If there is one thing Dallas Cowboys owner and de facto general manger Jerry Jones can be relied on, it's bypassing expensive free agents. The Cowboys have not made a "splash" in free agency since they signed cornerback Brandon Carr to a $50 million deal in 2012.
There is something to be said about not spending like a drunken sailor, but Jones' philosophy borders on stingy and detrimental to team success.
However, Jones undoubtedly nailed not pursuing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in the 2024 offseason. Less than two years later, Wilkins' contract with the Raiders is already among the worst in football, according to Lou Scataglia of NFL Spin Zone.
"Christian Wilkins played in just five games for the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Season due to a foot injury, and he is already set to turn 30 years old during the season," Scataglia wrote. "Wilkins was yet another example of former GM Tom Telesco going big-fish hunting in free agency, only to overpay for a player and neglect the overall roster depth."
Cowboys already proven right for avoiding Christian Wilkins in 2024 free agency
Cowboys fans pounded the table for any DT in 2024 free agency.
Wilkins was the standout of the class and got $27.5 million per year and $82.75 million guaranteed from the Raiders following a career year in which he tallied nine sacks, 23 QB hits, 61 pressures, 34 defensive snaps and a 69.2 run-defense grade, per PFF (subscription required). He was going to get a huge deal regardless of where he signed.
The former first-round pick in 2019 is a rare interior defender that can defend the run and rush the passer at a high level. He would have been an ideal fit next to the ascending Osa Odighizuwa, but signing him would have ruled out an extension for their homegrown stud.
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The Cowboys did the diligent thing allowing the Raiders to overpay for Wilkins, who was about to enter his sixth year, and reserve funds for Odighizuwa. Wilkins struggled to stay healthy in his first year with Las Vegas and those concerns have spilled over into 2025.
Dallas, meanwile, inked Odighizuwa, one of the best pass-rushing IDL in the league, to a lucrative (but team-friendly) extension in March. Odighizuwa's $20 million annual average value ranks 15th (!) at the position, per Over The Cap, while his $39 million in fully guaranteed money ranks 12th.
That is excellent value for a player who ranked top seven last season in pressures, sacks, hits and pass-rush grade in true pass sets.
Whether it was Wilkins, Grover Stewart, D.J. Reader, or Sheldon Rankins, you couldn't find a Cowboys fan out there that didn't want the Joneses to splurge on a defensive tackle in 2024. They were wise to steer clear of Wilkins and prioritize Odighizuwa.