Comparing 2025 FA moves and trades to 2026 moves so far

[kskboys]

Well, if we don’t resign Pickens couldn’t we have pursued Hendrickson?

That is possible.

 

[kskboys]

These contracts are made to be restructured. Dak counts 79M against the cap next year if we don't restructure it, for example.

IMO, we have treadmilled. The only position upgraded was safety. Gary for Clowney in regard to QB pressure is a wash, at best. I don't see how this defense with the current crop of OLBs on the roster generates any pass rush. We don't have an ILB and our CBs could be a bottom 5 group in the league. Obviously, the draft will enfuse talent, but every team can say as much so that doesn't really move the needle past anyone.

The improvement I guess is coming from the new defensive alignment and coaching bc it's not in the talent base.

Thompson, Locke, Durant, and Otto are humongous upgrades from what we had.

 

[KingCorcoran]

Depends on the fan.
Some as myself, I go into each year as a new adventure. Lets see, and hope (as we all do as fans) things will be better, even if a team come off a winning season, fans do this.
Some, many fans, will be in constant doom and gloom, as we seen. And that is their choice.

I do not use the past to get me down about it, unless a team is basically gutted. And you know they will be bad, such as going from 1988 3-13 to 1989 when they went 1-15, though Jimmy was here. Then there was nothing to get down about, we all knew it was a complete rebuild.

I feel they will be better, and am confident of that. However, I still need to see it on the field. But I am not hating on how the off season is going so far. Just because they did not spend super huge over the contract money.

It is fair to expect a team to try to do things differently if how they’ve done things in the past has been unsuccessful. Fans’ disdain for Jerry Jones is real and warranted.

 

[gtb1943]

It is fair to expect a team to try to do things differently if how they’ve done things in the past has been unsuccessful. Fans’ disdain for Jerry Jones is real and warranted.

The FO fanboys always say the same thing
ITS A NEW YEAR
with the same cast of characters which is why nothing really will change
This year looks really good because in comparison to last years disastrous offseason it does
But its not great and should not be treated that way
and the biggest moves happened last season anyway

 

[KingCorcoran]

The FO fanboys always say the same thing
ITS A NEW YEAR
with the same cast of characters which is why nothing really will change
This year looks really good because in comparison to last years disastrous offseason it does
But its not great and should not be treated that way
and the biggest moves happened last season anyway

All NFL franchise owners or ownership groups are justifiably proud of their organizations. These are multi-billion dollar entities. It is understandable that owners look at their operations from the organization’s perspective.

General Managers, employees of owners, build rosters by presenting the franchise to players from the players’ and coaches’ perspective. To an owner every subordinate is part of the organization. To the GM every subordinate is part of the team. Owners build organizations. GM’s build teams.

The Dallas Cowboys have an owner. They do not have a General Manager.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Thompson, Locke, Durant, and Otto are humongous upgrades from what we had.

I think we have upgraded at safety. Otto is a defensive fit but he's not better than Osa. Otto made 7 tackles last year. He's just a big body in the middle bc this defense demands one. Durant adds depth. He's not a difference maker.

On the bright side, the defense has only one way to go.

 

[eromeopolk]

Sorry but this is just a horrible and not to be offensive, but clueless take. I get making the argument we aren’t much better but no chance we are worse

As an Arlington Jonesboys fan, you have been wrong saying this for 30 years. As a Dallas Cowboys fan, I have been right for 30 years. Go check the results.

I want the Arlington Jonesboys to be the Dallas Cowboys again and win Super Bowls. However, being a Dallas Cowboys fan, I know a Super Bowl contender when I see one based on knowing how Tex Schramm, Gil Brandt, John Wooten, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Ackles, and Bill Parcells built them without Jerry Jones as Dumbo GM and Defacto Head Coach.

Lets see if I am right 30 years in a row.

 

[BlindFaith]

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?

Why did you leave off J Williams, Pickens and Aubrey? You could add Bass as well.

Lots of money tied up there, even though they were our own guys that we retained.

 

[Jarntt]

As an Arlington Jonesboys fan, you have been wrong saying this for 30 years. As a Dallas Cowboys fan, I have been right for 30 years. Go check the results.

I want the Arlington Jonesboys to be the Dallas Cowboys again and win Super Bowls. However, being a Dallas Cowboys fan, I know a Super Bowl contender when I see one based on knowing how Tex Schramm, Gil Brandt, John Wooten, Jimmy Johnson, Bob Ackles, and Bill Parcells built them without Jerry Jones as Dumbo GM and Defacto Head Coach.

Lets see if I am right 30 years in a row.

It's as if you've never read this board. Nice attempt at a passive aggressive spin though just because you were proven wrong and clueless on this particular topic

 

[fivetwos]

Quite simply, it still seems as though they are still convinced that their plan/way of doing things is the right way.

Delusion and stubbornness are a bad combo.

 

[jazzcat22]

I think we have upgraded at safety. Otto is a defensive fit but he's not better than Osa. Otto made 7 tackles last year. He's just a big body in the middle bc this defense demands one. Durant adds depth. He's not a difference maker.

On the bright side, the defense has only one way to go.

Otto is not meant to be Osa replacement.
That was a salary dump, and got a 3rd round pick. Get trade. As with Clark and Williams and bringing in Gary, Osa snaps were going to get reduced most likely. As Osa could play inside and outside. Otto is good depth. They will address Osa replacement in the draft.

They brought back Wheat, who may be able to take some of those snaps, though he is not nearly as good. But with the pay difference and snap count difference a good trade off, for now.

Yes, the defense can only go up. I think Parker though unproven, and the almost entire new defensive staff and scheme is a huge plus.

 

[John813]

At this time, to be determined how the new guys do.
But, from looking at it now, they addressed safety/nickel in FA, got Gary at edge but did nothing to date at LB.
It doesn't feel like a decent shift from previous FA's. I don't think they like to compete in bidding wars, so losing to the Raiders for Dean wasn't a big shock, as Davis probably wouldn't of cared to keep throwing a few mil at Dean to seal the deal.

Most guys are on that 1 year deal which is fine, but feels like more often than not, there's a reason why they have to settle for a 1 year deal.
Didn't expect them to go like a 10 year old playing Madden throwing big money to everyone, but it didn't feel like a FA class where they actually felt like they had to change course.

 

[Diehardblues]

We'd have to take the tag off him, making him a FA.

Yep. And or trade him for draft picks .

 

[kskboys]

I think we have upgraded at safety. Otto is a defensive fit but he's not better than Osa. Otto made 7 tackles last year. He's just a big body in the middle bc this defense demands one. Durant adds depth. He's not a difference maker.

On the bright side, the defense has only one way to go.

Otto is a better run stopper. They are polar opposite players. If we'd had someone to stop the run in the middle in our playoff games, he would've been a monstrous difference maker.

 

[kskboys]

Otto is not meant to be Osa replacement.
That was a salary dump, and got a 3rd round pick. Get trade. As with Clark and Williams and bringing in Gary, Osa snaps were going to get reduced most likely. As Osa could play inside and outside. Otto is good depth. They will address Osa replacement in the draft.

They brought back Wheat, who may be able to take some of those snaps, though he is not nearly as good. But with the pay difference and snap count difference a good trade off, for now.

Yes, the defense can only go up. I think Parker though unproven, and the almost entire new defensive staff and scheme is a huge plus.

Clark is the Osa replacement. And he's better.

 

[eromeopolk]

It's as if you've never read this board. Nice attempt at a passive aggressive spin though just because you were proven wrong and clueless on this particular topic

Tell me who the Jonesboys have to credibly fill the positions that are in the original post? This team depending on rookies and incumbents at those positions will not be in a Super Bowl let alone a NFC Championship game.

I am not passive aggressive. I am a factual realist.

Give your opinions on the facts or do not respond. I surely will not. Because you did not respond with a credible rebuttal. You just stated the same Jerry Dumbo GM Jones Kool Aid induced comma nonsense of the last 30 years. You know not and know not that you know not.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Otto is a better run stopper. They are polar opposite players. If we'd had someone to stop the run in the middle in our playoff games, he would've been a monstrous difference maker.

I think your projecting on him. He's not the stud DT you have wanted. He's an oft injured, 5th round talent.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Otto is not meant to be Osa replacement.
That was a salary dump, and got a 3rd round pick. Get trade. As with Clark and Williams and bringing in Gary, Osa snaps were going to get reduced most likely. As Osa could play inside and outside. Otto is good depth. They will address Osa replacement in the draft.

They brought back Wheat, who may be able to take some of those snaps, though he is not nearly as good. But with the pay difference and snap count difference a good trade off, for now.

Yes, the defense can only go up. I think Parker though unproven, and the almost entire new defensive staff and scheme is a huge plus.

I know Osa was traded bc he didn't fit in the new defensive scheme. But lets not act like we upgraded the DT position either. We just got a big body who has only played more than 9 games once in 4 seasons. Osa on the other hand rarely ever missed a game and was so good that SF not only took on his huge contract but also gave us a 3rd pick for him. We got Ogbonina for nothing. He's making barely more than league minimum bc thats HIS value.

 

[jazzcat22]

I know Osa was traded bc he didn't fit in the new defensive scheme. But lets not act like we upgraded the DT position either. We just got a big body who has only played more than 9 games once in 4 seasons. Osa on the other hand rarely ever missed a game and was so good that SF not only took on his huge contract but also gave us a 3rd pick for him. We got Ogbonina for nothing. He's making barely more than league minimum bc thats HIS value.

Most fans did not like OSA. Have you read this place. I am pretty sure you were one that did not think he was very good. Now you do a 180..

Though he was not as good as you are now making him out to be. We may have not got better, but we did not get worse.

Come on. This is just laughable.

 

[zekecowboy]

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 agree wholeheartedly with your post. The "haters term" comes up as an argument against a poster since one is not agreeing with their thought process. Its weak but it continues on.