The NFL's free agency tampering period began on Monday, which was quite the day for the Dallas Cowboys.
The action kicked off almost immediately with the Cowboys losing linebacker Jourdan Lewis to the Jacksonville Jaguars. America's Team tried to soften the blow by re-signing long snapper Trent Sieg while adding running back Javonte Williams and offensive guard Robert Jones to one-year contracts, however, fans were hoping to see flashier moves from Jerry Jones & Co.
Nevertheless, free agency isn't limited to more than one day, giving the Cowboys enough time to add outside talent. On the flip side, that also means more opportunities for Dallas to lose players — just like it did when the fanbase was sleeping last night.
Cowboys News: Giants Sign DE Chauncey Golston in Free Agency
Late Monday night, NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported that the New York Giants are signing defensive end Chauncey Golston to a three-year, $19.5 million contract.
Losing an impactful free agent is never fun, especially when said loss comes to an NFC East rival. Now, Cowboys fans will be forced to see Golston wearing a Giants jersey twice per season, which will be a tough sight after the veteran pass rusher spent the last four years in the Lone Star State.
Golston was a solid rotational piece for the Cowboys throughout his tenure, but it was during the 2024 campaign that he took his game to the next level. Making a career-high 13 starts in 17 appearances, the former Iowa Hawkeye set new personal bests in solo tackles (30), sacks (5.5), and defended passes (5) while recording his first interception, too.
While Golston's departure is disappointing, the Cowboys might have dodged a bullet. According to Pro Football Focus, the 27-year-old defender's defense (65.3) and tackling (40.1) grades were his lowest efforts since his rookie campaign, while his 60.7 pass rush grade was the worst mark of his four-year run.
Even though PFF grades don't always tell the full story, they do suggest that Golston's latest performance might be an anomaly.
It remains to be seen how the Cowboys will replace Golston. The former 2021 third-rounder played a career-high 791 defensive snaps last season, meaning Jones might attempt to sign a low-cost veteran in free agency before searching for a long-term solution in the 2025 NFL draft.
Before free agency began, Jones made it clear that he wanted to prioritize re-signing in-house talent, but he's failed in that regard so far. The Cowboys need to wake up and start making moves — in terms of both addition and retention — if they want to avoid missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.