3 bargain NFL free agents Cowboys should consider

Three free agents that can fill needs for the Cowboys while also not breaking the bank.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams reacts after causing a fumble against the Kansas City Chiefs / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in the "no man’s land" of mediocrity: too good to tank but too bad to contend for a Super Bowl. However, everything can change in the offseason, as it did when the Cowboys drafted Micah Parsons.

The team needs both luck and savvy in the draft, but they also desperately need to ramp up their aggressiveness in free agency.

They don’t need to sign the top players available, nor should they continue adding players who are on a downward trajectory from their distant peaks. Instead, they should focus on promising, overlooked players coming off their rookie contracts who are seeking starting roles.

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Here are three bargain NFL free agents the Dallas Cowboys should consider:

Milton Williams, DT

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams celebrates with defensive end Brandon Graham / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The price for Milton Williams has just gone up after his standout performance in the Super Bowl, where he recorded two sacks, forced a fumble, and recovered one.

Williams has been waiting for his opportunity to shine, having spent much of his rookie contract behind the likes of Fletcher Cox, Jalen Carter, Javon Hargrave, and Jordan Davis. He seized that chance in 2024, finishing with five sacks on the season.

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Williams is also durable, missing just one game in four seasons—a trait that would certainly appeal to Cowboys fans, given their team’s injury struggles this season.

He could also serve as a solid replacement for Osa Odighizuwa if he decides to move on. If the Cowboys were to have both Williams and Odighizuwa next season, it would give them the best defensive tackle tandem in Dallas in recent memory.

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Asante Samuel Jr., CB

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. tackles Carolina Panther / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

While it might seem unwise for the Cowboys to target Asante Samuel Jr. due to his injury history and the existing injury issues with their current cornerbacks, Samuel is simply that good and promising of a player to pass up.

In 2023, he allowed a completion rate of 60.4% and just three touchdowns. Though Samuel played only four games in 2024, his potential remains high.

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The Cowboys may be hesitant to commit to another defensive back with an injury history, but as they saw when they signed Malik Hooker to a bargain deal, it paid off handsomely.

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A.J Dillon, RB

A.J. Dillon (28) scores his first of two touchdowns during the fourth quarte / Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dillon may not stand out on the field with blazing speed and acceleration, but his physicality and strength are what set him apart.

He can block, catch passes out of the backfield, and be a reliable runner. While Dillon shouldn't be a starter in Dallas, signing him would allow the Cowboys to draft a more elusive player, creating an elite one-two punch that can dominate both in the run and pass game.

Dillon missed all of last season due to a neck injury, which has lowered his value—making him a perfect fit for the Cowboys' typical free-agent approach.

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