The Dallas Cowboys can't seem to find the happy balance when it comes to their approach to free agency. They have tried bringing in the big money free agents only to fail, and they have tried the thrifty spending approach, only to fail again. Something needs to change.
I'm personally hoping that that change comes this offseason. The Dallas Cowboys have a talented roster, but they also have a lot of holes that need filled.
The good news is, the Cowboys have been excellent building through the draft these last several years. They look to have added several cornerstone players, who will play key roles in the teams success for several years. But, saying the same thing about free agents is something else entirely.
With the start of free agency first, the Cowboys have to find that happy balance. They still have to be frugal with their spending, but not to the point where they are bringing in players who pretty much just become camp bodies.
Below I've decided to share with you three reasons why I think the Dallas Cowboys will change their approach to free agency for the better this offseason. Let me know what you think in the comment section located at the end of the article.
“Bargain Shopping” Isn't Working
The Dallas Cowboys haven't been very active in free agency these last several years, instead they have tried to plug holes in their roster with the “bargain shopping” strategy. Unfortunately, digging around in the scrapheap hasn't paid off.
If you were to scan over the Cowboys current roster, you would be hard-pressed to find a free agent the Dallas Cowboys have signed in the last couple of years. That's because the majority of them have fizzled out in Dallas or been replaced with younger more talented players.
The last two “big-money” FAs, Cedric Thorton and Nolan Carroll, were supposed to come in and compete for starting jobs, but weren't even able to play out their contracts. Carroll couldn't even make it to mid-season.
These are the kinds of players the Cowboys have been bringing in through free agency, but they've actually done more harm than good. Their contract still count towards the salary cap, which creates more dead money. It's time to stop shopping in the bargain bin and upgrade to players who can actually contribute, even if it does cost a little bit more.
Jerry Jones' Ego
The 2017 season couldn't have ended in a worse fashion for Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones. No, I'm not talking about the disappointing season the Cowboys put together. I'm talking about them having to watch their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, win the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.
We all know what Jerry Jones thinks about the Dallas Cowboys and how egotistical he can be. So, it was kind of a slap in the face to watch the Eagles win the Super Bowl, especially since he truly believes the Cowboys are probably the best team in the NFC East division.
It wouldn't be all that surprising if Jerry Jones were to change that “bargain shopping” mentality and open up his pocketbook to bring in some higher-priced free agents. He saw the Eagles bring in FAs last offseason and how much it impacted their season, so I expect them to follow suit.
He definitely doesn't like being [Philadelphia Eagle] green with envy. He will do everything in his power to upgrade the roster for the upcoming 2018 season and that starts with free agency.
Championship Within Reach
It's not crazy to think that the Dallas Cowboys are an offseason away from competing for a title. Stephen Jones admitted to as much recently. I mean, who would've predicted the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl this time a year ago.
The Cowboys have just as much talent on the roster as the Eagles, but unfortunately they don't have the depth, which was proven in 2017. It's definitely not going to be an easy task to accomplish, but the Cowboys are within reach of a championship.
They came close in 2016, but injuries and suspensions this past season hurt them in a big way. But, things could change this upcoming season if everything goes right in regards to the moves and decisions they make in the offseason.
First off, they are going to need a really good draft to continue to build the team the right way. But, that's not going to be enough on its own to fill all the holes in the roster. That means free agency becomes even more important.
The Cowboys don't have to go on a big spending spree, because they can't really afford it. But, they have to become more active and find free agents who can actually contribute and provide much-needed roster depth.
They only have so much time to do that before they have to pay Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott quite a bit more money. Their window is closing.
