Which Big-Name Free Agent Will Dallas Sign?

Since the Pro Bowl is over, and Dallas is obviously not in the Super Bowl (big surprise right?) there are only a few topics people can really discuss. Some of these topics have been beaten until they are bloody and lying motionless on the side of the road. Others have so much intrigue surrounding them that one can offer a multitude of possible outcomes and still have things to talk about.

The one thing everyone wonders every year is whom are the Cowboys going to bring into the fold when the free agency bell rings?

With the hiring of defensive pioneer Monte Kiffin, and the subsequent switch from a 3-4 base defense to a 4-3, the free agency topic presents a completely new angle outside of the normal who’s who chitchat. Now we need to analyze the current personnel and see if they fit the new scheme.

With all that being said, here are some of the free agents that intrigue me, as the March 12 kick-off grows nearer and nearer.

Anthony Spencer

Of course we have to start with the biggest player that we all know best. Anthony Spencer had a career year and showed what Dallas’ scouting department saw when they drafted him in the first round. The hardest thing to account for is if his play this year was because he knew he was due for a free agency pay day, or if he had finally figured things out and was ready to rip off multiple years of chaos on the field? Only time will tell on this one.

Regardless of what people think, Spencer would be a huge addition for Dallas as they navigate the defensive transition. He played with his hand on the ground in college, so there shouldn’t be too much of a transition period for him if Dallas can afford to keep him on the payroll.

Glenn Dorsey

Nov 1, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Glenn Dorsey (72) gestures during the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The under-achieving, former first-rounder has never lived up to expectations during his time in Kansas City. He would fit the Cowboys scheme as a nose tackle, but only at the right price. Considering he didn’t perform at a consistent level with the Chiefs, I believe he would sign a less expensive, short-term contract and hope to build his value back up. If the Cowboys draft a young defensive tackle this year, Dorsey would work well as a stopgap player for either a young rookie, or an inexperienced player still in development, like Tyrone Crawford.

Jake Long

Injuries the past two seasons have turned Jake Long from a once highly coveted left tackle to a giant question mark. Considering it’ll cost Miami $15.4 million to retain him if they franchise him, look for Long to be playing elsewhere next season. Here’s where owner and general manager Jerry Jones comes in.

We all know Jerry love the big splash and the name recognition of big-name players. Where else is he going to find that than a former number one overall pick signing on with Dallas?

Obviously there are a lot of variables with Long. Will he be up to moving to the right side? Will he want to take a shorter contract in order to build his value back up and prove he is still the elite talent he was three years ago?

As always, any of this is speculation. Jerry can be an eccentric individual from time to time (insert snicker here), so who knows what he will do. At times I don’t think he even knows what he is going to do until he does it. So throw out your ideas of who the next big free agent to join the Cowboys will be.