Cowboys Were Only NFL Team to Not Sign New Player During 2024 Legal Tampering Period
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVMarch 13, 2024
The NFL's legal tampering period has come and gone, and the Dallas Cowboys sat it out.
The Jerry Jones-led organization was the only team in the entire NFL that didn't sign an external free agent, with the lone move being the re-signing of long-snapper Trent Sieg.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys lost running back Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans and both defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong and center Tyler Biadasz to the Washington Commanders.
This lack of movement from the Cowboys, as you might imagine, has become a storyline around the NFL (and inspired some pretty solid jokes and memes):
Get Up @GetUpESPN.<a href="https://twitter.com/Realrclark25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Realrclark25</a> says the Cowboys are the most disappointing team in free agency thus far:<br><br>"This isn't a great roster. And to do nothing at this point to me is a problem." <a href="https://t.co/aLnFf1zIpm">pic.twitter.com/aLnFf1zIpm</a>
It isn't shocking that the Cowboys haven't been busy in free agency, however, given that Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are entering the final years of their current contracts and are due for enormous extensions. Both players will potentially reset the market for their respective positions.
And don't forget about Micah Parsons, who remains under contract for two more years but will almost assuredly reset the edge-rusher market.
Given those major financial commitments to come, Dallas may have been hesitant to tie up future money in free agency this offseason. The team has also drafted well in recent years and may feel it can reasonably improve with another strong incoming draft class.
Another possibility is that the Cowboys have attempted to be active in free agency, but players on the market are hesitant to join the team knowing that head coach Mike McCarthy is also on an expiring contract and the team could have a regime change coming in the foreseeable future.
That uncertainty, paired with the team likely not offering huge deals given the pending extensions for Prescott, Lamb and Parsons, is not a great combination as a team attempts to navigate the free agency market.
The Cowboys have been known to make flashy moves in the past under Jones' watch, but it isn't terribly surprising they haven't made a splash this offseason. It's just a bit unusual seeing the team do basically nothing at all, especially after falling well short of expectations in the postseason yet again in 2023.