The Dallas Cowboys took a slightly more active approach to free agency over the previous offseason. After years of neglect, they finally opened their pocket books, signing safety Jalen Thompson to a three-year, $33M deal right out of the gate. He marked their biggest external signing in over a decade and served as proof the Cowboys were taking things seriously in 2026.
March proved to be an active month for the Cowboys, with nine new free agents coming to Dallas in those critical opening weeks. While none of the other players even remotely approached Thompson’s value, more than a few were expected to play critical roles in the upcoming season. Three weeks into the 2026 campaign and the Cowboys' free additions are offering next to nothing.
Thompson,
the headliner of the class, is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks with a hamstring injury. Even before the injury, Thompson’s contributions were questionable. He was not the steady force or playmaker he was billed to be and graded out by PFF as safety No. 108 through three games.
P.J. Locke only made it one full week with the Cowboys before landing on Injured Reserve himself. While he is expected back at some point, the 31 snaps he did play graded out as safety No. 131. He was never the ideal starter for Dallas but was supposed to be rotation worthy and a specialist for certain sub packages.
Matt Hennessy, a top reserve offensive lineman, fell to a season ending injury before the campaign ever began. A similar caliber player to T.J. Bass, Hennessy’s loss hurt both depth and overall versatility of the unit.
Dallas Cowboys injury updates:
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 30, 2026
– Safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) will likely go on injured reserve, meaning out at least the next four games.
– Safety P.J. Locke (foot) was placed on injured reserve last week.
– Defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard (calf) probably out a few…
Cobie Durant, the star of the offseason, was a starter from the time he arrived in Dallas. The veteran cornerback was better than advertised and represented great value on the open market. Unfortunately, like the others, he fell to injury early in the year and has only contributed 87 defensive snaps. He’s going to return but Week 4 is highly unlikely and since it’s a hamstring, issues could linger for quite a while.
Jonathan Bullard, a defensive lineman who missed most of training camp with injury, fell to injury again in Week 3. Expected to be out 3-4 weeks, Bullard is one of the more frustrating players on the roster this year.
Derion Kendrick was a depth signing from the start and has generally lived up to that role making the practice squad out of the gate. Tyrus Wheat counts as an external signing since he spent time away from the Cowboys in 2025. But he’s only contributed five defensive snaps this year so his impact is minimal.
Aside from defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia, none of those March signings have provided the impact and consistency as hoped when first signed. Though, Ogbonnia has been a stead force alongside Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams. He’s been better than advertised and remains a healthy contributing player for the Cowboys as they head into Week 4.
The only real takeaway to make here is that things in March don’t always work out in September. And that bad injury luck can derail even the best of plans. Let's hope fortune changes for the Cowboys and these free agent additions.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Buyer's remorse: Cowboys offseason free agent additions going belly up
