It may come to a shock to some of you, but I wouldn't expect the Dallas Cowboys to be big-time players in free agency in 2018. Okay, I know it's probably to be expected since they have developed a “bargain shopping” mentality these last few years in free agency, but that doesn't stop a lot of Cowboys fans from voicing their displeasure with this approach.
The Dallas Cowboys simply don't have the salary-cap space right now to be very active in free agency, but that could change by moving some money around and restructuring or extending a few of their current players. I still expect them to bring in a few players to provide some much-needed depth at certain positions, but they will undoubtably let the market settle before throwing their hat in the ring.
With that in mind, there are a few “bargain” FAs who I think the Cowboys should target, and as luck would have it, they are all former Penn State players. Sean Lee could become a very important recruiting tool in order to bring in some of his former teammates and Penn State alumni.
LB, Navorro Bowman
The Dallas Cowboys were supposedly interested in bringing Navorro Bowman in last year after his time with the San Francisco 49ers came to an end. Unfortunately, they never got a chance to meet with him, because he never made it out of the Bay Area and signed with the Oakland Raiders instead. But, Bowman is a FA once again and the Cowboys could have a second chance to bring him aboard.
Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee were teammates at Penn State and were a formidable pair of linebackers for the Nittany Lions. Neither Lee or Bowman are in their prime at this point in their careers, but both players still have quite a bit left in the tank. There's no denying the Cowboys could use some more depth at the LB position and Bowman would definitely provide that.
OLB/DE, Tamba Hali
Tamba Hali was recently released by the Kansas City Chiefs and that could end up being good news for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys defensive end position is a huge question mark heading into the 2018 season and their current DEs are largely unproven, with the exception of DeMarcus Lawrence. Hali is no spring chicken anymore, but I believe he could provide some much-needed depth and veteran leadership.
Tamba Hali is entering his mid-30s and those kind of players don't typically receive “big-money” contracts in free agency, which fits into the Dallas Cowboys “bargain shopping” approach. Hali was a little bit ahead of Sean Lee's time at Penn State, but as a fellow alumni, I think he would have open ears to listen to Lee's recruiting pitch. Joining a young and up-and-coming defense could be exactly what Hali is looking for.
LB, Paul Posluszny
Paul Posluszny is another former teammate of Sean Lee's at Penn State and someone the Dallas Cowboys could show an interest in as a free agent. Like Tamba Hali, Posluszny is entering his mid-30s and isn't likely to command a “big-money” contract as a free agent. But, that doesn't mean he wouldn't be a welcomed addition to the Cowboys linebacker group.
Posluszny isn't the player he once was earlier in his career, but he will provide much-needed depth and help be yet another mentor for the Cowboys young and upcoming LB, Jaylon Smith. He could be exactly the type of LB the Cowboys are looking for and he could possibly be acquired on a veteran minimum contract.
