It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys are currently rolling in cap space. After trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys currently have the second-most cap space in the NFL with just
over $31M available to spend. Unless a big trade is on the horizon, the Cowboys have taken care of their biggest upcoming free agents in DaRon Bland, Tyler Smith, and Jake Ferguson.
Almost at the quarter point of the season, let’s take a look at three players the Cowboys could look at making an aggressive push for before they hit free agency at the end of the 2025 season.
George Pickens
Through five games, George Pickens has been everything we could have hoped for once the Cowboys acquired him from the Pittsburgh Steelers after the draft. With CeeDee Lamb currently sidelined, Pickens has stepped up in a big way in Lamb’s absence.
Before the season, Pickens was asked about remaining in Dallas after this year, and he and his representation seemed very interested in playing out this year to build up his market on the free agent market. The early signs show that Pickens is enjoying himself in Dallas and maybe the Cowboys could aggressively target Pickens before the end of the season and lock him up long-term.
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase currently has the wide receiver market set at just over $40M per year, but Pickens is likely to command more of the tier two money than the top of the market. That tier two market currently sits around $30M per year with guys like; DK Metcalf, Garrett Wilson, and Terry McLaurin. While Pickens is still likely to bet on himself after a hot start to the season, the Cowboys would be wise to offer Pickens a four-year $120M dollar contract with $70M guaranteed which would make him the eighth-highest paid receiver in the NFL and put him in the same ballpark as Amon-Ra St. Brown. He may not sign it, but that is a fair deal for a receiver that seems to be happy where his feet are at.
Javonte Williams
Of the three contracts we are going to discuss today, this is the one that feels like a no-brainer for the Cowboys and Javonte Williams. Over his last three seasons in Denver, Williams battled injuries and struggles on the field that found him with little market in free agency this past offseason.
Through five games with the Cowboys, Williams has performed like one of the top running backs in the NFL. Similar to Pickens, Williams has been given the reigns as the bellcow in Dallas and he’s thriving with all the opportunities. Williams has yet to get his big pay-day in the NFL and the Cowboys could offer Williams a four-year, $33M deal with $15M guaranteed making him the 15th highest paid running back in the NFL at 25-years old. Williams could also elect to bet on himself, but with his injury history and recent track record in the league, Williams could also like the security being offered to him in a situation he is thriving in, in the first five games of the season in Dallas.
James Houston
One of the biggest surprises for the Cowboys defense in 2025 has been James Houston’s emergence along the defensive line. After being signed early in training camp, Houston has been a tremendous find by the Cowboys scouting staff to start the season.
In the first five weeks, Houston currently leads the teams in sacks in limited playing time under Matt Eberflus. Outside of Houston, the Cowboys pass rush has lacked consistency and Houston has been a bright spot for a unit that has played poorly in the first five games of the season. Houston has been more of a journeyman so far in his NFL career, so the cost would not break the bank and would allow the Cowboys to lock in a veteran pass rusher to pair with their younger guys moving forward.
