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By Jon Machota
Apr 21, 2022
NFL free agency started five weeks ago. Most of the top players have been signed. But a few notable names are still available, and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones says the team isn’t done adding free agents.
As expected, Dallas hasn’t been a major player in this area.
The Cowboys’ most notable moves have been working out a new contract with defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, re-signing wide receiver Michael Gallup, safety Jayron Kearse and defensive end Dorance Armstrong, signing defensive end Dante Fowler and placing the franchise tag on tight end Dalton Schultz.
Their most notable departures have been wide receiver Amari Cooper (trade), offensive tackle La’el Collins (release) and defensive end Randy Gregory and wide receiver Cedrick Wilson (signed elsewhere).
“We feel like we did do a good job with it in terms of re-signing, for the most part, the players that we wanted and felt like we could keep under the current salary-cap environment,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. “I do think we were able to fill (our needs), for the most part. We’re not done yet in free agency. We’ll see what opportunities come up out there. But we feel like we can go into the draft pure again and pick the best players on our board.”
The draft begins next Thursday with Dallas still needing to fill holes in several areas, notably at left guard and wide receiver. Depending on how the draft unfolds, perhaps the Cowboys will look to round out the roster with a few free agents.
Who’s still available?
Here are 15 players at positions that could make sense for Dallas: guard, center, wide receiver, edge rusher, tight end and cornerback.
1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE: The 29-year-old is arguably the most popular player still available. He had nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits last season for the Cleveland Browns. Clowney has played under one-year deals each of the past three seasons. Last year’s contract with Cleveland was for $8 million. The Cowboys seem to be set after re-signing Armstrong and adding Fowler, but if they are looking for any more help, Clowney is the best available option.
2. Will Fuller, WR: The 2016 first-round pick just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He played in only three games last year because of a broken thumb. The previous season, Fuller set career highs with 53 receptions, 879 yards and eight touchdowns. The Cowboys’ current top three wide receivers are CeeDee Lamb, Gallup and James Washington. Another WR could be added as early as the 24th pick next week. But if they’re looking for help because the draft doesn’t fall their way at the position, an interesting veteran could be added on a one-year deal.
3. Kyle Fuller, CB: Cornerback wasn’t even on the radar before Kelvin Joseph, last year’s second-round pick, was a passenger in a vehicle from which gunshots were fired that killed a man last month, according to his attorney. Two arrests have been made. Joseph has been taking part in the team’s offseason program. But that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be on the roster for the upcoming season. “The investigation is ongoing,” Stephen Jones said Tuesday on The Fan. “We’re waiting to get all the information.”
If cornerback becomes a bigger need behind Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis, Dallas could be looking for a proven veteran. Fuller was the 14th pick in 2014. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2019. He played in 16 games last year for the Denver Broncos, but his play dropped after he signed a one-year, $9.5 million deal.
4. Trai Turner, G: The third-round pick in 2014 made the Pro Bowl every year from 2015 through 2019. Turner has been a right guard, a position the Cowboys obviously don’t need with Zack Martin. But if they think he is a better option than what they have at left guard, which could be addressed early in the draft, it likely wouldn’t cost much to add the veteran. Turner played last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year, $3 million deal.
5. Xavier Rhodes, CB: As with most of the players on this list, Rhodes’ best ball is probably behind him. But when Rhodes was at his peak, he was one of the league’s better cornerbacks, making the Pro Bowl in 2016, 2017 and 2019. After spending his first seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Rhodes has played the past two for the Indianapolis Colts, starting 29 games and recording three interceptions.
6. Kevin King, CB: He was the 33rd pick in 2017 when Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was the head coach in Green Bay. King had his most productive season in 2019, intercepting five passes to go along with 15 passes defended. However, in his other four NFL seasons King has totaled only two interceptions and 15 passes defended. This could make some sense if McCarthy believes there are still productive days ahead for the soon-to-be 27-year-old.
7. Julio Jones, WR: The seven-time Pro Bowler is 33. He has played in only 19 games over the past two seasons. If there is any gas left in the tank, perhaps Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn might suggest Jones is worth adding to the mix at the right price. Quinn was Atlanta’s head coach during Jones’ most productive NFL seasons, which included five consecutive years of at least 1,300 receiving yards.
8. Ereck Flowers, G: The ninth pick in 2015 was drafted to be the New York Giants’ left tackle. He transitioned to left guard after signing with Washington in 2019. He has become a solid player at that position. Connor Williams and Connor McGovern both started games at left guard last season, but neither played well enough to be the answer. Williams signed with the Miami Dolphins last month. It’s possible that Dallas could draft one of the top guard prospects in the first round next week. If not, a competition involving McGovern and Flowers, or another veteran, could be a possibility.
9. J.C. Tretter, C: The 31-year-old has started 16 games in each of the past five seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted by the Packers in the fourth round in 2013, so McCarthy is obviously very familiar with his work. Tyler Biadasz is projected to remain the Cowboys’ starting center, but the position could use veteran competition that just isn’t on the current roster.
10. Jared Cook, TE: Cowboys fans likely know the 35-year-old because of his 36-yard catch from Aaron Rodgers that set up the Packers’ winning field goal in the 2016 playoffs. Cook played for the Los Angeles Chargers last season, catching 48 passes for 564 yards and four touchdowns. The Cowboys will likely draft a tight end to help replace Blake Jarwin, but they could add another veteran if the draft doesn’t fall the way they hope.
11. Kyle Rudolph, TE: He started 13 of the 16 games he played in last season for the New York Giants, catching 26 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown. Rudolph, a second-round pick in 2011, made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2017 while with the Vikings.
12. Eric Ebron, TE: He wasn’t very productive last season for the Steelers, catching only 12 passes, but Ebron was a top-10 pick. He had a Pro Bowl season in 2018 while with the Colts, catching 66 passes for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns.
13. Maurice Canady, CB: He had a strong training camp for the Cowboys last year but never made much of an impact during the season after suffering a concussion. There also wasn’t much playing time with Diggs, Brown and Lewis all staying relatively healthy.
14. Brent Urban, DL: He played pretty well for the Cowboys early in the season before needing season-ending triceps surgery in November. He averaged 27 defensive snaps per game during the first six games as Dallas started 5-1.
15. Nick Martin, C: Zack Martin’s brother was a second-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2016. He spent four seasons as a starter in Houston before signing last year with the Las Vegas Raiders, for whom he ended up being the backup center.
Apr 21, 2022
NFL free agency started five weeks ago. Most of the top players have been signed. But a few notable names are still available, and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones says the team isn’t done adding free agents.
As expected, Dallas hasn’t been a major player in this area.
The Cowboys’ most notable moves have been working out a new contract with defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, re-signing wide receiver Michael Gallup, safety Jayron Kearse and defensive end Dorance Armstrong, signing defensive end Dante Fowler and placing the franchise tag on tight end Dalton Schultz.
Their most notable departures have been wide receiver Amari Cooper (trade), offensive tackle La’el Collins (release) and defensive end Randy Gregory and wide receiver Cedrick Wilson (signed elsewhere).
“We feel like we did do a good job with it in terms of re-signing, for the most part, the players that we wanted and felt like we could keep under the current salary-cap environment,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. “I do think we were able to fill (our needs), for the most part. We’re not done yet in free agency. We’ll see what opportunities come up out there. But we feel like we can go into the draft pure again and pick the best players on our board.”
The draft begins next Thursday with Dallas still needing to fill holes in several areas, notably at left guard and wide receiver. Depending on how the draft unfolds, perhaps the Cowboys will look to round out the roster with a few free agents.
Who’s still available?
Here are 15 players at positions that could make sense for Dallas: guard, center, wide receiver, edge rusher, tight end and cornerback.
1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE: The 29-year-old is arguably the most popular player still available. He had nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits last season for the Cleveland Browns. Clowney has played under one-year deals each of the past three seasons. Last year’s contract with Cleveland was for $8 million. The Cowboys seem to be set after re-signing Armstrong and adding Fowler, but if they are looking for any more help, Clowney is the best available option.
2. Will Fuller, WR: The 2016 first-round pick just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He played in only three games last year because of a broken thumb. The previous season, Fuller set career highs with 53 receptions, 879 yards and eight touchdowns. The Cowboys’ current top three wide receivers are CeeDee Lamb, Gallup and James Washington. Another WR could be added as early as the 24th pick next week. But if they’re looking for help because the draft doesn’t fall their way at the position, an interesting veteran could be added on a one-year deal.
3. Kyle Fuller, CB: Cornerback wasn’t even on the radar before Kelvin Joseph, last year’s second-round pick, was a passenger in a vehicle from which gunshots were fired that killed a man last month, according to his attorney. Two arrests have been made. Joseph has been taking part in the team’s offseason program. But that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be on the roster for the upcoming season. “The investigation is ongoing,” Stephen Jones said Tuesday on The Fan. “We’re waiting to get all the information.”
If cornerback becomes a bigger need behind Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis, Dallas could be looking for a proven veteran. Fuller was the 14th pick in 2014. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2019. He played in 16 games last year for the Denver Broncos, but his play dropped after he signed a one-year, $9.5 million deal.
4. Trai Turner, G: The third-round pick in 2014 made the Pro Bowl every year from 2015 through 2019. Turner has been a right guard, a position the Cowboys obviously don’t need with Zack Martin. But if they think he is a better option than what they have at left guard, which could be addressed early in the draft, it likely wouldn’t cost much to add the veteran. Turner played last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year, $3 million deal.
5. Xavier Rhodes, CB: As with most of the players on this list, Rhodes’ best ball is probably behind him. But when Rhodes was at his peak, he was one of the league’s better cornerbacks, making the Pro Bowl in 2016, 2017 and 2019. After spending his first seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Rhodes has played the past two for the Indianapolis Colts, starting 29 games and recording three interceptions.
6. Kevin King, CB: He was the 33rd pick in 2017 when Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was the head coach in Green Bay. King had his most productive season in 2019, intercepting five passes to go along with 15 passes defended. However, in his other four NFL seasons King has totaled only two interceptions and 15 passes defended. This could make some sense if McCarthy believes there are still productive days ahead for the soon-to-be 27-year-old.
7. Julio Jones, WR: The seven-time Pro Bowler is 33. He has played in only 19 games over the past two seasons. If there is any gas left in the tank, perhaps Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn might suggest Jones is worth adding to the mix at the right price. Quinn was Atlanta’s head coach during Jones’ most productive NFL seasons, which included five consecutive years of at least 1,300 receiving yards.
8. Ereck Flowers, G: The ninth pick in 2015 was drafted to be the New York Giants’ left tackle. He transitioned to left guard after signing with Washington in 2019. He has become a solid player at that position. Connor Williams and Connor McGovern both started games at left guard last season, but neither played well enough to be the answer. Williams signed with the Miami Dolphins last month. It’s possible that Dallas could draft one of the top guard prospects in the first round next week. If not, a competition involving McGovern and Flowers, or another veteran, could be a possibility.
9. J.C. Tretter, C: The 31-year-old has started 16 games in each of the past five seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted by the Packers in the fourth round in 2013, so McCarthy is obviously very familiar with his work. Tyler Biadasz is projected to remain the Cowboys’ starting center, but the position could use veteran competition that just isn’t on the current roster.
10. Jared Cook, TE: Cowboys fans likely know the 35-year-old because of his 36-yard catch from Aaron Rodgers that set up the Packers’ winning field goal in the 2016 playoffs. Cook played for the Los Angeles Chargers last season, catching 48 passes for 564 yards and four touchdowns. The Cowboys will likely draft a tight end to help replace Blake Jarwin, but they could add another veteran if the draft doesn’t fall the way they hope.
11. Kyle Rudolph, TE: He started 13 of the 16 games he played in last season for the New York Giants, catching 26 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown. Rudolph, a second-round pick in 2011, made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2017 while with the Vikings.
12. Eric Ebron, TE: He wasn’t very productive last season for the Steelers, catching only 12 passes, but Ebron was a top-10 pick. He had a Pro Bowl season in 2018 while with the Colts, catching 66 passes for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns.
13. Maurice Canady, CB: He had a strong training camp for the Cowboys last year but never made much of an impact during the season after suffering a concussion. There also wasn’t much playing time with Diggs, Brown and Lewis all staying relatively healthy.
14. Brent Urban, DL: He played pretty well for the Cowboys early in the season before needing season-ending triceps surgery in November. He averaged 27 defensive snaps per game during the first six games as Dallas started 5-1.
15. Nick Martin, C: Zack Martin’s brother was a second-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2016. He spent four seasons as a starter in Houston before signing last year with the Las Vegas Raiders, for whom he ended up being the backup center.
