5 free agents the Cowboys should have their eye on for 2021

Which free agents should the Dallas Cowboys be interested in this offseason?

The Dallas Cowboys will head into this offseason with a plethora of needs on both sides of the ball. The organization is currently giving up the third-most points per game in the league with 30 and has struggled along its offensive line.

This offseason will also pose a series of interesting challenges for the Cowboys. What should they do with their starting quarterback Dak Prescott? How should they use their picks in the upcoming NFL Draft? Should they stick with head coach Mike McCarthy?

All of these questions will be tackled by the front office of America’s Team and will be significant in determining the success of the team moving forward. The organization also has several important free agents of its own outside of Dak Prescott that they will have to decide what to do with including linebacker Aldon Smith and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.

Dallas will also likely have one of the worst cap situations heading into the 2021 season, especially if Dak Prescott is given a massive contract extension this offseason. The team will have to settle for less expensive options in free agency to fill some of its needs.

To put it bluntly, the Cowboys have too many needs for them to all be addressed through the NFL Draft and the team will have to dip its toes into free agency if it wants to seriously compete next season.

Here is a list of five free agents the Dallas Cowboys should keep an eye on in the upcoming free-agent class.

5. Earl Thomas, Safety

At this point, it might feel like a broken record when a fan of America’s Team advocates for the team to sign seven-time Pro-Bowl safety Earl Thomas. However, there is a reason that fans of the Cowboys have been clamoring for the team to sign the current free agent.

Since he was released by the Baltimore Ravens for personal conduct issues earlier this year the former Seattle Seahawk has garnered considerable interest from fans of Dallas. That fervor even manifested itself in the form of a public-pressure campaign earlier this season to push Cowboys general manager and owner Jerry Jones to sign him.

Thomas is a native of Texas and has frequently indicated his potential desire to join the organization throughout his illustrious career. However, off-the-field issues have hampered the veteran safety’s ability to sign with NFL teams thus far.

The 31-year old safety would be a welcome addition to a struggling secondary in Dallas. The team currently has the seventh-fewest interceptions this year with only nine through fifteen games. That struggle to force turnovers has carried over from last season when the organization only managed to force 17 takeaways, a mark that put the team toward the bottom of the league in that category.

Needless to say, Thomas would instantly improve the teams’ ability to force takeaways. The three-time All-Pro safety has an astonishing 42 total takeaways (interceptions and forced fumbles) in his 140 game career.

The veterans’ affinity for America’s Team and his struggles to find a landing spot due to off the field issues could also allow Dallas to negotiate a more team-friendly deal (at least in the short-term). The Dallas Cowboys could give this dominant defender a chance to get back into the league and he could give them a much-needed leader in their young secondary.