3 free agents the Cowboys could still re-sign in Dallas

Aldon Smith, DE

Premier pass rushers are hard to find. It’s one of the main reasons the Cowboys took a flier on signing defensive end Aldon Smith last year despite a near five-year layoff from the NFL due to suspension.

And while the gamble appeared to initially pay off with Smith racking up 4.0 sacks in his first three games back, the fact the former All-Pro was only able to record a single sack in the remaining 13 contests was cause for concern.

But based on the performance Smith had in his initial return, it’s not hard to imagine with a proper offseason training program that the once-dominant pass rusher can return to form.

Originally a first-round selection by the San Francisco 49ers back in 2011, Smith racked up an incredible 42.0 sacks in his first three NFL seasons. If the Cowboys believe they can still get even a fraction of that kind of defensive performance out of the 31-year old pass rusher, it might be worth bringing him back.

There was a report last month that the Cowboys had notified Smith that the team would not be re-signing him this offseason. But soon afterward, head coach Mike McCarthy called the situation still fluid, leaving the door open for a possible return.