Dallas Cowboys will return to 2016 free agency strategy
By Brad Austin
After a brief, painful departure, the Dallas Cowboys will return to the 2016 free agency commitment to signing their own.
Last Spring the Dallas Cowboys let several key defenders walk in free agency. A year later and they’ve yet to recover in the secondary.
The youth movement at corner showed promise in late 2017 and should pan out going forward. Yet repairing the struggling safety position remains a top priority.
Dallas took a year off from retaining their own key free agents and the consequences stung more than they anticipated.
In March 2016, a year prior, the Cowboys also faced multiple free agent departures. Instead of gambling on their wits they re-signed several key contributors.
Jack Crawford (DL), James Hanna (TE), Kyle Wilber (LB), Lance Dunbar (RB), Morris Claiborne (CB), and Rolando McClain (LB) were all retained.
Dallas stuck to a protective strategy which resulted in 13 wins and a playoff berth. Expect a return to this strategy after departing from it led to seven losses.
NEW OFFSEASON, OLD APPROACH
Five starters could possibly exit this offseason…Anthony Hitchens (LB), David Irving (DL), DeMarcus Lawrence (DE), Jonathan Cooper (OG), and L.P. Ladouceur (LS).
Unlike the mass exodus in 2017, I doubt more than one is allowed to relocate.
Lawrence will either get the franchise tag or receive an extension. Ladouceur will also be retained without question. There’s no risk of losing either player.
Irving will receive a high restricted free agent tender likely keeping him at bay. Unless there’s private issues fans aren’t aware of, Dallas won’t let his production go.
The wildcards of the bunch are Cooper and Hitchens. Look for the Cowboys to spend an early draft pick on a cheaper upgrade over Cooper at guard.
The 2018 draft will have worthy replacements stretching to the Cowboys second round pick. Cooper will only return if he accepts a bargain deal as insurance.
HITCHIN’ THE WAGON TO HITCHENS
Hitchens is a different story. The productive linebacker will receive plenty of interest on the market. Still it’s a good bet Dallas will match the best offer to keep him.
With guard and safety already top priorities, Hitchens return would push linebacker down the list. A few will be drafted, but likely in the middle rounds unless a gem falls.
Hitchens is valued well beyond just a quality player. His versatility is ideal for this unit. In the past he showed best at the weak side, but his middle play caught up in 2017.
Returning linebackers Jaylon Smith and Sean Lee are both injury concerns. Hitchens can start in place of either of them when needed.
That type of versatility is nearly priceless and hard to find immediately in a new player. The projected market value for Hitchens is 4 years / $28 million.
Dallas would only have to guarantee $20 mil or so. Plus they’d backload the brunt of the base salaries to 2020 and 2021, making the first two years less costly.
The delay makes sense as Lee’s contract ends after 2019. Once the larger bases for Hitchens kick in, Dallas will have shed Lee’s $10 million cap hit.
Next: 4 positions the Cowboys must address via the draft
In 2017 the Cowboys mixed it up and opened the exit door for key free agents. After sitting home for the playoffs, don’t expect the same careless approach in March.