It is not usual for the Dallas Cowboys to announce a contract extension for a player during the regular season. But let’s pretend they might and look at three key contributors the Cowboys could look to extend early before they are able to hit free agency.
Brevyn Spann-Ford
One of the more interesting players on this 2026 roster is tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford. Spann-Ford has taken ahold of the TE2 job with force. While starter Jake Ferguson had a very good camp and solidified himself as the top tight end on the team,
Spann-Ford proved he deserves to stay in Dallas for quite some time.
Spann-Ford signed a three-year deal with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft. He will be a restricted free agent after the 2026 season, and while the Cowboys are likely able to keep him for relatively cheap in 2027, his limited play in 2025 and the development he showed during this year’s training camp show he deserves long-term security.
Spann-Ford will not demand market-setting money on a contract and his ability as a blocker and receiver is needed in the Cowboys offense. The Cowboys would be wise to get ahead of this deal and lock in Spann-Ford long-term with a team-friendly deal.
Ryan Flournoy
Similar to Brevyn Spann-Ford, Ryan Flournoy will be a restricted free agent in 2027. With what he showed in 2025 and what we’re all expecting him to show in 2026, the Cowboys should seriously consider paying Flournoy now instead of risking him on a tender and paying him a significant guaranteed salary.
With the uncertainty surrounding George Pickens future in Dallas, locking up Ryan Flournoy long-term would be a great move to give the Cowboys a high-upside receiver in the room if Pickens is to leave due to his market at the end of the 2026 season.
Otito Ogbonnia
While Otito Ogbonnia may not be one of the sexier additions to this Cowboys defense, he will play a pivotal role on the Cowboys defense in 2026. Ogbonnia has yet to prove himself as a starter on the defensive line in his four-year career, but Christian Parker and the Cowboys defensive coaching staff view him just as that.
Ogbonnia had a very nice training camp as a starting defensive end in base looks, and earned a ballcap in preseason games with a majority of the Cowboys starters on defense. Ogbonnia signed a one-year, $2.75-million dollar contract with the Cowboys this offseason, but with him already solidifying a starting spot, that contract seems like a steal for the Cowboys.
Ogbonnia won’t be a guy to register double-digit sacks, but his ability to impact the running game and his position versatility is much needed in Christian Parker’s defense. Locking up Ogbonnia with a team-friendly two-year extension would keep him in Dallas through 2029 season, and his position versatility would be a fit with any scheme used in the foreseeable future.
