The NFL offseason is halfway done as Dallas Cowboys fans have their sights set on this year's organized team activities (OTAs), beginning on Monday, May 19. The arrival of OTAs is something the fanbase has been highly anticipating ever since the 2025 draft, as it marks one of the final offseason stops before training camp begins.
With a week to go before the action resumes, it's the perfect time to survey what former Cowboys are up to this spring. Although some ex-Dallas players are gearing up for their first legitimate practice with their new teams in the next few weeks, one of the team's former defenders is still without a contract as OTAs loom.
Former Cowboys LB Eric Kendricks is Still Unsigned in May
A handful of Cowboys free agents are still waiting for their next playing opportunity, including veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks.
Kendricks, 33, is a former Pro Bowl linebacker who spent nine seasons in the NFL before joining the Cowboys on a one-year contract last offseason. The move to Dallas reunited the ex-UCLA Bruin with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who was Kendricks' head coach throughout most of the latter's time with the Minnesota Vikings.
Moving to the Lone Star State ended up benefiting the ex-2015 second-rounder. Kendricks finished the 2024 season with a Cowboys-leading 138 total tackles and 71 solo efforts, tallying three defended passes, three sacks, three forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions along the way, too.
On top of that, Kendricks finished with respectable Pro Football Focus grades regarding pass rushing (78.5), run stoppage (78.3), and overall defense (75.2).
Although some Cowboys fans were open to a return, head coach Brian Schottenheimer's promotion likely prevented that from happening. Chances are that new DC Matt Eberflus was more than comfortable with letting Kendricks, since, unlike Zimmer, he didn't have a connection to the veteran linebacker.
It wouldn't be shocking if Kendricks' financial demands are playing a role in his being unsigned. Spotrac lists his projected market value at $6.8 million annually, which might be too rich for most teams at this stage of the offseason.
It's going to be interesting to see what it takes Kendricks to get on the field before it's too late. Teams usually have a general idea of what their 53-man roster will look like once OTAs wrap up, meaning it's in the former Cowboys defender's best interest to do whatever it takes to find a new job in the coming weeks, even if it isn't with a team as good as Dallas.