3 Cowboys free agents likely gone in 2024 (and 2 who will be back)

The Cowboys have some tough decisions ahead of them this offseason. Contracts are coming due on players like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. Since all three are expected to reset their respective market, cuts will likely be needed elsewhere to balance the books.

With the coaching staff also in flux, things look especially tenuous for several internal free agents. Who will follow their respective coaches out of town and who will stay on with fresh contracts will be a topic for debate in coming weeks and months.

For as disappointing as the Cowboys’ upset loss was, it doesn’t warrant a complete teardown. The nucleus of the team is expected to return and aside from possible leadership changes, the churn will primarily come at the bottom of the roster.

But with so many internal players set to hit free agency in 2024, some key starters are sure to be gone as well. Without knowing exactly who will be coaching in Dallas and what scheme they will be using, it’s difficult to project with certainty who fits into the Cowboys plans in 2024 and beyond. But based on universal needs, the roster itself, and predicted salary demands, some informed predictions can be made. Starters on both sides of the ball are sure to leave even if their eventual replacements aren’t clear at the moment.

Cowboys FA who will be gone: Stephon Gilmore, CB

Stephon Gillmore was an absolute steal for the Cowboys this past season. Acquired in a March trade that sent a fifth rounder to Indianapolis for the former Defensive Player of the Year, one could say Gilmore saved Dallas’ season. Had the veteran not been on hand after Trevon Diggs was lost to a season-ending injury, the Cowboys would have been easy pickings for opposing passing attacks.

As luck would have it, DaRon Bland also stepped up enormously in Diggs’ stead, and cemented his future as the Cowboys CB2 going forward.

In a dream world where money doesn’t matter, the Cowboys would love to bring Gilmore back and have Bland move back into his role inside as CB3. But Bland's ascent as a dominant boundary CB make that a luxury move the Cowboys would have a hard time justifying when so many tough decisions must be made elsewhere.

With the defensive coordinator likely to change in 2024, Gilmore will be inclined to look for the best opportunity he can find to finish his career. At 34, he still has something left in the tank as a player and his high character and high IQ make him a valuable asset on the market. With Jourdan Lewis also likely to leave Dallas, the Cowboys will have their work cut out for them rounding out the CB position group in 2024.

Cowboys FA who will be gone: Tyler Biadasz, C

For four years Tyler Biadasz has handled the Cowboys duties at center. The former fourth round pick was acquired in a draft day trade with Philadelphia in 2020 and went on to start 53 games with Dallas.

Set to hit free agency in March, the 26-year-old hits the market just as he enters the physical prime of his career. With his best years likely ahead, Biadasz looks to cash in on his experience and lock into a multi-year free agent deal.

For as pleased as the Cowboys have been with Biadasz over the years, they haven’t seen him progress like they hoped he would. Biadasz had the rare opportunity to play between two All-Pro guards in Dallas, yet has struggled to stand out in those extremely beneficial circumstances.

Biadasz has generally graded no better than the middle of the pack at center. And while his best football is likely ahead of him, budgets will be tight and Dallas has shown a willingness to let better interior linemen than Biadasz leave without much of a fight. Both Connor Williams and Connor McGovern have gone on to post successful careers after the Cowboys and Biadasz will likely follow suit.

With no clear option in the pipeline, the Cowboys may roll the dice with Brock Hoffman and hope a prospect falls to them somewhere in the draft. Center isn’t considered a high value position in the draft so they won’t feel forced to use a top pick on their replacement.

Cowboys FA who will be gone: Tony Pollard, RB

Tony Pollard and the 2024 running game have made this decision pretty easy on the Cowboys. In case they forgot their mistakes of yesteryear (re-signing Ezekiel Elliott), they were given a reminder again in 2023 that RBs just don’t really matter.

The NFL has taught the world RBs are often at the mercy of the blocking in front of them and individual runners offer little in value if the blocking in front of them isn’t good. Spoiler alert: the Cowboys' run blocking wasn’t good in 2024.

The blame for the Cowboys ineptitude largely falls on Mike Solari, Dallas’ offensive line coach, and not on Pollard. The shift to inside zone rushing didn’t play to Pollard’s strengths or his linemen’s strengths.

How much Pollard demands on the open market is difficult to say. He’s only 26-years-old but he’s coming off a poor season in which he struggled to regain pre-injury form. Before this season Pollard was regarded as one of the top big play RBs in the NFL so he’ll likely get plenty of offers this offseason.

The Cowboys interest will likely be linked to whoever is coaching in Dallas and the scheme in which they run. Given the Cowboys desire to cut costs, there’s a good chance the Cowboys look to the draft to fill their RB1 position in 2024.

Cowboys FA who will be back: Tyron Smith, OT

Tyron Smith is a legend in Dallas. He’s also someone many fans have been trying to push out of town for years. Few will argue, the former All-Pro has had durability issues over recent seasons. From 2020-2022 Smith averaged less than six game per season because of various injuries.

Even coming back for the 2023 season seemed like a longshot considering his contract, reliability issues, and Tyler Smith’s development. Keep in mind, Tyler Smith was drafted to be Tyron Smith’s heir apparent at OT. Tyron Smith was seen as a progress stopper by remaining on the team since it forced Tyler Smith to buy time at OG.

But the circumstances have changed. Tyler Smith may have found a long-term home at LG. Therefore Tyron Smith is no longer blocking progress (unless someone is somehow through the roof on Matt Waltezko or Asim Richards in 2024).

Tyron Smith also changed his own narrative in a significant way. He might not be suddenly durable, but he bounced back enormously in 2023, playing 13 games for the first time in four years and producing at elite levels in the process.

Smith wasn’t just one of the top producing LTs in the game this last season, but he was also one of the most isolated. With Terence Steele struggling at RT all year, the Cowboys couldn’t afford to roll help Tyron Smith’s way. Yet Smith thrived, giving up only one regular season sack and grading as a top-five OT in the league.

Smith isn’t going to break the bank and isn’t blocking progress. As long as he decides to keep playing, the Cowboys can likely link him to an incentive laden deal. Pushing him out of town no longer makes sence even if Smith has durability concerns.

Cowboys FA who will be back: Johnathan Hankins, NT

There’s no telling what the Cowboys defense will look like in 2024 or who will be running it. One thing is clear: no one on the current roster is built like Johnathan Hankins. The 6-foot-2, 340-pound roadblock fits odd and even fronted schemes. He can two-gap as well as anyone and can even push the pocket when called upon.

The Cowboys are devoid of girthy players like Hankins. They drafted a 1-tech plugger in the first-round last season, but they proceeded to cut his weight and turn him into a 3-tech for some inexplicable reason. If the Cowboys move on from Hankins, they don’t have anyone waiting in the wings who can even remotely pick up the slack.

At 31-years-old, Hankins isn’t someone who’s on the cusp of breaking out or even someone who's at the peak of his profession. But in Dallas he’s a scarce commodity who can be signed for a reasonable amount. That make him a favorite to re-sign with the Cowboys.  

Given the undersized nature of the Cowboys’ second-level defenders, Hankins has added importance in Dallas. He keeps 300-pound linemen off the Cowboys’ 225-pound LBs and safeties which adds tremendous value outside the stat sheet.

The Cowboys could change their minds with Mazi Smith and ask him to bulk up again and assume the role he played in college. But given what he showed as a rookie, it’s unwise to bank on him sliding into a starting role anytime soon. Even if the Cowboys turn to the draft and look for a NT there, interior defensive linemen are notoriously slow in their development and even an early pick isn’t likely to help much in Year 1.

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