Cowboys 2021 Free Agent Power Rankings: Dak & Who?
After four games, the Dallas Cowboys are 1-3, but you can bet the front office is looking ahead to 2021. In specific, they’re trying to figure out what they’ll be able to do in free agency. One of the key pieces of that process is determining which of their free agents to keep.
So these power rankings are through the Cowboys’ first four games and we’re ranking the Top 5 players that the Cowboys will keep, or need to keep, if you’re projecting ahead to 2021. Within those rankings we’ll examine the likelihood of them staying in Dallas.
Beyond the Top 5, there are quick notes on each of the Cowboys’ current free agents for 2021.
1. QB Dak Prescott (unrestricted free agent)
The Cowboys may be 1-3, but don’t pin it all on Prescott, who is playing at a high level — 1,690 yards passing, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also rushed for three touchdowns. He’s completed 68.2 percent of his passes.
The only real problem is that Prescott can’t play safety.
Prescott is all but assured of staying in Dallas in 2021, whether the Cowboys use the franchise tag again or sign him to a long-term deal that is sure to be north of $40 million per year. The ship, I'd think, has sailed on a hometown discount.
2. DE Aldon Smith (unrestricted free agent)
Even the most optimistic Cowboys fan could not have predicted Smith’s start to the season — four sacks, seven quarterback hits and 16 tackles. I figured it would take Smith some time to get his legs under him. Instead, he may end up leading the Cowboys in sacks and break the bank in free agency in 2021.
The Cowboys took the gamble on him, so they’ll likely get first shot at keeping him. But the more sacks Smith tallies, the more the price goes up. And whether the Cowboys keep him will likely depend on how much money they have to pay Prescott, if we’re being honest.
3. OL Joe Looney (unrestricted free agent)
Tyler Biadasz may end up unseating the hobbled Looney as the starting center as soon as this week. Something tells me if Biadasz takes over the job, he won’t give it up.
However, Looney losing that job doesn’t mean the Cowboys don’t need him. The Cowboys will always have a need for a swing center/guard that can either be happy as a backup or start at a moment’s notice. That’s why the Cowboys signed Looney before the 2016 season. They needed both of those skills, and Looney will still have those skills in 2021. I think there’s a good chance the Cowboys can keep Looney in 2021. He likes the organization, the organization likes him and he won’t break the bank.
4. LB Joe Thomas (unrestricted free agent)
Here’s another situation where the Cowboys have had a long-term relationship with a player that can either back up or start and that could serve them well when it comes contract time in 2021.
Thomas is in his third season with the Cowboys, and two other Cowboys linebackers hit free agency in 2021 — Sean Lee and Justin March. We’ll get to Lee in a minute, but Thomas is an inexpensive option the Cowboys could easily pick up and plug and play next season. The signings of Prescott and Smith won’t impact whether the Cowboys keep Thomas. So far, Thomas has been the best linebacker on the field for the Cowboys in 2020.
5. CB Chidobe Awuzie
Well, I guess, right? I mean the Cowboys secondary is a mess, but as I explored in First and 10 before the Seattle game, there aren’t a ton of affordable options on the free agent market next year. Plus, the Cowboys are likely to keep at least one of their current four free agents in the secondary.
Awuzie is the one that has played the steadiest the past few years and the one that can fit into whatever defensive scheme the Cowboys decide to play. Plus, he might be relatively inexpensive to keep; how much interest in him outside of Dallas will there be next season?
I think it’s better than 50 percent he’s back, at least for right now. But there’s plenty of flexibility in this final spot right now.
Remaining free agents:
Unrestricted
DT Tyrone Crawford: At times the Cowboys have thought about cutting him for cap space. He’s 32. His time in Dallas might be done after this season.
DE Everson Griffen: He’s 34. He won’t be in Dallas next year.
LB Sean Lee: He’s 35. He’s close to retirement. And he flirted with it a bit in the offseason. He may be done in Dallas either way.
QB Andy Dalton: Will likely have suitors next season. Don’t expect him to be in Dallas. ... though his family loves it here.
CB Daryl Worley: He might play his way into the Top 5. But he sure hasn't done it so far.
CB Brandon Carr: He’s a stopgap, nothing more.
OL Cameron Erving: He’s a backup making $2 million. He might be an option if Looney departs.
TE Blake Bell: Does Blake Jarwin’s injury help or hurt Bell long-term? May not matter. He’s a blocker and special-teams contributor, but nothing more.
LS LP Ladouceur: The Cowboys love him. He’s 40. If both parties want to do it, they’ll do it.
LB Justin March: Nice depth, but not worth chasing unless it’s at the league minimum. Thomas is clearly a better keep at the position.
CB C.J. Goodwin: Can you prioritize a special-teams-only guy?
CB Jourdan Lewis: He’s a player the Cowboys can take or leave at this point.
S Xavier Woods: He might slide into the Top 5 at some point. He’s worth keeping at the right price. But maybe some other team will think he's the "budding star'' that Dallas keeps waiting on.
WR Noah Brown: Given the depth at the position, the Cowboys don’t need to chase him.
Restricted Free Agents
WR Cedrick Wilson: His game against Seattle, if it’s a sign of things to come, makes him a player worth keeping on an RFA contract.
DT Antwaun Woods: Woods basically couldn’t go anywhere last year and the Cowboys didn’t sign him until the summer. He's a plugger, but not a priority.
WR Malik Turner: He can’t go anywhere unless the Cowboys cut him so, I guess you keep him?
Exclusive-Rights Free Agent
WR Ventell Bryant: Bryant isn’t going anywhere unless the Cowboys decide to release him. But that isn’t a testament to his talent or his importance to the Cowboys.
