Cowboys fans roll their eyes as Jerry Jones makes yet another depth signing

It's clear now that the Dallas Cowboys sought out to raise the floor of their defense in free agency. Granted, they made a strong push to trade for Maxx Crosby, but as far as shelling out to bring in impact players, the front office has been selectively aggressive.

That approach ultimately led Dallas to miss out on linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. They made competitive offers for both, but Devin Lloyd’s price tag proved too rich for the Cowboys to seriously pursue.

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The good news? Jerry Jones and company are reportedly (internally) discussing trades for stars Jordyn Brooks and Azeez Al-Shaair. The bad news? As that process plays out, the team has signed another depth player, agreeing to a one-year deal with cornerback Corey Ballentine.

A sixth-round pick of the Giants in 2019, Ballentine appeared in five games for the Cowboys last season. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 23 snaps on defense compared to 47 on special teams.

The Dallas Cowboys have re-signed depth cornerback Corey Ballentine

Re-signing Ballentine is hardly an egregious move. Dallas clearly like what he provided on special teams, and he's managed to stick around in the NFL for seven seasons despite starting just 11 of 75 game and playing for six different teams.

There's something to be said about that, but the move suggests the Cowboys are done making "splashes" in free agency until after the NFL Draft. While the market was gutted in the first week of the new league year, there are some compelling names still searching for a home.

Veteran defensive lineman D.J. Reader and Calais Campbell, edge rusher Joey Bosa, linebacker Bobby Wagner, and defensive end Cameron Jordan all remain unsigned and would be tremendous fits in Dallas.

And yet, Jerry Jones is out here re-signing a player who, in a perfect world, won't see any defensive snaps next season.

It falls in the same bucket as bringing back Tyrus Wheat, who played in Detroit last year after spending his first two seasons with the Cowboys. Like Ballentine, the 26-year-old Wheat played more on special teams for Dallas, logging 242 special teams snaps to 197 defensive snaps.

It’s not the end of the world that Ballentine and Wheat are back in Dallas. But the defense still has glaring holes at linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback. Fans aren’t wrong to want players who will have meaningful roles under Christian Parker in 2026.