It’s been a long time since the Cowboys were extremely active during NFL free agency. If you think 2021 will be any different, do not to get your hopes up too much. But one thing the Cowboys need to do in free agency is target multiple players at positions the draft lacks talent at. When projecting the 2021 NFL Draft, it’s easy to see what positions have depth, and what positions lack talent and depth. The Cowboys should do their best to target the later in free agency, in case things do not go as planned this April.
When diving into this 2021 draft class, a few positions pop off as very deep, with a lot of talent. Wide receiver, interior offensive line, and quarterback are a few that come to mind off the jump. While it’s unlikely the Cowboys target a receiver, interior linemen, or quarterback early, players such as; DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Creed Humphrey, Rashawn Slater, Jamar Chase, Wyatt Davis, Rashod Bateman, and many others could be tough to pass on in the top 50.
Positions that lack depth and talent at the top are defensive tackle, linebacker, and cornerback depth outside of the top six to eight guys. Knowing that, the Cowboys would be wise to add players at those positions in free agency. That way if things don’t fall the way they hoped, they aren’t stuck with having to play guys like Daryl Worley, Rashard Robinson, and Savion Smith like they did in 2020 after not using free agency to add to the secondary or only using the “bargain bin shopping” approach that has hurt them over the last decade with adding talent to their team, especially their defense.
While the Cowboys won’t have a ton of spare money to spend in free agency, they can generate enough cap space to add two or three starting caliber players if they do things the right way (lowering Dak Prescott’s cap hit with a new contract, releasing aging players that aren’t helping, and/or pulling some contract triggers on players who will be around for the foreseeable future). A few names to keep an eye on in free agency that could help this defense at positions of need, that shouldn’t cost an arm-and-a-leg are DS Jaquiski Tartt, CB Richard Sherman, CB Cam Sutton, DS Keanu Neal, DS Malik Hooker, CB Jason Verrett, DL Ndamukong Suh, LB Reggie Ragland, LB Raekwon McMillan, DT Isaach Rochell, and DT Vincent Taylor.
While it would be reckless to assume the Cowboys will go out an add a big-time player like Dalvin Tomlinson, William Jackson III, or Justin Simmons, it would also be reckless for the Jones family to ignore some of the quality depth at positions of need that this NFL free agency market will have. They rely on the draft heavily to build their roster, but as the teams currently in the Super Bowl are showing us, free agency is an absolutely massive factor in determining the National Football League’s most talented teams.