Dallas Cowboys fans would feel a lot better about the team's outlook had they come away with a starting-caliber linebacker in the first wave of NFL free agency.
Jerry Jones and Co. showed real interest in Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, but the former Georgia teammates ultimately chose the Las Vegas Raiders. Dallas reportedly made a competitive offer for Dean, but the chance to pair up with Walker again proved too appealing to pass up.
All hope is not lost at linebacker, but the Cowboys may need to get creative on the trade market with the top free agents already off the board. That includes former Jacksonville Jaguars star Devin Lloyd, who signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Carolina Panthers.
As it turns out, Dallas was interested in Lloyd, with insider Todd Archer of ESPN confirming that the team "made a push" for Lloyd before he signed with Carolina.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleThe Dallas Cowboys wanted Devin Lloyd, but wouldn't pony up the money
Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram heard similar whispers, as he revealed on the Cross Chop podcast.
"I think Devin Lloyd is a perfect example of them still not reaching that threshold, because they had an opportunity to enter that race. They did not want to meet the price point for that race ..."
There you have it. Lloyd was on Dallas’ radar, but the team wasn’t willing to step outside its comfort zone to get a deal done. It’s a tale as old as time, and now they’re left scrambling for a veteran linebacker to avoid being pigeonholed in the NFL Draft.
While some compelling veterans are entering the final year of their contracts, it shouldn’t have come to that, especially with Lloyd signing for less than projected.
Coming off an All-Pro season, the former Jaguar was expected to challenge Fred Warner ($21 million per year) and Roquan Smith ($20 million per year) as the highest-paid linebackers. Instead, he signed for just $15 million annually, slotting in behind Zack Baun ($17 million) for the fourth-highest salary at the position.
Imagine how much better you’d feel about the Cowboys’ defense with Lloyd in the fold. He’s not repeating five interceptions anytime soon, but he’s more than capable in coverage. More importantly, he’s one of the most reliable run defenders at the position, posting an 85.7 run-defense grade over the last three years, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
It’s unclear how much Dallas offered, but it’s a failure that they weren’t willing to meet the price required to land Lloyd.
Overpaying is the cost of doing business in free agency, yet the Cowboys continue to operate like they aren’t the biggest brand in the league.