2020 Cowboys Free Agency Power Rankings: Dak remains No. 1

Four games into the season the Dallas Cowboys are 3-1 as they prepare for Sunday’s game with the Green Bay Packers With each game we start to get a clearer picture of free agency priorities going into the 2020 season. I published our first Cowboys Free Agency Power Rankings before the season. It’s time to check back in now that we’re a quarter of the way through the season.

1. QB Dak Prescott (final year of rookie contract, paid $2.025 million in 2019; No. 1 in our Week 1 power rankings).

After his incredible season debut, some thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones would have shown Prescott the money already. But, here we are a quarter of the way into the season and Prescott could still, conceivably, be a free agent in 2020. I don’t think Jerry will let Prescott get away, nor will it get to the point where the Cowboys would need to use the franchise tag on him. Prescott remains No. 1 on this list because he’s the quarterback, he’s young and putting him into a long-term deal makes the most sense than trying to start over with a free agent or another rookie.

His next test? Sunday in an attempt, we bet, to have to outduel Aaron Rodgers.

2. WR Amari Cooper (final year of rookie contract, paid $13.9 million in 2019; No. 2 in our Week 1 power rankings).

Yes, the Saints put him on lock-down on Sunday night. But through four games Cooper leads the team in receptions (21), receiving yards (286) and touchdowns (4). He’s more than proven his value to offense and this team. But how much will the Cowboys commit to him? That’s a good question, and from Cooper’s perspective the waiting game is paying off. The Falcons just committed another $66 million to Julio Jones for the next three seasons. The trick? $64 million of that is guaranteed.

Cooper and his agent can use that as leverage, even though Cooper doesn’t have Jones’ track record at the moment. But it’s the promise of a “triplets redux” by keeping Cooper in Dallas that may prove most appealing to Cowboys management. By waiting, Cooper improves his chances of more money.

3. CB Byron Jones (final year of rookie contract, paid $6.2 million in 2019; No. 3 in our Week 1 power rankings).

Jones hasn’t hurt his case for a long-term deal after this season. But you have to wonder how much he’s really helped it. Through four games both Chidobe Awuzie and Anthony Brown have more tackles than Jones. Plus, Awuzie is the only corner (and for that matter Cowboys player) with an interception. Brown is actually a free agent after this season. What if he ends up having a better season than Jones and the Cowboys wish to sign Brown instead? It’s an intriguing conversation to be had later this season because the Cowboys have a tremendous amount of depth at the position. But I’m wary of jettisoning a player like Jones because his numbers lag behind others at the position because playing corner is about more than putting up numbers.

4. DT Antwaun Woods (last year of contract, paid $525,000 in 2019; No. 4 in our Week 1 power rankings).

As I mentioned in my first Power Rankings, Woods is an exclusive rights free agent next season, so it’s a good bet that Woods will be a Cowboy next year. Through four games he only has two tackles, one fewer than Maliek Collins (we’ll get to him in a minute), but the Cowboys’ system is designed to rotate tackles throughout the game, so expecting Woods to set the world on fire from a numbers standpoint is ambitious. But that’s not the point in keeping him. With several defensive tackles on the block in 2020 prioritizing Woods ahead of them makes sense, especially since the Cowboys won’t have to spend much to keep him. His injury is worth tracking. He’s missed the last two games due to injury. Right now I don’t think that’s a factor in the Cowboys keeping him at the moment, but could it if he misses more time?

5. DE Robert Quinn (last year of contract, likely to make $8 million in 2019; No. 7 in our Week 1 power rankings).

Why would you not want to keep this guy after his first two games as a Cowboy? Playing opposite Demarcus Lawrence, Quinn already has three sacks on the season. Now, he probably won’t keep that pace up, but playing opposite Lawrence has its advantages. Lawrence gets the quality left tackle and Quinn can take advantage of the lesser right tackle. So how much will that production be worth to the Cowboys in 2020? It may have as much to do with Quinn as it does with the progress of a player like Dorance Armstrong, a second-year end that the Cowboys hope can become more than simply solid depth. His play moves him up our rankings, but it also increases his contract demands come spring.

6. DT Maliek Collins (last year of rookie contract, paid $2.025 million in 2019; No. 5 in our Week 1 power rankings).

As mentioned, Collins has three tackles so far this season. And as I wrote four weeks ago, Collins’ value isn’t just wrapped up in stats since he plays the 3-technique in Dallas’ defense. I thought he played well against New Orleans on Sunday night. After all, Collins was the one that sacked Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and forced the Saints to settle for a field goal. But determining Collins’ value in terms of a longer-term deal after this season is going to be difficult until later this season.

7. LB Sean Lee (last year of contract, paid $3.5 million in 2019; No. 6 in our Week 1 power rankings).

The “General” could retire after this season when it’s all said and done, especially if the Cowboys’ season ends with a Super Bowl. Right now, he’s staying healthy, but he only has eight tackles in four games as the Cowboys continue to use more five-defensive back formations and rely on Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch at linebacker. Let’s see if Lee’s production picks up in the second quarter of the season. If it doesn’t, we may be witnessing the end of Lee’s prioritization on this roster.

8. S Jeff Heath (last year of contract, paid $2 million in 2019; No. 8 in our Week 1 power rankings).

Heath is fourth on the team in tackles and fourth on the team in solo tackles after four games, and he could end the season as the team’s most productive safety. How that translates into a priority for the Cowboys is hard to say. Same goes for how other teams might view Heath. As the season goes on, if his production continues to remain consistent I think he’ll have some suitors, which is good for his value on the open market — and could be bad for the Cowboys if they want to keep him.

9. WR Randall Cobb (last year of contract, paid $5 million in 2019; No. 9 in our Week 1 power rankings).

Cobb has been a nice addition to the roster, as he’s second on the team in receptions with 14 through four games. But I didn’t move him up the rankings for a couple of reasons. First, his price tag may be too high in 2020. Second, the progress of Michael Gallup, despite his injury, might make the Cowboys less inclined to re-sign Cobb, especially if he asks for too much money. His production and chemistry with Prescott will be key to how the Cowboys assess his value after the season.

10. TE Blake Jarwin (last year of rookie contract, paid $645,000 million in 2019).

I’ve kind of come around on Jarwin as the season has progress. With eight catches, he’s fifth on the team. But he’s only six receptions behind Jason Witten, and I felt entering the season Witten would siphon off many of those opportunities. Jarwin is in the same boat as Woods (ERFA), and it’s unlikely he’ll go anywhere in 2020 unless the Cowboys don’t want him. But he’s starting to emerge as the clear No. 2 tight end in this offense and if Witten chooses not to come back in 2020 that makes Jarwin No. 1. He’s starting to become a priority now.

Dropped out

S Kavon Frazier: A torn pectoral muscle will put Frazier on injured reserve, so he falls off the list. That doesn’t mean he won’t end up back in Dallas in 2020. In fact, it actually improves his chances. But in terms of being a Top 10 priority he slides off the list.

Why not …

TE Jason Witten: Witten has had a nice start to the season with 14 receptions. But the Cowboys will only make him a priority if he chooses to come back in 2020.

WR Tavon Austin: Austin has two catches so far and his catch-all role in this offense is being siphoned off by rookie Tony Pollard.

LS L.P. Ladouceur: If he wants to come back, he will. And it will be for the veteran minimum, which for him is a little over $1 million.

T Cameron Fleming: Fleming is on a club option for 2020 and with him starting for Tyron Smith on Sunday, we’ll get a real assessment of his future value to this team.

Other expected Cowboys free agents in 2020 (unrestricted free agent unless otherwise noted): DT Christian Covington, ILB Joe Thomas, RB Alfred Morris, DT Kerry Hyder, G Xavier Su’a-Filo, OLB Justin March, FS Darian Thompson, S C.J. Goodwin, S Kavon Frazier (injured reserve), DT Daniel Ross (Restricted free agent, on injured reserve), CB Anthony Brown, TE Blake Jarwin (RFS), QB Cooper Rush (RFA), G Adam Redmond (RFA), K Brett Maher (ERFA).

Our next Free Agent Power Rankings will appear after Week 8.

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