Comparing 2025 FA moves and trades to 2026 moves so far

[gimmesix]

The only thing that makes it different is Thompson.

I knew they were going to pull this (not that I was alone)…..they expect miracles from Parker and expect the two firsts are going to be immediate studs.

It’s not enough to offset years of free agent neglect and blown high draft picks.

Maybe Thompson is a test. The Joneses have been gun shy about big contracts for outside free agents since Carr. This isn't a huge money deal, but it actually represents an investment in an outside free agent unlike any we've seen since 2012. If Thompson succeeds, maybe they'll be more willing to invest in other FAs.

 

[Pentagruel]

Overpaid Osa/Diggs/Bland/Hooker/Don Wilson. There are a myriad of examples that they suck at player evaluations.

Exactly what sort of facts are you using to claim that they are not terrible at player evaluations. T Crawford, Jaylon. They have head shaker after head shaker paying the wrong players. I mean, are you saying it just to say it? The facts point toward the exact opposite. If they are so good, then how did they not know that Mazi lacks lateral agility? Where was this amazing player evalution ability when we thought Murray wasn't worth even trying to sign?

They are always lacking for FA money strictly due to them being poor evaluators and paying players they shouldn't have.

They have drafted well over the last decade and the dumpster diving they have done has a relatively high success rate compared to the league average. These types of signing are always dart throws and they’ve not been bad at it. None of those players you’ve mentioned are bad players, they’ve just overpaid them because they can’t negotiate. Every single organization including Super Bowl teams you can point to a plethora of signings and draft picks that haven’t worked out. The difference is that they have taken a lot more shots at legitimate free agents so they also can point to more successes. The cowboys need to take more shots, not even less.

 

[DarkVader33]

Jerry definitely loves his 1st-round busts Always thinks his organization will unlock what everyone else couldn’t. Never works.

The cowboys have had a very good track record for first round picks. The rest of the draft, not so much lately.

 

[DarkVader33]

no matter what you claim, in the end you always default to defending the FO

when you ignore thirty straight years and keep on drinking the kool aid without results to back it up, its just supporting the con man

Why do you care what he drinks? Better than *iss and vinegar.

 

[DarkVader33]

With no pass rush and no talent at DB, you have to play zone. Come on, people, you cannot man up w/ players who are poor at coverage and no pass rush. This is Football 101 stuff.

So having the CBs 15 yards away from the LOS at the snap was smart?

 

[gimmesix]

It is different from the players, they got better players, and did not bring back bad players.

Fans will look into this as being a negative. But so far it has not been.
It has been different. Its started by purging the defensive coaches.

Who cares if the money spent was really any different or not.
What players could the have way over spent on the would have made that huge of a difference.

This is what we tell ourselves to help us cope with what the Cowboys do in free agency.

The only change is Thompson because Dallas doesn't give out three-year deals for that much to outside free agents. The others were bargains for a reason.

Take P.J. Locke. Coming off 2024, he might have been valued similarly to Thompson, but he had spinal fusion surgery and then only finished with 12 combined tackles for the Broncos last year. He was a bargain because of that. Will he bounce back or will that surgery prove too much to overcome.

We got Ogbonnia for cheap because he also suffered an injury setback (and a demotion). He played in five games as a backup in 2025 (making three tackles) and then went on IR with an elbow injury. He did return in December. Ogbonnia had started every game in 2024.

Gary was cheap (2027 fourth) because he was expensive for the Packers to keep at his production level. He started the season well when they paired him with Parsons, but fell off after Parsons go hurt, not recording a sack in the last nine regular-season games and in the one playoff game.

These are generally the types of players Dallas looks for in free agency and trades this time of year.

 

[zrinkill]

The cowboys have had a very good track record for first round picks.

2026 - TBD
2025 - Tyler Booker - good so far
2024 - Tyler Guyton - not good so far.
2023 - Mazi Smith - massive bust
2022 - Tyler Smith - Very good so far .... average last year.
2021 - Micah Parsons - Great great player ...... But not a Cowboy anymore so tragic.
2020 - CeeDee Lamb - Great player ...... but many think (not me) he is the second best WR we have.
2019 - traded away for a player they traded away for a 5th a few years later.
2018 - LVE - bust because of injuries.
2017 - Taco Charlton - massive bust
2016 - Zeke - Looked like a huge star for only 4 years.

 

[DarkVader33]

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”.

You’re not one of them but there are a few here that are. If someone posts something even a little positive, they are pounced on.

 

[jazzcat22]

This is what we tell ourselves to help us cope with what the Cowboys do in free agency.

The only change is Thompson because Dallas doesn't give out three-year deals for that much to outside free agents. The others were bargains for a reason.

Take P.J. Locke. Coming off 2024, he might have been valued similarly to Thompson, but he had spinal fusion surgery and then only finished with 12 combined tackles for the Broncos last year. He was a bargain because of that. Will he bounce back or will that surgery prove too much to overcome.

We got Ogbonnia for cheap because he also suffered an injury setback (and a demotion). He played in five games as a backup in 2025 (making three tackles) and then went on IR with an elbow injury. He did return in December. Ogbonnia had started every game in 2024.

Gary was cheap (2027 fourth) because he was expensive for the Packers to keep at his production level. He started the season well when they paired him with Parsons, but fell off after Parsons go hurt, not recording a sack in the last nine regular-season games and in the one playoff game.

These are generally the types of players Dallas looks for in free agency and trades this time of year.

I am not coping at all. It is how I feel. Other will se it as not doing anything different.

 

[jazzcat22]

You’re not one of them but there are a few here that are. If someone posts something even a little positive, they are pounced on.

And this is what I meant by what I said. It is the ones that are constantly that way. Regardless of what the news is.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Last year the theme seemed to be getting players who were talented enough to be first-round picks and coaching them up. Either the coaches sold the front office on that idea or the front office thought the coaches could do it. IMO, that is pure hubris. These other teams have quality NFL coaches, too, so the possibility that you are going to succeed where they didn't is low.

This year, we seem to have shifted to players who have shown recently that they can play on this level, even if it's not to the extent that they were worth more in free agency and trades. Now, I think they believe they can coach them up again and get a higher level of play than they have shown, but at least their current level of play isn't terrible, like it was with Murray, Elam and Turner.

this .....100%

 

[Kwyn]

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.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite dead money hit!
$26m to a retiring Zack Martin.

$16.5m of it this year. There’s your choice of linebackers this year!

 

[kramskoi]

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.

Akheem Mesidor is as good as any edge in this draft, save his partner Bain Jr. I think Mesidor is arguably as good as Bailey. He will make an immediate impact. He has advanced hand-fighting skills. He just lacks the brute power of Bain. CJ Allen is a day one mike who'd be a quarterback of the defense on the field. He did it at Georgia. Sure, it's a step up in the pros but he's the one who is most ready to start day one. That said, I would be extremely happy if they were able to poach Brooks from Miami. Sick move if they can pull it off. It would be THE move of the offseason...and you'd then have to give Jerry his flowers. But lets wait and see how it all shakes out.

 

[kramskoi]

How do you figure?

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

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

They actually got somewhat a deal on Gary...working him down to around 16 mil/yr. Man took a pay cut. I think Steele did as well.

 

[SlammedZero]

The cowboys have had a very good track record for first round picks. The rest of the draft, not so much lately.

I meant more that they take flyers on signing former 1st-round draft busts. There’s a long list of them.

 

[Kwyn]

Parker
Thompson helps the secondary out a ton
Revel is fully acclimated / recovered
Overshown is fully recovered
D-line should be good
Cobie Durant could be a sneaky good signing.

Reasons for concern -
DB group as whole has questions, especially with Blands foot surgury.
Position changes, will they be a positive or negative for the team?

The closer we get to draft day, I think McCoy very well could be the pick at 12.

There are still no LBs. Overshown is not, and likely never will be, “fully recovered”.

We are still very weak at CB. One addition when we needed three is bad.

 

[Kwyn]

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.

He didn’t say they wanted to trade him. I believe he said they felt they could adapt to it better than they actually could,

Jerry told us everyone was on board snd then Schottenheimer couldn’t very well say he was against it. No coach in the NFL could do that, especially here.

 

[Kwyn]

Well, I disagree that you didn't say it. By putting this on Eber/Schotty, you are indeed saying they had something to do w/ it. Otherwise, there would be nothing to misjudge.

I think Eber/Schotty struggled mightily due to that trade. I doubt if they misjudged anything.

If they truly endorsed that move and said what you said they are saying, then you are correct and I am wrong. Where did you hear about them stating that?

He didn’t say that. You are creating a straw man argument .

Schottenheimer had zero to do with that trade. They just had to deal with the aftermath and put on a brave face

 

[Kwyn]

Why do you care what he drinks? Better than *iss and vinegar.

 

[ArtClink]

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?

It’s what I like to call “business as usual” for the Jones boys. This is what “all in” looks like in Dallas.

As you stated there doesn’t appear to be any actions taken by this FO that would indicate they are serious about winning.

Jazz, quality of FA historically has a direct correlation to money spent.

Does spending money on Free agents guarantee quality? No, certainly not. But the likelihood of success is much greater than with a bunch of low cost one year guys.

It’s like buying a $30k used car or a $10k used car. Which one is more likely to be better?

We’ve seen the low budget FA approach for years and what it has brought us. I guess we can “hope” this year is better?

This!

My only hope is that Schotty/Parker are being allowed to pick the groceries. I see the guys we picked up as useful players. Only move I really didn't understand was paying Bass 6 mil.

They are not allowed to buy the groceries. All power is centralized in Jerry and to some extent Stephen. The hc and other coaches can mk suggestions but they have no power. The hc wasn’t allowed to hire his own staff for goodness sake.

I still think what they done this year is far better. I don't care if they spent more or less. Again what top FA would have they signed that is the difference maker?
Yes a LB, but they can't control that as fans think they can.

Yes fans get frustrated and vent, especially the time of the year. Do fans want them to do another Brandon Carr deal (yes a pun on your car analogy).

Is “far better” enough to translate to a deep playoff run? The answer is no.

One man's trash is another man's treasure....many players flourish on new teams, new schemes and knowing it could be their last chance. I'll wait til the pads come on, before I start comparing.

I’ll mk it easy. Will our defense be better than last season? Yes. Is Jerry’s rebuilt defense good enough for a deep playoff run? Absolutely not.

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”.

Oh … results …