Did Cowboys make a huge mistake letting this veteran leave in 2024 free agency?

When Johnathan Hankins left Dallas in free agency last March, fans weren’t quite sure how to feel about it. On one hand the 32-year-old tackle from Ohio State was one-dimensional and limited. Hankins offered next to nothing as a pass rusher was reduced to a 1-technique role where he principally played the run. In that role he was certainly serviceable, but not a frontline starter or above replacement level.

On the other hand, Hankins was the Cowboys only decent run stopper on their defensive interior. Whether he was starter level or not, he was the No. 1 run stopper in Dallas, and at 325-pounds, capable of anchoring an otherwise light defensive line.