The Dallas Cowboys have a handful of the top players set to hit free agency this offseason.
One of the most sure signs of the offseason’s arrival, in case you did not feel like it was fully here yet, is the unveiling of a particular list. NFL.com has a top 101 free agents list that drops around this time every year, something that Gregg Rosenthal has been doing for a long time now. The list is exactly what it sounds like. From top to bottom there are 101 names listed and ranked with the “best” free agents being listed at the top. Obviously there is some positional importance involved here and the list could be weighted differently based on different team needs.
The Dallas Cowboys were among the more average teams in the league last year at their best and among the very worst when things were truly bottoming out. In spite of this, they still have a handful of players in the top 101.
The Cowboys have 5 players in NFL.com’s top 101 free agents list
It should come as no surprise to learn that this year’s top 101 free agents list from NFL.com features defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa front and center. He is inside of the top 10, squarely so at number seven.
Odighizuwa is far from the only Cowboys players ranked, though.
Dallas Cowboys on NFL.com’s top 101 free agents list
- 7: DT Osa Odighizuwa
- 48: DE DeMarcus Lawrence
- 65: RB Rico Dowdle
- 69: CB Jourdan Lewis
- 91: DL Chauncey Golston
Before this week’s NFL combine even started formally there was already a report that the Cowboys have begun to have contract negotiations with the aforementioned Odighizuwa. Time will obviously tell as to whether or not they are able to get something done there.
In that same report, Stephen Jones was also cited as saying that the franchise would like to keep Rico Dowdle and Jourdan Lewis. There is a little bit of an assessment involved with DeMarcus Lawrence though as he is longer in the tooth than anybody else listed. Consider that his fellow draft classmate Zack Martin is set to retire from the NFL as context in that sense (Martin would have surely been on this list if not for that).
Word from the Cowboys so far is that they plan on being more involved this year (define that how you will) with the disposition being titled as “selectively aggressive.” This mentality is necessary not only with regards to external free agency, but with your own players who are set to hit the market as well.
Consider last year’s top 101 list from Rosenthal as an example. These were the players who the Cowboys had on it at the time and what happened as a result.
- 13: Tyron Smith (New York Jets)
- 25: Stephon Gilmore (Minnesota Vikings)
- 54: Tony Pollard (Tennessee Titans)
- 57: Dorance Armstrong (Washington Commanders)
Tyler Biadasz and Dante Fowler were not listed on last year’s list, but they were also free agents departing the Cowboys who ultimately wound up elsewhere. The overall point here is that the Cowboys retained literally none of their own players on this particular list. This isn’t to say the list is some guidebook that must be followed, but looking at last year’s results is helpful context.
For what it’s worth, both Tyron Smith and Stephon Gilmore have found themselves on the list again this year. Smith is at number 88 while Gilmore is at 75. Some, arguably the Cowboys, would offer that this serves as a perfect example as to the perils of free agency and why paying for something is such a risk.
Whatever the case may be, there are a number of players on the Cowboys roster that merit serious discussion for returns.
