The Dallas Cowboys should pursue this veteran free agent for the offensive line

The Dallas Cowboys are currently sitting with one of the best rosters across the NFL. They have a high-powered offense, led by QB Dak Prescott, and a suffocating defense featuring LB Micah Parsons, CB Trevon Diggs, and CB Stephon Gilmore. The team has little weakness on paper, and should contend for a Super Bowl in the 2023 season. Despite the talented roster, the team still has around $24 million in cap space, according to spotrac.com. This currently ranks as the third most in the NFL, behind only the Chicago Bears ($32M) and the Carolina Panthers ($28M).

With plenty of cap space available for the Cowboys to continue adding to their already impressive roster, many fans of the organization are hoping the Cowboys can make a splash for either veteran free agent WR DeAndre Hopkins, or veteran free agent RB Dalvin Cook. While both of these players would be an exciting addition to the Cowboys heading into the season, there is a much more logical option available that could still benefit the Cowboys tremendously. Free agent LG Dalton Risner.

Risner is still available late into free agency despite only missing four games over the past four seasons with the Denver Broncos as an interior offensive lineman. He suffered an elbow injury late in the 2022 season which led to him finishing the season on injury reserve. The former second-round pick of the 2019 draft has been consistent as a pass blocker in all four years of his career, finishing with a pass blocking grade from 69.6 to 72.6 in each of those seasons. Risner is also only 27 years old, and could provide some stability for the Cowboys at left guard for the immediate future while they figure out what they want to do with their current offensive line room.

9NEWS’ Mike Klis said on June 7 that there are “seven teams that have serious interest” in Risner’s services. Spotrac.com currently has Risner’s market value at $9.2 million per season.

While $9.2 million certainly isn’t cheap, the Cowboys only have one legitimate question mark heading into the upcoming season (besides kicker). The team still does not have a clear answer on who will play their left guard position. With all-time great OL Tyron Smith returning on a re-worked deal, and OL Terence Steele working his way back from his torn ACL and MCL suffered last season, there are many question marks regarding what the official five up front is going to look like for Week 1. LT Tyler Smith played so great for the Cowboys in his rookie year with the team, however, he may be forced to move into the left guard spot because the team has a hole there.

Signing Risner to a contract would give the Cowboys a lot more protection and stability at their left guard spot. Risner still has plenty of football left to be played in his career, so he can not only fill the hole for the Cowboys immediately, but he could give the team a consistent left guard for a few more seasons. With the Cowboys looking to win this year, the team should seriously look into Risner, and attempt to bring him to Dallas, adding to an already exciting roster.