2 free agent successes provide affordable blueprint for Cowboys in 2025
The Dallas Cowboys have many questionable processes when team building. They shy away from top commodities in free agency. They draft high-risk players who bring an abnormal degree of projection. They push veterans out the door without clear replacements in place and they drag their feet with their own fairly obvious contract extensions. As one might imagine, those don't always turn out so well for the Cowboys franchise.
But one of Dallas' oft-critiqued processes has been working out for them as of late. Waiting for the market to cool and targeting veteran defensive linemen to team-friendly deals has been a trademark move the Cowboys. They did it with Dante Fowler in 2022 and they did it again with Carl Lawson in 2024.
In both instances they received quality snaps from a player who cost them relatively very little. Going this route in roster building doesn't typically provide elite results but it does offer tremendous bang for the buck. It's allowed the Cowboys to maintain a healthy rotation on their defensive line and use the money saved at defensive end on other areas of the team where veteran bargains aren't so easily found.
In 2025 the Cowboys will likely try to get Lawson to come back for a second season. He's coming off a five-sack year while contributing 401 snaps on defense. A similar role can be expected under Matt Eberflus if Lawson is willing to accept similar short-term deal with a modest bump from his $1,125,000 rate (per OTC).
If Lawson doesn't come back to Dallas, the Cowboys have options to look at in free agency again this season.
Matthew Judon, 32, is coming off a tumultuous season. Pro Football Focus estimates his value to be a one year, $4,500,000 deal this offseason. If the Cowboys play it patiently, he may come cheaper.
Arizona's underrated DE, Dennis Gardeck, is coming off an early 2024 ACL injury. At 30-years-old he may not strike up very much interest around the league and could possibly be had for half the cost of Judon.
Even interior defensive linemen like Teair Tart and Poona Ford could be had for a song this offseason. Tart comes with baggage, but he finished last season as the 12th-highest graded DT and is predicted to cost just $2,500,000 in free agency. Ford is predicted to demand just $3,500,000 and he's coming off a season where he graded as the fifth best DT.
It's important the Cowboys invest properly in their frontline starters but rotations at key positions can be built with low-demand veterans who slip through the cracks. Dallas has a track record of success in this area and while the wait may be painful, patience has repeatedly paid off for the Cowboys.
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