Last off-season, the Cowboys roster was shaken up when the team released a franchise legend in Ezekiel Elliott.
The year before that, they surprisingly cut starting tackle La’el Collins and traded star receiver, Amari Cooper.
This is to say that while the focus will be on impending free agents, college prospects, and potential additions, there will also be a fair amount of “moving on” from the Cowboys roster.
Whether it be releasing players under contract, making trades, or letting guys walk, the Cowboys have too much on the line in 2024 and too many money problems to keep everyone in-house.
Will we see surprising cuts like Elliott and Collins? A “salary dump” trade for late-round picks like we saw with Cooper?
Those questions will need to be answered before Dallas can move forward with their full off-season plan.
Release Leighton Vander Esch
In 2018, Dallas pulled the trigger on Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch in the first round. They knew about the medical issues with Vander Esch’s neck and went with him anyway.
In the end, while Vander Esch did have a solid career with Dallas, it looks like his run, and potentially his career, is over from yet another neck injury.
Vander Esch played over 16 games just twice in his six years in Dallas.
There will be a heavy focus on improving the linebacker room this off-season and that has to start with releasing Vander Esch.
Dallas would save $2M in the process, and be able to truly hit the refresh button on the position.
The Cowboys are going to have to rebuild this group from the ground up. With the exception of Damone Clark and Markquese Bell, this may be an entirely new starting unit in 2024.
2023 draft pick DeMarvion Overshown will play in his first bit of action, and there are free agents and draft prospects the Cowboys could target as well.
Unfortunately, this leaves no realistic purpose to hope for a Vander Esch return.
Cut your losses, save some money, and improve at the linebacker position.
Release Michael Gallup
The Cowboys Gallup-Cooper decision went just about as poorly as you can imagine, and now is the time to close that chapter.
In the two seasons since Gallup’s 5-year, $67.5M extension he has caught a total of 73 catches, 842 yards, and 6 touchdowns.
In 2019 alone, Gallup had 66 catches, 1,107 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns.
Simply put, he has not been the same since his ACL injury in January 2022. Meanwhile, Cooper has shined.
At this point, Dallas can’t keep hoping Gallup turns back the clock, especially when they can save $9M if they release him after June 1st.
That money can be used in much more valuable ways than paying for a 400-yard per-season receiver.
Gallup still shows flashes. The problem is that flashes are not worth the money Dallas is paying him. The front office could always bring him back on a cheaper, more short-term deal, after releasing him.
His chemistry with Dak Prescott and his familiarity with the offense is fantastic. His price tag on the other hand? Not so much.
Trade Sam Williams
Defensive End Sam Williams is two years into his NFL career, and it still feels at times like he is the same high-potential, mistakes-prone rookie we watched in 2022.
In limited snaps in Williams’s rookie season, he totaled six penalties, two of which were personal fouls.
This year, he increased his penalty total to a staggering eight flags, four personal fouls, and 80 penalty yards. He was the defense’s leader in every single one of those categories.
In a year where the head coach’s job will be on the line, the Cowboys roster can not afford to go into 2024 with the kind of mistakes Williams consistently makes.
The question then would be, why not just cut him? The answer is, amid all his penalties, Williams has shown really strong potential at times, and teams may find value in that.
Dallas has formidable pass-rushers and can add more this off-season.
They can not offer Wiliams a starting role with the talent ahead of him, but many teams can find a starting spot for him at defensive end or outside linebacker.
If you can use Williams as a means to fill another hole, while also removing his penalties from the equation, you have to do it.
Let Jayron Kearse Walk
Defensive Back Jayron Kearse was a gem of a find by the Cowboys in 2021 after mediocre stints with the Lions and Vikings.
Kearse put up 101 tackles and two interceptions for Dallas in his first year and he earned a 2-year $10M extension after that season.
In the two years since however, Kearse has decreased in tackles, dropping to 77 in 2022 and 72 in 2023. His games started totals also dropped in both of those years.
The veteran safety will turn 30 before the start of next year, and it is not hard to see that on tape. His explosiveness and sideline-to-sideline ability have diminished.
As we talked about with Williams, Kearse himself also has a penalty problem.
He was second in penalties for Cowboys defenders with six; two more penalties were declined. Four of those eight were 15-yard personal fouls.
That is simply inexcusable, especially from a veteran in the last year of his contract.
Dallas is going to start to need replacements for their aging “big three” safeties in Hooker, Wilson, and Kearse, and the latter is going to be the first out the door.
Replace Tyler Biadasz
Another starter who is headed to free agency, Center Tyler Biadasz has started 49 games for Dallas since 2021.
He has been reliable and solid, even making a Pro Bowl in 2022.
Dallas should move on not because of a lack of ability from Biadasz, but because they can do better in the first round of the draft and get a rookie contract with a 5th-year option in the process.
The future of the Cowboys offensive line looks murky; Zack Martin is aging, Tyron Smith is also up for a contract, and Terence Steele had a terrible season.
It could be risky to move on from your starting center with that in mind, but if Dallas can bring back Smith on a new deal and draft a high-potential, day-one starting center, it will be worth the risk.
Letting Biadasz walk saves money and brings some youth to an offensive line that is headed in a younger direction.