The NFL Free Agency legal tampering period commences today with full-fledged free agency to open in two days.
On March 13th, teams will be able to officially sign free agents to new contracts but don’t expect the Dallas Cowboys to be one of those teams.
Despite having 13 key players’ contracts expire, the tone of Jerry Jones and his son Stephen Jones has been one of continued frugality.
“Aggressiveness” and “free agency” aren’t uttered in the same sentence at The Star unless some form of “not” is included in between them.
The only pre-free agency signing the Cowboys have made is for veteran NT Carl Davis.
There haven’t even been whispers of negotiations to extend contracts for QB Dak Prescott or WR CeeDee Lamb, the two best skill players on the team.
Once March 13th gets here, we still won’t see the Cowboys take any part in the first wave of the free agency frenzy either.
They will let two or three weeks go by before they make some low-budget signings to fill the holes in the roster and prepare for the draft.
Yesterday we discussed the offense’s losses to free agency, and what the starting lineup could look like in 2024.
It’s a premature topic, but that’s why it’s just a projection based mostly on speculation, but also the team’s tendencies from the past to create a likely scenario.
Today we will discuss the team’s seven key players lost from the defense, and how the Cowboys could fill those holes through young players on the roster, free agency, and the draft.
Defense
The Dallas Cowboys have seven key defensive contributors with expiring contracts, and they all played significant snaps in 2023.
Here is the list:
- CB Stephon Gilmore
- DE Dorance Armstrong
- S Jayron Kearse
- CB Jourdan Lewis
- DE Dante Fowler Jr.
- DT Johnathon Hankins
- DT Neville Gallimore
Here are my projections for the starting lineup in Week 1 of 2024 as the roster stands now, but with key analysis based on team tendencies and the veteran free agent market coupled with the draft.
Defensive Line
DeMarcus Lawrence, Mazi Smith, Osa Odighizuwa, Micah Parsons
With two of their top three defensive ends in terms of team snap count lost to free agency, the Cowboys will find a way to make DeMarcus Lawrence’s cap hit more financially palatable so he will remain a Cowboy.
In a league where someone is always waiting to take your spot, 1st round pick Mazi Smith will be forced into action after a disappointing rookie season.
We still haven’t heard the full story on why Smith lost nearly 30 pounds by season’s end, or if it’s even true.
His sophomore season will have to be one of redemption or he will risk being another bust from the defensive line at Michigan University.
Osa Odighizuwa, a 3rd round pick in 2020, is going into a contract year and has been a bit underrated.
He is a candidate for a contract extension before the 2024 season begins whom no one is talking about.
I have Micah Parsons listed as the defensive end opposite Tank Lawrence, but it could likely be a rookie or veteran free agent.
Don’t rule out second-year player Viliami Fehoko if he can put together a strong camp.
I also believe new DC Mike Zimmer will want to utilize Parsons more as an off-ball linebacker which would cause a domino effect at that position.
Speaking of linebackers…
Linebackers
Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown
In this exercise, the defense I’m basing the starting lineup on is a 4-2-5 (four down linemen, two linebackers, five defensive backs) to counter the very common three-wide receiver sets in today’s NFL.
Damone Clark is the incumbent top linebacker on the depth chart since filling in for an injured Leighton Vander Esch in Week 5 of 2023.
Clark showed improvement from his injury-shortened 2022 campaign, but was often caught out of position and didn’t process reads on time.
I wouldn’t be surprised for the Cowboys to sign a veteran in free agency that Mike Zimmer is familiar with to compete with Clark at the top of the depth chart.
Players like Eric Kendricks or Jordan Hicks come to mind after spending time under Zimmer in Minnesota.
DeMarvion Overshown was playing at a high level in training camp and preseason before suffering a torn ACL.
With a year to recover and today’s rehabilitation capabilities, Overshown should be able to come back and win a spot as a starting linebacker.
The Cowboys have virtually no depth at linebacker on the roster, and I believe most of the depth will be shored up with low-priced veterans with a draft pick to supplement.
Secondary
Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis, Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson
I don’t see much change in the secondary aside from Stephon Gilmore not being offered a contract to return.
Jayron Kearse will likely be allowed to just test free agency without a contract offer from the Cowboys.
Dallas appears to be in good shape on the boundary, one of few teams with two All-Pro cornerbacks starting on the outside.
Trevon Diggs is recovering from an ACL tear, but nearly 11 months of rehab could be long enough for him to start the season.
DaRon Bland is looking to lock up his side of the field and put out more proof that he will need a record-breaking contract when the time comes.
Jourdan Lewis’ contract expired but I expect a deal to be worked out with him to keep him in Dallas for the eighth straight season since being drafted in 2017.
He will slide in as the slot cornerback in Nickel packages and is a capable blitzer from that position as well.
At safety, Malik Hooker will maintain his role as deep center field defender for the Cowboys’ defense while Zimmer will have fun deploying Donovan Wilson in the same manner he utilized Harrison Smith in Minnesota.
I fully expect Dallas to draft at least one cornerback, which may even be in the first two rounds.
Dallas has developing reserves at safety like Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell, and Israel Mukuamu so safety in the draft isn’t necessary.
No matter which way you slice it, the Cowboys’ defense will look markedly different for the 2024 season.