Ranking Cowboys greatest needs following Day 1 of NFL free agency negotiations

Where do the Dallas Cowboys still need help?

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and chief operating officer Stephen Jones / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

The first day of NFL free agency legal tampering is officially in the books and the Dallas Cowboys were far more active than this time last year.

They came to terms with two outside free agents, agreeing to a deal with running back Javonte Williams and guard Rob Jones.

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Dallas lost some key contributors as well with nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chauncey Golston agreeing to a deal with the New York Giants. With those moves happening, here’s a ranking of the Cowboys top five remaining needs.

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5. Offensive Tackle

Dallas Cowboys OL Chuma Edoga / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Dallas lost swing tackle Chuma Edoga on Monday after he agreed to terms with the Jaguars. Edoga started 10 games over the past two seasons proving to be a serviceable option.

The Cowboys weren’t expecting him to start this season, so the loss isn’t devastating. Still, they need a new swing tackle either in free agency or the NFL Draft.

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4. Cornerback

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Edoga wasn’t the only player Jacksonville took from the Cowboys, as they were able to steal Jourdan Lewis early in the day. The Jags will make him one of the highest-paid slot corners in the NFL, which is great for him.

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For Dallas, it means they need to address a vacancy. Not only do they need a new nickel cornerback but they can use more depth in general following two years of significant injuries at the position.

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3. Running Back

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams runs the ball in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The best move Dallas made on Monday was adding Javonte Williams. He’s coming off a subpar statistical season but is just 24 years old and has the talent to carry the load.

That said, Dallas still needs to add more to the position. Ideally, they would use a selection during the first three rounds of the NFL Draft to build a competent committee.

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2. Defensive Tackle

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Mazi Smith / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Keeping Osa Odighizuwa was a huge win for the Cowboys but they’re far from set at defensive tackle. They need a reserve 3-tech to rotate with Odighizuwa, but more importantly, they have to find a capable nose tackle.

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Mazi Smith hasn’t lived up to his first round status and the Cowboys can’t go into the 2025 season with nothing more than hope that the light bulb will come on. They need someone capable of starting. If Smith winds up turning it around, then they would have two options — which is preferable to none.

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1. Wide Receiver

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb / Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As much as the Cowboys need to address other positions, their No. 1 need right now is still wide receiver. CeeDee Lamb proved to be one of the best in the business but did far too much on his own last year.

With Brandin Cooks on the way out (after falling short of expectations) Dallas has to get a legit No. 2 wideout. There are some options left in free agency but the NFL Draft seems to be the logical spot for this addition.

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