Cowboys news: 3 free agents that make sense to add
Buffalo Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson (45) looks over his shoulder after an interception during the first quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images3 Underrated Dallas Cowboys NFL Free Agent Fits Still Available - Randy Gurzi, Sports IllustratedThere are still moves to be made.
PFF reveals what the Cowboys absolutely must avoid in the 2026 NFL Draft - Luke Norris, The Landry HatShaq Thompson, Linebacker
The 25th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Shaq Thompson spent 10 seasons with the Carolina Panthers and was one of the top linebackers in the league. Injuries began to slow him down, however, as Thompson played just two games in 2023 and four in 2024.
Carolina released Thompson ahead of the 2025 season and he signed with theBuffalo Bills. Thompson played in 12 games for Buffalo, recording 56 tackles, six tackles for loss, and one sack. His performance improved in the postseason, with 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one interception.
Dallas has a hole at the linebacker spot and Thompson would be an instant upgrade even as a sto-gap solution.
It's not difficult to guess which side of the ball the Cowboys need to address.
Ridiculous scenarios: Mock draft roundup has Cowboys making wild picks- K.D. Drummond, Cowboys WireBefore we go any further,here's a lookat Kosko's full breakdown:
The Cowboys are in a similar situation to the Bears, except with a defense that didn't generate turnovers at a league-high rate. Dallas ranked last in the NFL in both EPA per play allowed and success rate.
With two first-round picks, the Cowboys need to double up on the defensive side of the ball.Dak Prescottand the Dallas offense was one of the most explosive in the NFL in 2025. While Prescott has been inconsistent over the past several years, using a premium pick on the team's offense in 2026 is not the route to take."
It's certainly no secret that Dallas was a one-sided team this past season. While the offense ranked second in the league in total yards per game (391.9) and seventh in scoring (27.7), the defense ranked 30th in total yards per game allowed (377.0) and dead last in scoring (30.1).
Now, as the roster stands now, the Cowboys are already better than they were, as they added veteran edge rusher Rashan Gary in a trade with the Green Bay Packers and safety Jalen Thompson in free agency.
They also added some depth at several positions by signing cornerback Cobie Durant, safety P.J. Locke, and nose tackle Otito Ogbonnia. Those aren't high-profile additions by any means, but they're all solid options.
There are certainly a lot of wrong decisions Dallas can make in this year's draft.
Grading 5 Trades from the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 - Mark Heaney, Inside The StarTrading No.s 12, 20 for 4, 65 and selecting RB Jeremiyah Love
Chris Perkins, Sun SentinelExpert NFL picks:Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
Not opposed to the trade up, but this wasn't for Sonny Styles (16), Caleb Downs (5), or Rueben Bain (7). The Titans took WR Carnell Tate and edge Akheem Mesidor with 12 and 20.
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee | CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Both of these are great choices individually that no one would have a problem with. But in tandem? The Cowboys might be looking to bail from their current projected starting corners DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel, as they are seen as better man corners than zone. Free agent Cobie Durant has a ton of starting experience, but is only signed for one year. But double-dipping at corner with no more picks before No. 92 would shock a ton of people.
The good and the bad.
An offer the Cowboys can't refuse during the draft - Dan Rogers, Blogging The Boys2. The George Pickens Steal
Cowboys Receive: WR George Pickens.
Steelers Receive: 2026 Third-Round Pick.
Grade: A+
The Cowboys stole one of the league's best wide receivers for the cost of a third-round pick.
You can't get anything less than an A+ for that.
Of course, Pittsburgh didn't see the George Pickens that Dallas saw in his one-year with the team, but the flashes were there, and they just didn't care to see it through, or surround him with an offense to bring out his talents.
This may have been the best Cowboys trade of my lifetime, and it sets them up to either keep the league's best wide receiver tandem together or flip Pickens for much more than the third they sent out.
3. The Quinnen Williams Midseason Move
Cowboys Receive: DT Quinnen Williams
Jets Receive: DT Mazi Smith, 2026 Second-Round Pick, 2027 First-Round Pick (Highest of GB's or DAL's).
Grade: A-
I struggle between an A- or a straight-up A for the Cowboys in this move, but I'll wait until we see a bit more of Quinnen Williams before moving it higher.
Dallas's midseason blockbuster with the Jets paid immediate dividends with the performance of Williams, who quickly proved to be the team's most talented defensive tackle in at least a decade.
The two picks + Mazi Smith doesn't hurt too badly now, especially with their two 1's post-Micah trade.
I see this as a clear win for Dallas that puts the key piece of their defense in place for years to come.
Is Sonny Styles a run-to-the-podium type of prospect?
LB, Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Height:6'5" |Weight:244 lbs |Speed:4.46 forty time
Background
When your mom nicknames you after one of the most intense characters in cinema, Sonny Corleone, you know chaos is coming. Sonny Styles is the definition of a high achiever who makes the rest of us feel like we spent our teenage years doing remarkably little. He arrived at Ohio State as a 17-year-old freshman after graduating high school early, essentially skipping his senior prom to go hit Big Ten tight ends.
He spent his first two seasons in Columbus patrolling the secondary as a safety before bulking up and sliding down to linebacker for the 2024 season. The transition was seamless, as he racked up 100 tackles and showed a natural nose for the football in the box. To top it off, he absolutely shattered expectations at the combine, setting a new vertical jump record for linebackers as well as earning a perfect RAS score of 10.00, the highest score of any linebacker tracked all the way back to 1987.