Full list of Dallas Cowboys free agents in 2024

Highlights

• The Dallas Cowboys’ NFC Championship drought continued after a blowout loss in the wild-card round.
• Jerry Jones’ team is set to be in contention again next year as many of its premier players are set to return.
• A franchise icon and former DPOY who provided great play last season is among the Cowboys’ biggest free agents.

Over the past three decades, the Dallas Cowboys have evolved from America’s team into… America’s punching bag.

Like MLB’s New York Yankees and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, every other fan base around the NFL takes great pleasure in watching Jerry Jones’ squad fall short of a championship year after year. This season’s defeat, to the Green Bay Packers on Super Wildcard Weekend, was the most heartwarming – or disappointing, depending on the lens you’re looking through – of recent memory.

Despite the chirps from critics, the Cowboys are again well-equipped to make a postseason run this upcoming campaign; they’re bringing back a vast majority of their 12-5, NFC East division-winning roster. However, a handful of their 2024 free agent list played a vital role last season and won’t be the easiest to replace if they end up heading for other pastures.

2024 Dallas Cowboys Free Agents

Three major needle-movers among 14 total players

At the time of this writing, Dallas resides approximately $10 million over the 2024 salary cap. The Cowboys could easily find themselves in the black by exercising clauses in Zack Martin and Trevon Diggs’ contracts to save nearly $10 million apiece.

Extensions for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, paired with those aforementioned clauses, would give them $40 million to work with. That amount would leave room to spare after re-signing their three biggest free agents and 2022 Pro-Bowl center Tyler Biadasz, based on current Spotrac market projections.

Tyron Smith, LT

Does the long-tenured lineman have juice left in the tank?

At the peak of his powers, Smith appeared on four consecutive All-Pro teams and seven straight Pro-Bowl rosters. He is nearing a decade since his last full season of action (2015), but earned his All-Pro status for the fifth time by making 2023’s second team.

Smith snared a sparkling 83.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts and is GIVEMESPORT’s top available offensive lineman despite being 33 years old.

Smith has snagged a Pro-Bowl bid or All-Pro honor in each of the last nine years he has played double-digit games. His injury history is the only thing standing in the way of him possibly getting a decent-sized, short-term contract from Dallas or another organization.

It’s hard to imagine him playing without the star on his helmet, but the future Hall of Famer is reportedly not considering retirement and is open to playing elsewhere if he and the Cowboys cannot reach an agreement.

Had Smith only played in 17 contests across the last three years, as he did from 2020-22, Jones would probably be able to let him walk with relative ease. Now, he’ll likely be paying to find out if Smith has juice left in his tank or emptied the reserves on his 2023 return-to-form tour.

Tony Pollard, RB

Pollard’s efficiency took a dip in 2023

Pollard had the franchise tag applied to him last offseason following a breakout 2022 campaign in which he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time, scored 12 total touchdowns, and made the Pro Bowl. Dallas had enough faith in the fourth-year pro, even after he suffered a left leg fracture and high ankle sprain in that season’s divisional round, to release longtime stud running back Ezekiel Elliott at the beginning of the 2023 league year and hand Pollard the reigns to the rushing attack.

The Memphis alum showcased his durability by playing in and starting all 18 of the Cowboys’ games (including playoffs) in his first season as a bell cow, but did not display the big-play ability he frequently provided the prior year.

In fact, he posted career-lows in his per-touch numbers as both a runner and receiver. Pollard’s raw totals ended up being fairly similar year-over-year due to his increased workload, though he saw more carries (252) in 2023 than he did total touches in 2022.

Last season proved Pollard isn’t meant to be utilized as frequently between-the-tackles and is better suited in a home-run hitting role. The decreased efficiency has lowered his expected market value to $6.5 million annually, per Spotrac. A short-term deal to help him recoup his value could end up being a bargain for whoever gets his signature upon their dotted line.

Stephon Gilmore, CB

Is Gilmore worth potentially over paying at his age?

Gilmore has been on four different teams in the last four years after winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. Hefty cap hits and injuries are to blame more than a loss of ability; after suiting up only 19 times in 2020-21, he has missed just one contest – Week 18 of 2022 – across the last two seasons and racked up 24 pass defenses.

Gilmore has set and re-set his career-high in tackles, and played more than 95% of snaps in 28 of 33 games over the same stretch, seemingly putting those ailments behind him.

Dallas has three cornerbacks hitting free agency, so there is space for Gilmore in the room if they wish to keep him. However, Da’Ron Bland’s emergence on the outside raises questions.

Currently, Bland is set to man one boundary with Trevon Diggs, who is recovering from a torn ACL, slated to handle the other. In 2023, the Cowboys initially moved Bland into the slot to get their top three corners on the field together. With how well he played in Diggs’ stead, would they consider doing so again this year to accommodate Gilmore’s return?

Spotrac pegs Gilmore’s market value at $11.1 million, an 11% increase on his $10 million salary from a year ago. He would be the best possible insurance policy for Diggs, but paying a top-15 average annual value contract for your third corner isn’t the most efficient allocation of resources.

It may hurt to see Gilmore leave town, especially if he winds up playing for Dan Quinn and the rival Washington Commanders, but Dallas seems destined to seek a cheaper alternative on the open market.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.