Dallas Cowboys: Eventually, Stephen Jones must prioritize free agency

For several seasons now, the Dallas Cowboys have been almost nonexistent in the free agency sweepstakes. Rarely, if ever, will the Cowboys make a splash signing a top-notch free agent. To the Cowboys credit, most of the time, the Cowboys will sign their own key free agents, like the recently signed, franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.

When it comes to free agent spending, the Dallas Cowboys are beyond frugal, and they bargain shop as if they’re going to find some elite, Hall of Fame type talent at the bottom of the barrel. The best example of their frugality is the Cowboys free agent class of 2020.

In 2020, the Dallas Cowboys signed several free agents from the bargain bin that were mediocre at best, and had more miles on them than a ’57 Chevy truck. That disappointing class consisted of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, Everson Griffen, Darian Thompson, Maurice Canady, and Kai Forbath to name a few.

I wrote an article about this free agency debacle just the other day.

And as the floodgates of free agency open as I write, the Dallas Cowboys are still window shopping while the best players get snatched off the shelves like its a “Black Friday sale” at Walmart.

Stephen Jones has to come to grips and make free agency a priority for the betterment of the Dallas Cowboys.

C’mon Stephen, stop being cheap!

Year after year, Stephen addresses the media with his state of the union speech about how Dallas is not over spending for players and wants to do what’s in the best interest of the team. Sure, Stephen and his daddy- Jerry Jones-will sign their own key free agents (not named Byron Jones, Barry Church, and Anthony Hitchens) but when it comes to other players in the league…..the odds of you winning the lottery are better.

But to sit idly and allow elite talent to sign with other teams in hopes to find the same talent with less pay is similar to having wine taste with beer money. It won’t happen. And will never happen. Not in this century!

Stephen’s strategy is to fill the needs of the team through the draft and use free agency for rotational players with a few lucky enough to start, like defensive tackle McCoy, who was on the downside of his career.

Hey, I truly loved the skillset of rookie corner Trevon Diggs and he had a decent year, but Stephen can’t depend on rookies to championships in year one!

Stephen’s strategy should be the other way around, whereas the Dallas Cowboys use the free agency period to find at least one elite player/ solid player to start. After that, then use the draft for BAP (Best Player Available), positional needs, depth purposes, or any other analytical data they swear by.

So are you telling me that Stephen can’t take the same approach and at least sign one elite player to the Cowboys porous defense? If Belichick can go all out and sign above average tight ends for a declining quarterback in his prime, I know Stephen can do at least half of that.

Let’s take a look at this example of an organization wanting to win versus one being conservative.

I’m not saying Stephen should open up his checkbook like New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and go on a spending spree, but he should take note of the key free agents signings. The Patriots signed two legit tight ends in the league to contracts in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

In 2020, Henry and Smith combined for 12 touchdowns, 1,061 receiving yards, and 101 receptions. Those two are going to turn incumbent quarterback Cam Newton back into the 2015 NFL MVP. Because Belichick is used to winning Super Bowls, he wasted no time using the $60 million dollar in cap space on superb talent to upgrade his roster.

Those major moves are just one of many that the Pats are using to get back on top as one of best teams in the league.