While the Dallas Cowboys have undoubtedly been a bit more aggressive to open this NFL offseason than they were a year ago, it's not as if they've made any genuinely groundbreaking moves.
Sure, they took care of some in-house business, re-signing the likes of Osa Odighizuwa, C.J. Goodwin, Brock Hoffman, Tyrus Wheat, Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell, Trent Sieg, KaVontae Turpin, and Bryan Anger.
And bringing back Dante Fowler Jr. while also signing Payton Turner and Solomon Thomas to shore up the defensive line weren't bad moves. Turner and Thomas aren't game-changers by any means, but they were ridiculously cheap, so it works for depth purposes.
On the flip side of things, however, America's Team said goodbye to quite a few notable names and key contributors, a list that includes DeMarcus Lawrence (Seahawks), Jourdan Lewis (Jaguars), Chauncey Golston (Giants), Rico Dowdle (Panthers), and Cooper Rush (Ravens).
And how excited should Cowboys fans really be about a backfield duo of Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams? Or giving up multiple draft picks for disappointing first-round linebacker Kenneth Murray?
The Kaair Elam trade could also be included in this particular group, but there's still some potential upside, so we'll reserve judgment on that one for now.
So, who have been the biggest winners and losers for the Cowboys thus far this offseason? Let's have a look.
Winner: Osa Odighizuwa
This is a bit of a copout, as it's easy to call Osa Odighizuwa a winner after signing a new $80 million deal that will keep him in Dallas for the next four years.
But just because it's easy doesn't mean it's not true.
And honestly, given the market, this can almost be seen as a steal. Furthermore, the contract has zero guaranteed money attached to it over the final two years, which essentially makes it a two-year contract with a pair of team options. So, Jerry Jones undoubtedly deserves some credit here.
Coming off a campaign in which he recorded career-highs in total tackles (47), quarterback hits (23), and sacks (4.5), Odighizuwa should be able to up those numbers even more, as he'll be a fantastic fit in the 4-3 scheme of new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Loser: Dak Prescott
For starters, Dak Prescott has to be thrown in the loser category due to the retirement of Zack Martin.
While Robert Jones, who started all 17 games for the Miami Dolphins a season ago, is currently No. 1 on the Cowboys' depth chart at right guard, Dallas may end up finding a new starter in the draft. But regardless of who ultimately ends up at the position, Prescott won't have the protection he had behind the future Hall of Famer.
But that's not the biggest issue for Dak right now. That, of course, is the fact that the Cowboys have done absolutely nothing to get him another elite receiver to play opposite CeeDee Lamb.
Sure, new addition Parris Campbell caught 63 passes for 623 yards and three touchdowns for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, but that's the only time in his six-year career that he's recorded more than 20 catches.
With so many high-profile wideouts finding new homes thus far, whether in free agency or via trade, Prescott can't be pleased that the Cowboys whiffed in this regard.
Winner: Dante Fowler Jr.
On one hand, Dante Fowler Jr. could be seen as a loser here, as his now-former team, the Washington Commanders, have to be seen as a better overall team than the Cowboys at this point. So, that's one way to look at it.
On the other hand, however, it was quite clear that he wasn't going to get the $8 million he got from Dallas from the Commanders. So, kudos to his agent for locking that up.
From a production standpoint, Fowler had his best season in five years in 2024, recording 39 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown, marking the first pick-six of his career.
Those numbers are far better than anything he did in his previous stint with the Cowboys, so perhaps Dallas got a good deal here.
Loser: Micah Parsons
No matter how many times we do this particular type of article, we have to put Micah Parsons on the loser list until he signs his new contract. And that's all there is to say about that.
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