12 Cowboys Who Won't Return Next Season

10. Stephon Gilmore, CB

After just mentioning how the Cowboys might consider re-signing him, I have to acknowledge that there's a chance that Stephon Gilmore won't return next season, too.

Gilmore, a five-time Pro Bowl CB, arrived in Dallas on a one-year deal last offseason. While some players slow down when they reach his age (33), the former South Carolina Gamecock was still fairly effective. He clocked in as PFF's No. 35-graded cornerback (71.2) after allowing 53 receptions for 659 yards and four TDs on 95 targets.

It wasn't his best performance, but the Cowboys are grateful they had Gilmore after losing Diggs to a season-ending ACL tear. Dallas fans would now love to see what the Gilmore-Diggs-Bland trio could do with a full season of health, but they might not get the chance to witness that.

As mentioned before, Gilmore is a free agent and won't come cheap. Spotrac lists his market value at $11.1 million annually, which is worth it for the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. At the same time, it's a number the Cowboys won't be able to afford unless significantly more space is freed up.

Hell, there might not be any amount of money that could convince him to stay. Gilmore made it clear in 2022 that he wants to reunite with the New England Patriots before he retires. Given that he's approaching his mid-30s, he could opt to chase that dream as early as this offseason, much to the Cowboys' dismay.