The Dallas Cowboys have received a lot of deserved flak for their free agency acquisitions the last two decades—specifically the lack thereof. Not only did they sign very few players, but the signings they did make were of very little quality, too.
With confidence, it can be said that a switch has somewhat flipped.
On Monday alone, the Cowboys traded for DE Rashan Gary and signed S Jalen Thompson to assist their young, modern-day defensive coordinator, Christian Parker. This is all different—none of this happened five, 10, or 15 years ago.
However, while the change is welcomed, Dallas must keep going. The teams at the top never stop hunting the prospect of improvement.
Revelational Perspective Change
It’s important to note where this change in heart from the Cowboys front office has seemingly appeared from. Some think this offseason was the beginning of the change. Others believe that the philosophy shifted when they traded for George Pickens; while that’s closer to the starting point, it goes back a bit further than that.
At the end of 2025, the Cowboys let go of now-Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy. In a move that was heavily scrutinized at the time, the Cowboys promoted from in-house, giving Brian Schottenheimer the lead job.
This came off as the easy way out, particularly because of who was on the market—notably Ben Johnson—and the fact that Dallas didn’t even conduct searches outside their own doors.
What the fans all ignored is that Schottenheimer was very much a modern-day coach. In an interview with Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan, for example, he emphasizes the importance of motion — a vital tool used by all of the current best OC’s.
“In today’s day and age, if you’re static, you give the advantage to the defense,” Schottenheimer said, which is a clear-cut indication that he lives and thrives in the present and strives toward the future.
It sounds super simple, doesn’t it? However, McCarthy’s offense’s didn’t really have that, and suffered at times for it. Schottenheimer’s did, and his emphasis on it led to OC Klayton Adams coming over from Arizona.
It’s not just offensively, too; the failed Matt Eberflus experiment frequently saw communication lapses, mainly against coaches from the Shanahan tree running the most modern offenses. Enter Christian Parker and Jalen Thompson, two young additions with modern-day success and modern-day philosophies.
Unknown to all, the promotion of Schottenheimer was a look towards the future.
Cowboys’ Quality Additions
Christian Parker’s arrival happened weeks ago, but the 34-year-old stood as a top commodity in Philadelphia. Once he became available, the coach with NFL and college success alike was a no-brainer to bring to Dallas.
The Cowboys also picked up Rashan Gary who is coming off a 7.5-sack season and has a Pro Bowl nod to his name. He joins a pass rush in desperate need of some help — for reference, Gary’s 7.5 sacks would’ve been second-best on the Cowboys last season. He’s young, has a solid pass-rushing resume, and is familiar with Coach Parker. All in all, it’s a great acquisition for a fourth-rounder.
Safety Jalen Thompson is versatile, can tackle in space and has good range. He won’t snag interceptions — he hasn’t snagged one in two years — however, he makes great plays on the ball.
Truly a wonderful change in philosophy in Dallas. Cowboys fans can only hope it continues.
The Little Things Count Too
The little things Dallas is doing this offseason should be acknowledged, too. They signed P.J. Locke to add to their safety depth. Dallas also recently re-signed Javonte Williams and franchise tagged George Pickens, ensuring both will be around for the team’s immediate future.
They’ve got some help in the DT department too — Otito Ogbonnia signed a contract with the Cowboys.
Even their failures are welcomes ones. They reportedly were in pursuit — real pursuit — of both Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, free agents they wouldn’t have even looked at in the past. Yes, they ultimately struck out with both of them, but for once, the thought is what actually counts.
It may not seem like much to some, but it’s honest work from Dallas. Hopefully, this turns into the new norm.
What More Can They Do?
Still, the Cowboys can’t stop here. Yes, they’ve gotten all these pieces, but they still must address more spots of concern. For example, they’ve recently traded DT Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas to the 49ers and Titans, respectively, for draft capital. This opens up depth holes at DT — holes they must address if they want to erase the ineffective trenches they had last season.
Players like DJ Reader and DaQuan Jones are still on the market, and Dallas even has a bit more cap to work with. On top of this, the cornerback position could still use work through, though the free agent options in that department seem less enticing. Even then, they have picks No. 12 and No. 20 in the 2026 Draft to go after a major prospect in both areas.
All in all, it’s nice to see Dallas being more on the front foot in free agency. It’s a welcome change, and may it continue into the following years. However, good isn’t good enough — the best always adopt that mindset when pushing for greatness.
Dallas is off to a good start, but they must continue for it to mean anything.
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