Colin Cowherd Doubts Cowboys, Jerry Jones' Bold Free Agency Plans

Not everyone believes Jerry Jones will spend this offseason to improve the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stands on the field during pregame warmups against the Los Angeles Chargers. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

During the NFL Combine, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spent a lot of time discussing his plans for the offseason. Those plans included Jones vowing to spend more in free agency this year than he has in years past.

Such comments from Jones are typically met with skepticism, but the prevailing feeling coming out of the combine is that things feel different. That has most outlets predicting a big offseason for Jones, but there’s still one person unconvinced.

Colin Cowherd, who has always been quick to criticize Jones, doesn’t believe the Cowboys will spend in free agency, despite what Jones has to say.

“They have two first-round picks, but they don't have a second and a third, so they have got to hit. They have got to hit on defensive players in the first round. Last 10 years, if you look at their highest-paid free agents, they're not necessarily big spenders in free agency because the Cowboys, historically, they pay their draft picks,” Cowherd said.

“So if you go Cowboys highest paid free agent in the last 10 years, Terrance Williams made $9 million, but they're not big spenders in free agency. You think of Jerry, the oil maverick, as a wild spender. He's not. He really isn't. They draft and then sign to validate their draft picks. They sign their own guys.”

"They're not big spenders in free agency. You think of Jerry the oil maverick as a wild spender. He's not... They draft kids and then tend to overpay them."@colincowherd doesn't expect Jerry Jones & the Cowboys to be aggressive in free agency pic.twitter.com/YxffuggxOu

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 2, 2026

It’s hard to know what Cowherd meant by Terrance Williams making $9 million since that’s someone the Cowboys drafted, and wasn’t an outside free agent. Oddly enough, Cowherd named a couple of offensive free agents the Cowboys could sign, but then tried to drive his point home by again looking at the past while claiming Jones overpays his own players.

“You know, it's one thing for Jerry to say we're going to spend, but the history is they do not spend in free agency. They draft kids and then tend to overpay them.”

Colin Cowherd is missing the point

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones poses on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Putting the confusion aside, Cowherd is missing the point.

He’s not breaking news by pointing out Jerry’s lack of spending. That’s been common knowledge for years, with every outlet putting him on blast for avoiding free agents.

What really matters is that Jones is saying he plans to change the way he does things, and those who have spoken directly with Jones believe he’s being genuine. It’s fair to have some doubts, but pointing to history isn’t relevant when the entire narrative is that things finally feel different.

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