FRISCO, Texas — On March 9, the NFL’s legal tampering period will begin for pending free agents.
The Cowboys will have their fair share of free agents on the roster, which of course they can agree to terms with and sign at any time before that period.
From unrestricted free agents to restricted and exclusive rights free agents, Dallas has a lot of decisions to make over the next month when it comes to how they want to construct their roster for 2026, and even beyond.
With that, we’ll examine each pending free agent on the Cowboys’ current roster, starting with offensive lineman Brock Hoffman.
How He Got Here
After going undrafted out of Virginia Tech in 2022, Hoffman briefly spent time on the Browns’ practice squad before joining the Cowboys practice squad in November of 2022. In 2023, Hoffman was elevated to the active roster and has been there ever since.
Thus far in his career with Dallas, he’s played in 54 total games, starting 16 of them, and has been a versatile piece on the offensive line with the ability to play guard on either side of the line, as well as center. That versatility has been a key piece for Dallas over the last few years, especially in 2024 when Hoffman filled in for an injured Zack Martin.
What He Did in 2025
In 2025, Hoffman saw action in all 17 games for the Cowboys, starting in seven of them. Early in the season when Cooper Beebe was dealing with an injury, Hoffman stepped in his place and started six straight games Weeks 3 through 8.
In Week 18, Hoffman started at left guard after the Cowboys decided to try Tyler Smith out at left tackle and T.J. Bass was placed on IR with a knee injury. In total, Hoffman played 474 snaps on offense, 92 on special teams and was penalized just one time.
Why He Could Stay
Depth, especially on the offensive line, is incredibly valuable. In Hoffman’s case, his ability to play multiple positions only makes him more valuable because he can step into multiple situations when needed. The Cowboys also benefit from Hoffman being a restricted free agent, which gives them more control over his future.
Add in that Hoffman has gained a reputation for being a tone-setter up front by his physicality and strong trash talk ability, and he’s a player that surrounding offensive linemen rally around.
Why He Could Leave
Hoffman has done his job with the Cowboys for three straight seasons now, playing in all 17 games. But it’s clear that Dallas has their starting interior trio of Tyler Smith (assuming he stays at left guard), Cooper Beebe and Tyler Booker. Is Hoffman content with not staying in a starting role?
The biggest incentive for Hoffman to seek a new home would be for the potential of more playing time, which of course would likely make for a higher pay day. Since Hoffman has proven to be a valuable depth piece, the Cowboys are likely to keep Hoffman around, especially since he’s a restricted free agent.