Cowboys linked to Super Bowl hero in free agency in staggering report

Free agency is one month away, so Dallas Cowboys fans should expect myriad rumors to surface between now and then. The Cowboys historically haven't splashed the cash in free agency, but Jerry Jones told reporters after the season that the team would be all-in.

Whether that comes to fruition is a different story, but we like to think the Cowboys will extend themselves once free agency opens. In order to get to the Super Bowl -- or at least the NFC Championship Game -- it might behoove Dallas to pursue free agents who just played in the big game.

The champion Chiefs and runner-up 49ers have no shortage of attractive free agents. Cowboys fans have pointed to Kansas City defensive lineman Chris Jones, who made multiple clutch plays in the Super Bowl, as someone the front office should throw the proverbial bag at.

That's not whom the Cowboys are being linked to, however. Per insider Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, Dallas is a "team to watch" if the Chiefs are unable to reach a long-term agreement with star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.

Cowboys being linked to L'Jarius Sjeed in free agency is utter nonsense

This rumor feels like utter nonsense. For starters, the Cowboys just signed Trevon Diggs to a $97 million contract last offseason. His deal is worth $19.4 million per year. They have another All-Pro cornerback on the roster in DaRon Bland, who finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season.

That's not to dismiss Sneed, of course. The fourth-year pro was arguably the best cornerback in coverage during the regular season and playoffs. He allowed the fourth-lowest passer rating among CBs who logged 500 coverage snaps and didn't allow a single touchdown all season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Sneed doesn't get the recognition of other upper-echelon cornerbacks, but he's without question one of the best in the game. Still just 27 years old with a clean injury history and coming off a banner season, Sneed will command top-of-the-market money. Spotrac lists Sneed's market value at $16.3 million per year.

This might come as a surprise (not really), but no team can afford to pay two cornerbacks big-time money. That includes the Cowboys, who seldom write a blank check for external free agents. Despite that, Dallas is always dangled as a potential suitor for FAs to drum up interest in a player as well as the player's value.

Sneed is a fantastic player, but this rumor feels like a classic case of the Cowboys being used as leverage before free agency. There are questions at cornerback behind Diggs and Bland, but it's much more likely that Dallas looks to re-sign Stephon Gilmore and add depth via the draft than chase a prized free agent like Sneed.

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