Back during the 2016 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys had the No. 4 overall pick and no shortage of elite prospects to choose from. They ultimately went with Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, even with rumored target Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey on the board.
The Cowboys can't be upset with how things turned out, as Elliott was one of the NFL's elite runners for a handful of years and the face of their offense. It seemed that Zeke was always going to be the pick, but it's fair to wonder what Dallas would have done if Joey Bosa, who went No. 3 to the LA Chargers, hadn't gotten picked.
There's no sense dwelling on a draft from 10 years ago, but the Cowboys finally have a chance to bring in the great player they never got to draft. Bosa remains a free agent, and he'd give Christian Parker's defense just what they're looking for off the edge.
Pro Football Focus projects Bosa to sign a one-year, $11 million deal. Dallas can absolutely meet that price.
Jerry Jones finally has a chance to bring Joey Bosa to the Dallas Cowboys
Most of the Cowboys' offseason blueprint has been centered around improving their league-worst defense. They already traded for Rashan Gary and drafted both Jaishawn Barham and Malachi Lawrence in the top 100, but remember, Dallas' pass-rush was among the worst in the NFL last year. They need all the reinforcements they can get.
In terms of pass-rushers, Bosa is arguably the best edge or DT available. He has over 100 career starts under his belt and is just shy of 80 career sacks. Though it's clear he's not the same player the Chargers once took third overall, Bosa is still more than capable as a rotational guy.
Jadeveon Clowney is as good as gone this offseason, and Christian Parker's defense could use Bosa to replace him. Like Gary, the 30-year-old could be a low-stakes pickup who could help mentor Dallas' young pass-rushing trio of Lawrence and second-year edge Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Bosa's main issue is his inability to stay healthy. He hasn't played in every game in a season since 2019, but was mostly healthy (and productive) for the Buffalo Bills in 2025, logging five sacks, 47 pressures, and nine tackles for loss across 15 games.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bosa's 79.3 grade ranked 17th out of 115 qualified edge rushers, while his 88.7 pass-rush grade ranked seventh. He's still plenty productive for a win-now team, and for the projected price of $11 million a year, he'd offer some return on investment.
Bosa's sack numbers may not jump off the page like they once did, but he still makes an impact on defense. Signing him could help this young Cowboys' pass-rush take off in Year 1 under Christian Parker.
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