Veteran free agency means overpaying for players that are actually impactful. Teams understand this. However, the teams with critical needs that cannot be addressed through the draft will participate in signing these players.
Typically, the moves are made to either create excitement among their fans or the team is good enough to compete save for that one position.
The Cowboys are in a position that, not only do they draft well, but their players are also very popular in veteran free agency. Really, just signing their own players is a victory in veteran free agency.
The double edged sword in drafting well is that they must be paid before their rookie contract expires and when the team has exclusive negotiating rights. Releasing them to veteran free agency forces the team to compete with 31 others.
When I say the Cowboys draft well, I do not mean that they draft well on a consistent basis throughout each draft. Interestingly it's "feast or famine". When they hit, they hit big.
This team's previous five drafts have netted 18 Pro Bowl and 5 first team All Pro honors and that is far and above any other team. However, in order to maximize this abundance in talent, the Cowboys must make judicious decisions on contract renewals.
It is a very challenging situation dealing with the three present contracts under discussion and it will not end there. Half a dozen other top players will soon need to be considered.
Challenging that it is, every NFL team wishes they had the same problem as opposed to sorting out the risk/rewards of veteran free agency.
