The NFL boosted the salary cap last month, increasing the previous year’s amount by $30.6 million for the Cowboys and every other team. They’ve been making moves to free up more cap space, and other moves can still be made. Will the Cowboys do anything with that, beyond the three major looming in-house extensions? If so, here are some external candidates (with The Athletic’s Randy Mueller’s top 150 rankings) the Cowboys could pursue.
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Bobby Wagner, LB (99)
He would’ve been a great fit in Dallas last season. A veteran off-the-ball linebacker is even more of a need this year. He’ll be 34 in June, but he’s coming off a year when he was named second-team All-Pro. He played for the Seattle Seahawks last season on a one-year, $5.5 million deal. Could the Cowboys maybe get him for one year at $4 million? Possibly. And that seems like a move that would be worth it. Dallas’ defense needs an experienced field general in the middle, especially with the uncertainty of Leighton Vander Esch’s NFL future. A trio of Wagner, Damone Clark and DeMarvion Overshown looks pretty good on paper.
Eric Kendricks, LB
This would likely be a more affordable option at the position. Kendricks signed a two-year, $13.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers last March. He was released last week. The 32-year-old played in 15 games last season, starting 14. He finished with 117 tackles, which was second on the team, and 3 1/2 sacks. The biggest reason he is mentioned here is because he was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings when Zimmer was their head coach. He played seven seasons for the current Cowboys defensive coordinator. That included an All-Pro season in 2019. If Zimmer thinks Kendricks still has plenty to offer, this pairing makes a lot of sense.
Josey Jewell, LB (126)
He’s another potential fit as a veteran linebacker who could be a leader to a young group. Jewell, 29, was a fourth-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018. He has been a starter the last four seasons, finishing with more than 100 tackles each of the last two seasons. He signed a two-year, $11 million contract extension in March of 2022. The Cowboys need help at off-the-ball linebacker, which they could address in the draft. But already having younger players in Clark and Overshown — both 23 — it seems like a good idea to add a veteran to the mix.
Christian Wilkins, DT (6)
Although it’s highly unlikely that the Cowboys would’ve had a realistic shot at signing him, Chris Jones would’ve been the most impactful addition Dallas could have made from this free-agency class. There’s not a more “all in” move than putting Jones in the middle of Mike Zimmer’s defense. But Jones re-signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night. Wilkins might be the next-best defensive tackle available. And since it’s arguably the Cowboys’ biggest position of need, an upgrade at DT would be an outstanding move. Wilkins is an excellent run defender, ranking 10th among interior defensive linemen (with at least 500 snaps) in run defense last season, according to Pro Football Focus. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2019 draft. Since then, Wilkins has started 77 games for the Miami Dolphins, including every game over the last three seasons.
D.J. Reader, DT (36)
While reeling in Jones from Kansas City might be the pipe dream, signing Reader could be a more realistic option for the Cowboys to address their need in the interior defensive line. Reader is solid against the pass but it’s his play against the run that makes him even more appealing to the Cowboys, who struggled mightily in that department last season, particularly late in the season in games that mattered most. Reader does have some injury concerns, with his 2020 season ending in early October because of a quad injury. He also missed a good chunk of the 2022 season with a knee injury and went down last year in Week 15 with another quad injury that prematurely ended his campaign. While not ideal, perhaps those injury issues can help bring Reader’s value down a bit to more of the Cowboys’ comfort zone.
Jonathan Greenard, DE (7)
This is a fantasy target for the Cowboys because Greenard is coming off of a year in which he led the Houston Texans with a career-high in sacks (12 1/2) and he’s only 26 years old. A young pass rusher like him is bound to break the bank in free agency. This past season, Greenard earned a Pro Football Focus grade of above 69 in both pass rushing and run defense. If the Cowboys can work the cap and want to go all in on one big fish — a significant departure from their usual strategy — Greenard could help the run defense and create a lethal pass-rushing combination with Micah Parsons.
Saquon Barkley, RB (3)
The Cowboys are familiar with Barkley after the Penn State standout was drafted second overall in 2018 by the New York Giants. Barkley is a big name at a position that shouldn’t require a large investment but that doesn’t automatically disqualify Barkley from consideration. For one, the Cowboys are facing a blank slate at running back for the first time since 2016. There is uncertainty as to what their approach will be. The draft is an option, and will likely be utilized, but Dallas should have a decent outlook in place before April. Barkley has a good relationship with Penn State alum Parsons, who could do some recruiting. The position has been greatly devalued over the years. If the market doesn’t set a high bar, Barkley may not have a ton of lucrative options. Could that lead to a match with the Cowboys?
Derrick Henry, RB (40)
The Cowboys probably won’t be the highest bidder, but if Henry is determined to join Dallas, maybe something could be worked out. With Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle being unrestricted free agents, Henry would make sense as the Cowboys’ next No. 1 running back. Henry, who recently turned 30, still has gas left in the tank. He rushed for over 1,167 yards last season while playing in every game for the Tennessee Titans. While the Cowboys would probably rather go cheaper at the position and address it in the second or third round of next month’s draft, signing Henry would give them a physical presence in the run game that was missing last season.
Laken Tomlinson, G (56)
Tomlinson should not be viewed as a grand solution to any holes on the offensive line but he could be a good veteran addition to take a flyer on after his release from the New York Jets a couple of weeks ago. Tomlinson is a 2015 first-round pick but had a rough year last season. It’s worth noting that the Jets were an all-around dumpster fire last season, particularly up front, where they had one of the worst offensive lines in the league and started 13 combinations. Tomlinson’s durability is an asset — he has started 114 consecutive games dating back to 2017. If the Cowboys have to do any shuffling along the offensive line to account for key departures, Tomlinson can provide them with options. The Cowboys would hope for him to rediscover his 2021 Pro Bowl level of play.
Charles Leno, LT (103)
The Commanders are in a position of revamping their roster and Leno was part of that process. Like Tomlinson, context is important to consider with the overall situation in Washington. The Commanders surrendered 65 sacks last season but a lot of that had to do with the play around Leno and the performance of quarterback Sam Howell. Pro Football Focus assigned three of those 65 sacks to Leno. If the Cowboys lose Tyron Smith, Leno could be an option. Playing next to Tyler Smith and blocking for a veteran like Dak Prescott in a version of the West Coast offense could allow Leno to be a solid piece to the puzzle.
