Dallas Cowboys continue to bargain shop in free agency

With most of the big names off the board in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to improve their roster with second-level free agents.

The Dallas Cowboys‘ offseason blueprint has been clear for years: be patient in free agency while trying to acquire mid level free agents for minimal money and build their roster through the draft.

While the core of their current roster has been assembled via the draft, it is somewhat naive to believe that you can basically avoid free agency and totally rely on the draft process. No matter how good your scouting department and front office may be, the odds of hitting on all your draft picks is practically impossible.

The Cowboys have been as bad as it gets the last couple years in free agency and, in fact, still have dead money sitting on their salary cap this season from the horrible signings that were defensive lineman Cedric Thornton and cornerback Nolan Carroll. They are hoping to break out of their free agency slump with their recent signings that occurred earlier last week.

The Cowboys are looking to address two major weaknesses with their recent signings of wide receiver Allen Hurns and tackle Cameron Flemming. Hurns should certainly help a struggling Cowboys receiving corp led by Dez Bryant and Flemming could provide them with the ever important position of swing tackle; a position that left them searching for answers last year when All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith went down with an injury.

Wide receiver seems to be a high priority for the Cowboys this offseason, as it should be after the tumultuous season that group had last year. They have also signed former Bears and Bills receiver Deonte Thompson and have scheduled several pre-draft visits with top wide receiver prospects.

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Could the Dallas Cowboys be preparing to take a wide receiver in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft? Or could they even be setting themselves up for life without Dez Bryant as his potential release is still a decision that has not been made and continues to loom over their head this offseason.