I think subconsciously I’ve been pushing this article back because it’s just too damn hard to predict an offseason for a team willing to trade for proven talent. That wrinkle really does change the outlook for a normally stubborn and stoic team like the Dallas Cowboys. But it’s just before the new league year starts and now that the team was unable to trade for Maxx Crosby, it’s time to move forward with the rest of the offseason plan.
NFL free agency is almost here, finally. With just one day to go before the legal tampering window opens on Monday, clubs like the Cowboys are finalizing the necessary work to prepare for what should be a wild and wooly 10-day stretch of madness.
Early free agency is mostly littered with overpay, and while the $22 million jump to $301.2 million in cap space is the smallest since the lockout, teams are chomping at the bit to spend it. As of writing this piece Sunday morning, the Cowboys are almost exactly at the salary cap, with just $220k to spare, according to website Over The Cap.
We had mapped out how the Cowboys could wisely get to $40 million in space, but that was prior to their official second-round tenders to Brandon Aubrey and TJ Bass. In that same exercise we also mapped out some riskier moves that could increase that number up to $86 million in space, a number that now sits around $74 million.
Dallas might not need to create all of that space; they can retain a ton of flexibility without sacrificing the future or rushing decisions. Here, we’ll discuss how they can fix all of their needs without touching more than two contracts, if the projected contracts can land this specific talent.
We’re going to add two edge rushers, two linebackers, two safeties, two offensive lineman and a nickel corner. But first, the Cowboys will need to create more cap space.
Extend Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, add $28.6 million in space
This is laid out in detail in the above link, but adding real years and void years to their two defensive tackles really needs to happen this weekend. Especially with Quinnen Williams, this is the centerpiece of the shift to a 3-4 defense and creating room to add pieces while investing in the core is smart on multiple fronts. Anger just isn’t a premiere punter since signing his extension and can be replaced for net savings. Pull these moves off this weekend and the club is sitting at almost $30 million in cap space.
Step 1: Sign Linebacker Nakobe Dean – $3.8 million cap hit
This seems like the simplest fit. Dean was the middle linebacker who wore the green dot for the defense where Cowboys current DC Christian Parker worked the last two seasons. Dean has an injury history, and is coming off a down year compared to his 2024 breakout, but he’s seen as being in line for a good payday.
Suggested Contract: 3 years, $34 million. Three void years. Fully guaranteed $22 million including $9 million signing bonus. $2 million 2026 base salary guaranteed, $3.8 million 2026 cap hit. $11 million 2027 salary guaranteed and built to restructure to $9M/$2M.
Step 2: Sign Nickel Alonte Taylor – $3.9 million cap hit
Taylor is an analyst favorite and it’s pretty easy to see why. The Cowboys have publicly admitted to learning their lesson in undervaluing Jourdan Lewis, and here they make an investment in filling the position with the top young nickel corner on the market. The way Christian Parker has described the role of a nickel back, this is an integral signing.
Suggested Contract: 4 Years, $47 million, 3 void years. $24 fully guaranteed including his $12 million signing bonus, $1.5 million 2026 base salary, $10.5 million 2027 base salary. 2026 cap hit 2028 Option Bonus of $9 million due on 5th day of 2028 league year, $1.5 million base salary. 2029 base salary of $12.5 million.
Step 3: Sign Safety CJ Gardner Johnson – $2.4 million cap hit
In his one season as a safety under Parker’s tutelage, Gardner-Johnson had the best season of his career, by far. PFF gave him an 85.7 coverage grade in over 750 coverage snaps, when his next highest number is just 64.2.
Suggested Contract: 2 years, $6.5 million. $3.5 million guaranteed includes $2.2 million signing bonus, $1.3 million base salary, $3 million 2027 base salary.
Step 4: Sign safety PJ Locke – $2.5 million cap hit
Locke was an early student of Parker during the new DC’s time in Denver, and seems to be the perfect flier to take to fill out the depth at the position ahead of the draft.
Suggest Contract: 1 year, $2.5 million
Step 5: Sign edge Jaelan Phillips – $4.3 million cap hit
Suggested Contract: 4 years, $65 million. Deal should include four void years, $30 million fully guaranteed that includes $15 million signing bonus, 2026 and 2027 base salaries. 2026 base salary of $1.3 million, cap hit $4.3 million. 2027 base salary $13.7 million. 2028 base salary $2 million, $13 million option bonus due on fifth day of league year. 2029 base salary $2 million, $15 million option bonus due on fifth day of league year.
Step 6: Sign Edge Malcolm Koonce – $4 million cap hit
Koonce missed all of 2024 due to an ACL and played his first-year-back year in 2025. This is a calculated gamble that he’ll be ready to play at his 2023 level now a second-year removed from the injury, and adding to a rotation of Donovan Ezeiruaku and Jaelan Phillips (in this scenario).
Suggested Contract: 2 years, $18.5 million. Deal includes one void year $8 milion in guaranteed money, $6 million signing bonus, $2 million 2026 base salary. $10.5 million in 2027 base salary.
Step 7: Sign LB Justin Strnad – $2.7 million cap hit
Update: Strnad re-upped with the Broncos Sunday morning instead of hitting free agency.
Adding Strnad to Dean, DeMarvion Overshown and Shemar James prepares the Cowboys in case they cannot find an immediate impact starter in the draft, making them four deep. There should be plenty of late free agency options following the draft at the position as well.
Suggested Contract: 3 years $13 million. Includes $5.3 million guaranteed in $4 million signing bonus, $1.3 million base salary for 2026. Cap hit $2.7 million. 2027 base salary $3 million, 2028 base salary $4.7 million.
Step 8: Re-Sign OL Robert Jones – $3 million cap hit
Jones was slated to be an early impediment to Tyler Booker starting early in his career, but a broken bone in his neck derailed Jones’ 2025 season. Bringing him back to be a second interior backup option in case TJ Bass is needed makes a ton of sense.
Suggested Contract: 1 year, $3 million. $1 million signing bonus, $2 million base salary.
Step 9: Sign OT Braxton Jones – $3.2 million cap hit
Jones turned in a tremendously solid 2024 season as a pass protector, with an 80.8 PFF grade, but only started four games in 2025 due to a knee injury. Signing him gives the club ultimate flexibility in training camp. It gives Dallas the chance to have a strong veteran LT if Tyler Guyton doesn’t improve, or if they choose to move him to RT to replace Terence Steele. The proposed contract is equivalent to what they are paying TJ Bass to be the top interior reserve with the second-round tender, just with an additional season.
Suggested Contract: 2 years, $11 million. $3.7 million signing bonus, $1.3 million 2026 base salary are both guaranteed. 2027 base salary is $6 million.
Suggest Free Agent Haul Summary
All in all, these 9 signings would result in $29.8 million in cap space, and since they’d be replacing nine low-cost players in the Top 51 offseason cap calculations, they’d use up around $20.5 million of the $28.6 million of space created by the extensions to Clark and Williams.
That additional $9.2 million is more than enough to sign their 2026 draft class, calculated to costing around $7.5 million in additional space with their current allotment of picks.
Here’s how Dallas’ depth chart would look heading into the draft:
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 9 free agents Cowboys should sign with suggested contract, cap hits
Reporting by K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
