This is a very big offseason for the Dallas Cowboys. They have hired a brand new coaching staff which may actually be an effective staff. Now the question is how they are going to handle talent acquisition and talent retention. Last season they did not participate in either and as a result, their roster weakened, leading to a losing season. This season they have to decide which of their free agents will they retain, what will they do with DE Micah Parsons and when, will the flip the structured switches on their big contracts in order to create cap room to be players early in free agency (included in this is the timing of the Parsons deal, and last, how they will approach the draft. Of note is that we do not have a 4^th round pick again this season as they traded that pick for WR Jonathan Mingo. Most agree we would be better off with the 4^th round pick. Last year that pick was wasted on the QB Trey Lance trade. The draft needs will be determined by how they perform in March. Last season they had an opportunity to create cap space early if they dealt with the QB Dak Prescott and WR Ceedee Lamb contracts before free agency. They would have been able to create cap room to sign players but they chose not to and therefore did not sign anyone of impact. They have the opportunity to easily create 100 million dollars in cap space which they can use to sign big time players. However Stephen Jones (cap boy) continues to say that they are up against a tight budget, trying to pass the blame for not spending money on Dak Prescott and Ceedee Lamb.

I will start with our current free agents. I expect them to not make an effort to sign QB Trey Lance but I expect they will try and keep QB Cooper Rush. Some think they will keep Lance instead.

RB Rico Dowdle is a free agent. They are expected to draft a RB early in the draft (which they have been expected to have done for a few seasons) but I think they will try and sign him cheaply. They may foolishly think that they will not have to draft a back if they bring him back given their warped judgement.

WR Brandin Cooks is an unrestricted free agent but I am fairly certain that he will not be in Dallas in 2025.

OG Brock Hoffman is an exclusive rights free agent who is likely to replace retiring OG Zach Martin. OT ChumaEdoga has not performed well, and I believe they should let him go. It would not surprise me if they brought him back.

DEs Chauncey Golston and Carl Lawson should be brought back but I am not sure they will be. I expect DE Demarcus Lawrence will be allowed to walk.

LB Erik Kendricks is likely not to return although I think he should given their weakness at the position and the way he performed last season.

CB Jourdan Lewis should be brought back, especially since CB Treyvon Diggs may not be ready to play this coming season and he may never return to his preinjury form.

RFA WR Kavonte Turpin should be brought back.

If they create the necessary cap room and keep their key free agents, they can be active in free agency and then draft according to best player available rather than draft by need. Currently, assuming they keep their key players, they need an upgrade at left tackle, running back, wide receiver, run stopping defensive tackle, linebacker, cornerback and safety. Nobody can fill all those holes via a draft but they can if they are active in free agency This would be different from the way they have behaved in the past and therefore, I do not hold out great hope that they will approach the offseason as a serious football franchise. This remains to be seen.

End.