The Dallas Cowboys have been an absolute whirlwind this offseason. Whether it is the trades and signings of players, or a high-profile deal that fell apart at the last second, the front office has kept things busy. Fans are glued to their screens waiting for the next notification to pop up. From cap gymnastics to defensive purges, here are the top 10 storylines that have defined this chaotic spring, in chronological order.
Kicking things off with some late February activity…
Saturday, February 21st – Running back retained
While other teams eventually
handed out pricier contracts to running backs in free agency, the Cowboys acted swiftly and wisely, securing Javonte Williams on a three-year deal that looks better with every passing hour. After his 1,201-yard performance last season, many wondered if he might have priced himself out of Dallas, but the front office managed to bring him back at a reasonable cost.
Friday, February 27th – Pickens is sticking around
The team made a commitment to George Pickens by placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on their star receiver. This kept him off the free agent market, but because the tag is non-exclusive, he is allowed to talk with other teams. Should a team offer him a deal, the Cowboys have the option to match it, and if they don’t, they would receive two first-round picks from that team. This all but ensures Pickens will be wearing the star this season, with the only question remaining being for how long, as he is still seeking a long-term deal.
Onto the March madness…
Wednesday, March 4th – Clockwork restructures
In a move that surprised no one, the Cowboys’ front office restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyler Smith. By restructuring these massive deals, the team received $66 million in immediate cap relief, getting them under the cap with some room to spare. It’s a common bookkeeping practice that we all knew was coming, but it gave the team the oxygen it needed to be aggressive in the present.
Friday, March 6th – The Mad Maxx near miss
Rumors swirled that the Cowboys were in the red zone of a potential trade for Maxx Crosby, a move that would have set the NFL on fire. However, the deal never crossed the plane of the goal line after the Baltimore Ravens swooped in and closed the deal, only to rescind the offer later after news broke that Crosby didn’t pass his physical. Many now believe the Cowboys actually dodged a massive bullet by not surrendering a king’s ransom in draft picks for a player whose health is now in question.
Saturday, March 7th – Kicking around fake rumors
Social media went into a full meltdown when misreported rumors regarding Brandon Aubrey and his contract negotiations circulated. Fans were led to believe that the league’s most accurate kicker was demanding a ridiculous amount, only for the reports to be debunked as total fiction. While the two sides have yet to work out a deal, the drama with the negotiations may not be as wild as we once thought.
First week of free agency…
Monday, March 9th – Another trade with Green Bay
Last year, the Cowboys traded away former 12th overall pick edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Maybe you heard about that? Last week, these two teams were back at it again. The Cowboys kicked off last week’s festivities by trading for another former 12th overall edge rusher in Packers’ Rashan Gary. Clearly, these two are very different players, which is why one returned two first-rounders and the other a 2027 fourth-round pick. Right out of the gate, the Cowboys got themselves a run-stopping defensive end.
Monday, March 9th – A big free agent signing
The Cowboys finally did it! They spent more than $10 million/year on an outside free agent for the first time since the Brandon Carr signing in 2012. The team signed former Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson to a three-year deal. The team’s weakest position group instantly got a nice boost.
Monday, March 9th – Dropping the price
The decision on whether or not to keep Terence Steele was answered when the team worked a new deal for him that came with a reduction in price while giving the veteran right tackle some guaranteed money. On Thursday, the Cowboys worked a similar deal for the newly acquired Gary, ultimately saving the team some extra money while pushing new signing bonus money into future seasons.
Tuesday, March 10th – More reinforcements in the secondary
The overhaul did not stop with Thompson at safety, as the Cowboys continued to improve their secondary by signing former Denver Bronco safety P.J. Locke on Tuesday and then former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant two days later. These moves provide a safety net for a unit that was atrocious last season. By stacking the room with veteran depth, the new coaching staff has some dancing chips to work with heading into the draft.
Wednesday, March 11th – The defensive interior remodel
With a large amount of money allocated to last year’s new defensive tackles, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, the Cowboys opted to reallocate resources by trading away Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas. The team received a third-round pick for Odighizuwa, as well as no longer being on the hook for his $20 million annual salary. They only got a ham sandwich for Thomas (actually, it was a late-round pick swap), but the Cowboys made choices to give their new defensive coaches what they need in the middle.
This offseason has already been a wild ride for the Dallas Cowboys, and the ink is barely dry on the first round of transactions. The front office has shown a rare willingness to be aggressive, proving that they are serious about maximizing the window of their current core players. With the draft still on the horizon and more moves likely coming, the roster transformation is far from finished. If you thought the first few weeks of March were madness, remember they’re just getting started.
