Iloka might be an upgrade over Woods and Heath. But with the cap room Dallas has, wouldn't you rather have had E. Thomas or T. Mathieu? With the cap room Dallas has, why settle for average when you could've had the cream of the crop?
What's the difference between:
1. Not signing players because you don't have the cap room?
2. Not signing players because you want to avoid manipulating the cap in the future?
It depends in what you prefer in a slot WR if you think whether or not Cobb is an upgrade over Beasley.
I'll give you Hyder. He not only was coming off of an Achilles, he was also moving from a 4-3 to a 3-4.
It took 2 years to clean up the mess that Chip Kelly created. Now it's just a matter of getting younger players on the roster, and having them ready to take over for the older veterans when the time comes.
You said a mouthful with "There are issues just like everywhere else" That includes Dallas. You have to pay players at some point whether you drafted them or are signing them in FA. All 32 teams have to make decisions on what players to keep and which players to let walk. And that's regardless of win/loss record, post season record, etc. You may as well reach out for that brass ring while it's within grabbing distance.