It's hard to deny that the Dallas Cowboys have gotten better since free agency started at 11 am CT on Monday.
At the same time, though, it's still a little disappointing for Dallas to come out of the first two days with Rashan Gary and Jalen Thompson as its lone impact moves.
While those players undoubtedly raise the floor of the defense, it's an underwhelming pivot after the Cowboys finished as runners-up in the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes. Not to mention, standout defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa might get traded.
The frustrating run continued into Day 3, as the Cowboys signed defensive lineman Tyrus Wheat, per Jane Slater of NFL Network. Dallas actually signed Wheat as an undrafted free agent in 2023, so this marks his second stint with the franchise.
Wheat has played more on special teams than on defense in his career, logging 457 special teams snaps compared to 263 on defense, including just 65 with the Detroit Lions last season. He's a solid depth piece, which is important, but we're still in the second wave of free agency.
The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly re-signed Tyrus Wheat
Look, there is nothing wrong with signing depth players. The Cowboys' roster has been top-heavy for years. They've frequently ignored the bottom third of the roster.
Signing Otito Ogbonnia gives Chrisitan Parker a quality rotational nose tackle who can play in multiple formations, while P.J. Locke is a proven backup safety who started 15 games for the Broncos in 2024. He is also a weapon Nick Sorensen can deploy on special teams.
Wheat is probably a step down from Ogbonnia and Locke in terms of defensive impact, but it's important to have capable backups and rotational players. The purpose of free agency is to plug holes.
The problem is that Dallas has taken that in a literal sense, as opposed to overpaying to bring in a player that could make a big difference.
The Cowboys were reportedly in on every big-ticket linebacker, including Devin Lloyd, Nakobe Dean, and Quay Walker, going as far as to have Zoom calls with Dean and Walker on Monday. All three players landed healthy contracts on the open market, but nothing Dallas couldn't have matched or outbid.
All it takes is one impact signing or addition to quell the frustration. To this point, though, the front office has not given itself much flexibility for the NFL Draft.