Comparing 2025 FA moves and trades to 2026 moves so far

[kskboys]

They evaluate players just fine. Their problem is they can’t negotiate in free agency (or at all really) because there are 30 other teams that are also allowed to make offers to prospective players. They refuse to make aggressive offers that beat out other teams because they are terrified of overpaying players. Hence they rarely get their targets. They end up overpaying their own players too because they always wait to the last minute to sign them but they end up keeping them because other teams can’t compete for them. Maybe if they at least have the intention of signing free agents the next few years they will find out how it’s done but wouldn’t hold my breath.

Holy Larry, no they don't. It's by far their biggest weakness.

So, that means you agreed w/ signing Kenneth Murray, Elam, Payton Turner. Sick.

 

[jazzcat22]

They evaluate players just fine. Their problem is they can’t negotiate in free agency (or at all really) because there are 30 other teams that are also allowed to make offers to prospective players. They refuse to make aggressive offers that beat out other teams because they are terrified of overpaying players. Hence they rarely get their targets. They end up overpaying their own players too because they always wait to the last minute to sign them but they end up keeping them because other teams can’t compete for them. Maybe if they at least have the intention of signing free agents the next few years they will find out how it’s done but wouldn’t hold my breath.

Supposed their offer to Dean was pretty good, maybe even slightly better than the Raiders.
I read that he chose the Raiders, as he wanted to be reacquainted to play with Quay Walker.

It could have just been some language in the contract. Maybe incentives or a bonus, or an injury settlement clause. Or combination of all of those.

 

[Bobhaze]

No one is defending the FO.
They just to not HATE on them in everything they do.

ANYONE that can't see that they have done better so far this year in mind boggling.

Here’s where I disagree -

I can appreciate and even support any Cowboys fan who is optimistic about 2026. I sincerely appreciate that and support the right of everyone who believes that to speak it here. Being hopeful is something I can support.

But I also understand and appreciate the fans who feel burned, disappointed, disheartened and sick of Jerry, his unaccountable family and the 30 years of RESULTS we’ve had.

I fully understand that some fans here do not believe JJ and SJ know what they’re doing and after 30 years don’t “believe” with the same guys in charge, we have a realistic chance.

That is not HATE. I don’t hate anyone. I do hate the RESULTS we keep getting from this FO. Big difference.

I will never understand why we can’t just let people have their opinions without calling them “haters”.

 

[Pentagruel]

Holy Larry, no they don't. It's by far their biggest weakness.

So, that means you agreed w/ signing Kenneth Murray, Elam, Payton Turner. Sick.

It doesn’t mean that at all. Every team signs a bunch of flyers in free agency with low chance of success. Over the last ten years the Cowboys’ hit rate on those types of signings is probably higher than the majority of teams. Their problem is they are unwilling to go after the type of free agents aggressively that have a higher chance of success because they are afraid of overpaying.

 

[Pentagruel]

Supposed their offer to Dean was pretty good, maybe even slightly better than the Raiders.
I read that he chose the Raiders, as he wanted to be reacquainted to play with Quay Walker.

It could have just been some language in the contract. Maybe incentives or a bonus, or an injury settlement clause. Or combination of all of those.

I do believe they made a competitive offer yeah, but sometimes you need to make an offer that just seals the deal right away. Money basically always talks in the NFL. I think their desperate need at LB warranted a more aggressive approach and a materially higher offer.

 

[Bobhaze]

It doesn’t mean that at all. Every team signs a bunch of flyers in free agency with low chance of success. Over the last ten years the Cowboys’ hit rate on those types of signings is probably higher than the majority of teams. Their problem is they are unwilling to go after the type of free agents aggressively that have a higher chance of success because they are afraid of overpaying.

I highlighted that last sentence because it is so deadly accurate.

Pro sports is not a business where worrying about overpaying is a good practice. Because everyone is overpaid. And even more true, you can’t win a championship being cheap.

 

[StarLord]

At this point, you have to believe all agencies out there know our reputation for signing or rather not taking seriously the signing of outside players.

I'm sure they don't even bother to try with us .. unless they know their client is looking for a 1 year prove it deal.

 

[ChuckA1]

I also think it might be. Why? Solid players added to the studs of Q and the draft picks. Locke/Durant/Thompson are easily better than anything we had in the the secondary last season. Gary is a good player, as is Otto. We can now stop the run, think about that. That makes everything on D easier.

Add a MLB like Brooks before the draft and I'm feeling much better about the D.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Disagree. I think trading Parsons was 100% on Jerry.

Where did you hear that Eber/Schotty wanted to trade him? First I've heard of that.

Agree that we should be better.

I agree .....never said it wasn't

I said Schotty and Eberflus misjudged the "impact" on tons of wart his talent covered. Not sure if you heard, but Schotty and Eberflus met with Jerry before he decided to trade Parsons. They assured him that they could replace Parsons' pressures and sacks via scheme and other players as long as they had a high-level DT player.

So yeah, it was 100% Jerry's decision but Schotty and Eberflus endorsed it.


From my post

Simply put, Eberflus and Schotty misjudged his impact on covering up a ton of warts his talent covered. Things got out of control in weeks 1-2, and Eberflus never recovered. By mid-season, he lost his lockroom.

 

[Coogiguy03]

It’s late March in what is supposed to be a “bust the budget” and “different” off-season for our FO. Which made me wonder about how this 2026 off-season of Free agency and trades compares (so far) to last year’s off-season.

2025 Off-season New Free Agency Acquisitions:

Position	Player	Age	2024 team	Contract
RB	Miles Sanders	28	Carolina Panthers	1 year, $1.3 million
RB	Javonte Williams	25	Denver Broncos	1 year, $3 million
G	Robert Jones	26	Miami Dolphins	1 year, $3.75 million
T	Hakeem Adeniji	27	Cleveland Browns	1 year, $1.2 million
DE	Dante Fowler	31	Washington Commanders	1 year, $8 million
DE	Payton Turner	26	New Orleans Saints	1 year, $3 million
DT	Solomon Thomas	30	New York Jets	2 years, $6 million
LB	Jack Sanborn	25	Chicago Bears	1 year, $1.5 million

2025 Trades

Position	Player/Aquired	Age	2024 team	Traded away
QB	Joe Milton	25	New England Patriots	2025 fifth-round selection
WR	George Pickens	24	Pittsburgh Steelers	2026 third-round selection and 2027 fifth-round selection
DT	Kenny Clark and two 1st rounders	29	Green Bay Packers	DE Micah Parsons
DT	Quinnen Williams	27	New York Jets	DT Mazi Smith, 2026 second-round selection, and 2027 first-round selectionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Dallas_Cowboys_season#cite_note-QuinnenTrade-7

Also Kenneth Murray for a 6th round pick.
And Logan Wilson for 7th.

Here are (so far) our new FA acquisitions in 2026:

Position	Player	Age	2025 team	Contract
QB	Sam Howell	25	Philadelphia Eagles	1 year, $2.5 million
C	Matt Hennessy	29	San Francisco 49ers	1 year, $1.4 million
DE	Tyrus Wheat	26	Detroit Lions	1 year, $1.755 million
DT	Otito Ogbonnia	25	Los Angeles Chargers	1 year, $3 million
CB	Cobie Durant	28	Los Angeles Rams	1 year, $1.5 million
S	P.J. Locke	29	Denver Broncos	1 year, $5 million
S	Jalen Thompson	27	Arizona Cardinals	3 years, $36 million

Trades so far:

Position	Player	Age	2025 team	Traded away
DT	Rashan Gary	29	Green Bay Packers	2027 fourth-round selection

What looks amazingly similar this year compared to 2025 is once again only signing one free agent to a multi-year contract. And there will certainly be a few more FA signings before the 2026 off-season ends. But the only ones left are of the “dumpster dive” variety. And I expect a trade or two perhaps as well.

But how is this off-season (so far) so much different than last year?

Not compared to last year, but this is the 1st year they've spent the most since Brandon Carr on a player, I think they spent more per year than Brandon Carr with the signing of Thompson

 

[Verdict]

I don’t think most fans realize how important talent evaluation is in being wise with salary cap numbers.

Poor talent evaluation is how you end up making big contract commitments with guys like Jalen Smith, a clearly declining Zeke Elliott and many other players they over-valued because they drafted them.

Those two concepts seem to be inconsistent.

 

[fivetwos]

His point was based on first signing one of those LBers. That or something similar is a huge key and must if we want to be better. Also including the first rounders. I'll use guys I like in the draft, but don't get hung up on the names I pick, feel free to use whatever draft picks you like:

Q, Clark, Peter Woods at #20
EZ, Jordyn Brooks, Overshown, Gary
Bland, Thompson, Hooker/Locke, Delane #12

You don't think that is or at least has a chance to be "pretty solid"? We are short a top pass rusher and that would be a problem, but you can assume that at pick #12 instead. If one of the Edges falls to 12 instead we can go that route and then CB at #20. We could always still find a DE at some point.

You’re not wrong, but the overall problem is the approach, and putting themselves in a situation where the draft has to fall perfectly and BOTH players need to be able to perform at a high level immediately.

That isn’t very likely. Possible, but unlikely. They continue to put themselves in this spot and things continue to not work.

 

[fivetwos]

I don’t think most fans realize how important talent evaluation is in being wise with salary cap numbers.

Poor talent evaluation is how you end up making big contract commitments with guys like Jalen Smith, a clearly declining Zeke Elliott and many other players they over-valued because they drafted them.

Steele is the poster boy for that one.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Not compared to last year, but this is the 1st year they've spent the most since Brandon Carr on a player

Yeah, we know.

 

[Verdict]

How do you figure?

Last offseason they got Pickens, Javonte Williams, and Dante Fowler.

This offseason they got Thompson, Gary, and Cobie Durant.

The fact that all three are on defense doesn’t make you feel a bit better about the defense? A new coordinator doesn’t make you feel better about the defense? An extra first round pick doesn’t make you feel better about there defense?

There is a lot of defensive talent in this draft at positions of need. That doesn’t at least give you some hope?

The fact that the Cowboys proactively traded away OSA who doesn’t fit on defense doesn’t make you feel better, like someone other than Jerry and Co are calling the shots from on high?

 

[fivetwos]

Disagree. I think trading Parsons was 100% on Jerry.

Where did you hear that Eber/Schotty wanted to trade him? First I've heard of that.

Agree that we should be better.

There’s no way anyone other than Jerry and his kid made that decision.

I’m sure Stephen didn’t exactly have to be talked out of not having to fork over 100 million for the Parsons guarantee. So once Jerry cracked in the slightest about trading him, I’m sure the kid swayed things to go the way they did.

 

[CyberB0b]

This is one of the worst linebacker groups in the history of the franchise.

 

[Verdict]

I am 100% confident we will be better. I think we are finally seeing a serious effort to change the culture. I think that started with trading Parsons, but the 2025 season was the collateral damage, especially the timing. Simply put, Eberflus and Schotty misjudged his impact on covering up a ton of warts his talent covered. Things got out of control in weeks 1-2, and Eberflus never recovered. By mid-season, he lost his lockroom.

None of that will be an issue to start this season. The defense may or may not have better overall players, but I'm 100% confident it will be a better TEAM with better leadership and culture. That's what you want ( see Seahawks, Pats and Broncos' defenses). We will add a few more quality players who I think could be the core of the team. I'm not too concerned about the players above coz they are so-called attrition players Jerry brings in and out every season with the hope that 1-2 may stick ( all have 1-year contracts ). Jovonte Williams, Solomon Thomas, and Clowney would be those players from last season.

So yeah, I think we are already a better team and defense and still have the draft in front of us. Granted, our bar is pretty low, so better isn't saying much but .......

Getting rid of Parsons was a GREAT move, regardless of the impact on the 2025 season. It may well signify a new way of doing business. Shipping out OSA was another hint that things have changed.

If Jerry was in charge we would have moved on from Clark instead of OSA due to contract structure and cap hit. We didn’t.

 

[Verdict]

This is one of the worst linebacker groups in the history of the franchise.

Let’s at least wait until game one and the roster is set before we go in full meltdown mode over the linebacker situation.

 

[Verdict]

Here’s where I disagree -

I can appreciate and even support any Cowboys fan who is optimistic about 2026. I sincerely appreciate that and support the right of everyone who believes that to speak it here. Being hopeful is something I can support.

But I also understand and appreciate the fans who feel burned, disappointed, disheartened and sick of Jerry, his unaccountable family and the 30 years of RESULTS we’ve had.

I fully understand that some fans here do not believe JJ and SJ know what they’re doing and after 30 years don’t “believe” with the same guys in charge, we have a realistic chance.

That is not HATE. I don’t hate anyone. I do hate the RESULTS we keep getting from this FO. Big difference.

I will never understand why we can’t just let people have their opinions without calling them “haters”.

I think it’s reasonable for both camps, and all those who think in between. The difference between last year and this year is we know all the moves made last year as that season is fully history and in the books.

We are just starting this season. People can gnash teeth and lament things not happening on their preferred timeline, but that changes nothing. I may end up being in the “I hate what they did this year group” too but it’s FAR too early for that.

Anyone with half a brain is going to know that Parker is going to want to add some linebackers. So far it seems like Parker is exercising the power he has liberally. (OSA is an example of that. No Clowney yet may also be an example of that).

Let’s wait and see before we go in full “tumor mode” over the situation.