The Dallas Cowboys are close to being contenders. We know they can win games, evidenced by their 12-5 mark at home. The problem is that they have continued to choke in the postseason. They can't spend too much time worrying about their latest missed opportunity though since they're about to be full-speed ahead in the offseason.
With that being the case, we look ahead to some of their pending free agents, which is a rather long list. There will be a lot of players the Cowboys would like to retain but these are the five they have to bring back if they want to contend in 2024.
5. Johnathan Hankins, NT
For the past several years, Dallas has struggled when it comes to trying to stop the run. That's why they swung a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of the 2022 trade deadline to bring in Johnathan Hankins.
The 320-pound nose tackle only appeared in five games for the Cowboys but his impact was clear. Their run defense was vastly improved with him in the middle of the line. They were able to bring him back for another season and he had 27 tackles and three sacks while continuing to be an anchor in the middle.
Dallas understood that Hankins' age meant he couldn't be relied upon for much longer which is why they gave him the one-year deal and used their top pick on Mazi Smith. Unfortunately, Smith wasn't up to the task during his rookie campaign. Unless the coaching staff saw something in practice we didn't, they will need to bring Hankins back for at least another year while Smith continues to develop.
4. Rico Dowdle, RB
At first glance, it might seem crazy to think Rico Dowdle is the player the Cowboys need to re-sign and not Tony Pollard. While it's true Pollard ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons, he was also clearly on the decline this past year.
Pollard finished with career lows in both yards per rushing attempt (4.0) and yards per reception (5.7). He also failed to score a touchdown through the air for just the second time in his career. Despite all of this, he's not going to come in and play for nothing.
Pollard made just north of $10 million in 2023 and while he won't get that in 2024, he also won't play for the league minimum. He also might not being relegated back to the No. 2 role, which is what needs to happen since Dallas has to find a capable back who can take pressure off Dak Prescott.
This likely means taking a player on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. That could lead to a franchise back being found but they're going to also need someone capable of backing up their new starter. Dowdle proved in 2023 that he can handle this role well.
The former South Carolina star had 361 yards on the ground and 144 through the air with four total touchdowns. He averaged 4.1 yards per attempt and 8.5 per reception. He showed good burst when given the opportunity and despite being 26 when the next season starts, he has hardly any wear on his legs with just 96 career rushing attempts.
If Dallas is able to land someone to start as well as perhaps a veteran backup — or even late-round pick who can push Dowdle, that's fine. But they need to know their No. 2 is talented enough to move the chains and having Dowdle as the worst-case option is a huge win.
3. Dorance Armstrong, EDGE
When the Cowboys were unable to lock up Randy Gregory last year, it felt as though they made a mistake. But fast-forward to now and Gregory has already been traded by the Denver Broncos who got next to nothing from him. For Dallas, they quickly turned their attention to re-signing Dorance Armstrong — and Stephen Jones was laughed at for suggesting he could produce at the same level as Gregory.
In the end, it was proven that Jones deserved to be laughed at, but not for the originally reason people were laughing. Jones actually undersold what Armstrong brought to the table. The former fourth-round pick had 33 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2022 which was far superior to anything Gregory did during his tenure in Dallas.
Then in 2023, Armstrong added another 38 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He doesn't make the flashy plays but he still had 71 tackles and 16 sacks over the past two seasons while playing in all 34 games. As for Gregory, he has appeared in 22 games with 32 tackles and 5.5 sacks between two teams. Again, Armstrong not only produced what Gregory could but he outperformed what Gregory did in two seasons with his one-year totals in both 2022 and 2023.
With that consistency, the Cowboys need to bring Armstrong back for a seventh year — at least. He's developed into a productive member of the defensive line and losing him could be a major blow.
2. Tyler Biadasz, C
When Travis Frederick had to call it a career — much earlier than he wanted to — the Cowboys went back to his alma mater to find a replacement. This time, it was Tyler Biadasz who was a fourth-round pick. Dallas wound up trading up for Biadaz in the 2020 NFL Draft — which happened to be the same year they landed CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs.
Biadasz ended up starting four games as a rookie but in year two, he was the guy. He took every snap at center and then played 16 games in each of the next two campaigns. One of those, 2022, he even earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.
This year, however, he might not have been given any accolades but he had his best finish according to Pro Football Focus. The analytical site named him the 14th best at his position. And while he wasn't as great in pass protection as he was in run-blocking, Biadasz continued to prove he's a starting-caliber player.
Looking ahead, the Cowboys could decide to upgrade the position. 2024 isn't the year to do this though. Without much draft capital in the middle rounds and limited cap space, the smarter play is to run it back with Biadasz as the center for at least one more season. If they want to try and find a late-round pick or undrafted free agent to groom, that's worth a shot. But letting him walk without a solid replacement would add too large of a hole in the middle of the line.
1. Stephon Gilmore, CB
One of the high-profile additions for Dallas this offseason was defensive back Stephon Gilmore. A 12-year veteran, Gilmore played in all 17 games this season which is impressive given his age. It's even more impressive when you realize he had to fight through some serious pain at the end of the year.
Highlight just how tough Gilmore is, the veteran defensive back played in the Wild Card Round with a torn labrum. He will undergo surgery in the offseason to repair his shoulder and wants to play again in 2024. For the Cowboys, they need to make sure when he takes the field again, it's with the star on his helmet.
Gilmore was supposed to give Dallas an elite secondary with Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. Unfortunately, they lost Diggs after just two games which meant Gilmore and Bland were the top two cornerbacks. Now with Diggs hopefully healthy, they'll be able to go three deep at the position — assuming they retain Gilmore.
If they're not able to bring him back, that could be quite a blow to the defensive backfield. Jourdan Lewis and Jayron Kearse are also free agents so they would be down to Bland, Diggs (who is recovering from a torn ACL), and then Nahshon Wright would battle Eric Scott for the No. 3 spot.
Considering how often the Cowboys had to play three corners, making sure they have capable starters throughout the secondary is going to be key to taking the next step. Eventually, they will have to replace Gilmore, but right now, there are far too many other holes which is why he should be the No. 1 priority at this point.