading into the season. Both rooms are simply hoping someone from last year’s roster can step up. Ezekiel Elliott was re-signed, but along with Rico Dowdle, who was the backup running back last year, that’s not as exciting a backfield as it would have been in 2017.
Despite not having a solidified WR3 in the offense, they’re hoping Jalen Tolbert takes the next step forward to embrace a larger role.
Benefits Of Acquiring Phillips and Lawson
These recent Cowboys acquisitions will improve the defensive line
Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
There were definitely other moves that should’ve taken precedent over acquiring Phillips and Lawson, but these are still moves that were necessary. Between the free agent departures and loss of Sam Williams, the defensive line depth was looking like a problem entering the season.
Phillips provides some much-needed nose tackle depth, and offers pass-rushing upside to boot. In the Zimmer defense, nose tackles are valuable. The Cowboys are hoping to see Mazi Smith take the next step, but this provides the Cowboys with some insurance behind him.
Lawson is in a similar boat, as he can provide the Cowboys with a high-upside backup edge rusher. Last year, Dallas relied heavily on their edge rusher rotation. It helped keep Demarcus Lawrence fresh, while allowing Quinn to move Parsons around the entire defensive line.
After these two moves, the Cowboys can feel comfortable with their defensive line heading into the 2024 season.