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Free agent signings that could still make sense for the Dallas Cowboys

May 23, 2024
NFL: Super Bowl LVIII-San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There are still some free agents who the Dallas Cowboys could look to add.

As the weather gets warmer and the offseason grows longer, we are entering the closest thing to a dead period in the NFL calendar. Soon OTA’s and minicamps will have come and gone, with only a brief period of inactivity between us and the start of training camp.

While things seem to be quieting down around the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys seem set to get active regarding their roster construction. On Wednesday head coach Mike McCarthy met with the media and spoke about the fact the team has 86 of the allotted 90 roster spots filled, with eyes towards some more additions to round out the group.

With McCarthy making their plans public, we look at four names that could help this Cowboys team fill out their roster heading into training camp.

Four potential free agent signings the Cowboys should make

The team hasn’t been very active to this point in free agency, and that fact has been well-documented. Now as the season continues to draw closer, the Cowboys look ready to fill the remaining roster spots, and there seems to be some help still out there for them.

WR, Mecole Hardman

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This week Dallas has given a vote of confidence for Jalen Tolbert and even Jalen Brooks for the vacant WR3 role. However, they aren't far off from when they kicked the tires on veteran WR Zay Jones before he decided to sign with the Arizona Cardinals. They may be saying the right things publicly, but privately there may be more concern than they’re leading on, and Mecole Hardman may be able to help.

It has been an up-and-down career for the speedster. He has seen his career path start in Kansas City followed by a brief, tumultuous stint in New York with the Jets, just to be traded back to the Chiefs where he became a Super Bowl-winning hero.

All-in-all his on-field production as of late hasn’t been anything to write home about, finishing 2023 with 15 receptions and 124 receiving yards in the regular season. However, he is a speed guy who can stretch the field. His presence would draw the attention of the secondary freeing up space for those around him, and isn’t all that far removed from his 59 receptions 693 receiving yards, and two touchdown campaign he had in 2021.

This isn’t that big of a needle-mover on the surface, but with the team looking for proven players to add to the competition brewing this training camp, and Hardman perhaps looking for a fresh start, coming in to compete for the WR3 spot on a cheap deal could be a perfect late-offseason signing for the Cowboys.

DL, Calais Campbell

Atlanta Falcons v Carolina Panthers Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Signing Calais Campbell does nothing for your future as he will be turning 38 this season, but adding him to the mix will undoubtedly help your defense in 2024. Campbell is fresh off a season with the Atlanta Falcons in which he started all 17 games finishing with 6.5 sacks, 56 tackles, and 10 tackles for loss.

Age is certainly a factor for the Cowboys front office in the overwhelming majority of situations, however, for a one-year rental at a position of need, Campbell may be the perfect signing for the Cowboys.

Some have thrown the name Linval Joseph around due to the connection with Mike Zimmer, and that too does makes sense. However, on a pure production level, with no added outside factors, Campbell being inserted into the interior of this defensive line with the pass rushers they have on the outside could be a game-changer for this defense.

CB, Stephon Gilmore

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Chalk this one up as a no-brainer. Stephon Gilmore came to Dallas last year to be CB2 on the opposite side of Trevon Diggs and quickly became CB1 when they needed him to, and did so like a true pro. Gilmore isn’t the same player he was five years ago, but there is still some juice left in the tank, and adding him back in the fold would be a good idea for this Cowboys defense who could use more respected veteran presence in the locker room.

Dallas had plans for Gilmore and Diggs on the outside with DaRon Bland being one of the best young CBs tormenting WRs on the inside. In 2024 if they choose to do so, they could try and run that plan back again and if so, they could very well have the best starting CBs in the NFL with some quality depth to lean on as well.

Adding Gilmore brings a sense of comfort to the position. If they were to lose someone to injury they could be okay once again with him in the fold. However, without him, the room is largely unproven setting up an unsettling situation. Bring Gilmore back and secure the back end.

EDGE, Carl Lawson

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Carl Lawson’s career has been littered with injuries, but even back to his days at Auburn, when healthy, he has proven he is more than capable of getting after the QB. He was robbed of his season in 2023 due to injury, but in 2022 Lawson finished with seven sacks for the Jets, following 2019 and 2020 where he finished with five and five and a half respectively.

Dallas has seen Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong leave for Washington, and while they have drafted pass-rushing help via Marshawn Kneeland, outside of Sam Williams, they lack quality backup production at the position right now.

Lawson will almost assuredly be within the Cowboys price range, and with his ability being good enough to bet on, if he is brought in and is able to get on the field, Dallas’ pass rush would once again be a formidable group when paired with Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.


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