Jan. 17, 2026, 5:05 a.m. CT
Once the Dallas Cowboys decide on their defensive direction, they’ll earnestly move on to the next topic at hand, internal free agents. The NFL rulebook and calendar is configured in such a way that teams have a couple of months to work out deals with players who were on their roster the previous season, but are now out of contract. From the end of the regular season until the first day of the new league year, pending free agents are still technically signed to the team, allowing for new deals to be worked on freely.
The Cowboys have 21 players who were under contract at the end of the 2025 season. 15 of those players are set to be unrestricted free agents come early March. If they aren’t signed before then, they are free to negotiate with any of the 32 franchises, including the Cowboys. Dallas has the ability to block one player per season from doing this, by measure of the franchise/transition tag option.
Dallas also has three players who are restricted free agents, giving the club the right of first refusal, and then three more exclusive rights free agents, who the team can simply make a flat offer to and automatically retain their services. Consider those team options at a set price.
Here’s a look at each of those groups and who comprises them.
Cowboys Unrestricted Free AgentsLB Kenneth MurraySafety Donovan WilsonEdge Dante Fowler Jr.RG Robert JonesEdge Jadeveon ClowneyRB Javontae WilliamsEdge Payton TurnerWR George PickensEdge Sam WilliamsLB Jack SanbornRB Miles SandersWR Jalen TolbertST CJ GoodwinCB Corey BallentineOT Hakeem AdenijiExpert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Cowboys Restricted Free AgentsiOL Brock HoffmaniOL TJ BassKicker Brandon AubreyCowboys Exclusive Rights Free AgentsSafety Juanyeh ThomasCB Josh ButlerCB Reddy Steward
There’s clearly going to be a pecking order as far as which free agents the club wants to retain. Deals don’t necessarily get done as a to-do list, though. Some reunions are easy, where both sides have similar views to player’s value, and thus less impactful deals can often happen before the bigger deals are consummated. Here’s a look at which free agents we feel the team should prioritize in bringing back for 2026.
WR George Pickens
2025 APY: $1.69 million
Free-Agent Status: Unrestricted
Priority: Must Retain
The Cowboys could have a bona fide No. 2 receiver in Ryan Flournoy, but even with that being said it is in the club’s best interest to bring Pickens back. The club spent a third-round pick and a Day 3 pick swap to acquire the wideout who has been a superstar since joining Dallas. Pickens has been a top-five wideout in 2025 and will likely command a $30 million per year deal on the open market, which means the Cowboys should franchise tag him and work from there.
Here was our October prediction of where a contract proposal should land.
K Brandon Aubrey
2025 APY: $ 898,000
Free-Agent Status: Restricted
Priority: Must Retain
The Cowboys shouldn’t waste any time with Aubrey’s restricted tender and should instead just sign him to a long-term deal. Giving kickers money is a dangerous game, but if there’s anyone to bet on it’d be the NFL’s biggest leg who is also the second-most accurate kicker in league history. There could be a team willing to both sign Aubrey to a lucrative deal and give up a second round pick, considering how silly some orgs have been with drafting lottery-ticket kickers in recent seasons.
Edge Jadevon Clowney
2025 APY: $3.5 million
Free-Agent Status: Unrestricted
Priority: Should Retain
Clowney has been a mercenary for some time now, playing for seven different teams in his last eight seasons, but the 33-year old SC native has come on strong for the Cowboys since he played into game shape. If he loves missing the offseason at this age it makes sense, but perhaps a gentleman’s agreement to sign him during training camp could be worked out. He has four sacks in nine games and has worked as a great bookend next to the team’s new DT approach.
RB Javonte Williams
2025 APY: $3 million
Free-Agent Status: Unrestricted
Priority: 50/50
The Cowboys have a 1,000-yard rusher for the second straight year, and they’ve been relatively cheap guys who didn’t warrant a large deal. Williams however likely made himself some good cash this year, but if he’s not willing to give the Cowboys a discount they should look elsewhere this offseason.
RG Brock Hoffman
2025 APY: $1.1 million
Free-Agent Status: Restricted
Priority: 50/50
As a former UDFA, the Cowboys could tender Hoffman as a Right of First Refusal, but the second-round tender is far too rich. There’s no path to being a starter in Dallas for Hoffman. He’s a great tough guy and a perfect rotational backup.
iOL TJ Bass
2025 APY: $901,000
Free-Agent Status: Restricted
Priority: 50/50
Bass is less established but in a similar boat to Hoffman. If the former walks, the Cowboys should look to make the latter their swing interior player.
Edge Sam Williams
2025 APY: $1.56 million
Free-Agent Status: Unrestricted
Priority: 50/50
Here us out. Williams has hardly lived up to expectations as a second-round pick from 2022, however that likely means there isn’t a huge payday awaiting him on the open market. He does better in limited snaps, but the key here is that he is a menace in terms of blocking kicks. Teams shouldn’t undervalue having a guy that can get to a couple kicks a season if he can also contribute as a rotational reserve.
RG Robert Jones
2025 APY: $3.75 million
Free-Agent Status: Unrestricted
Priority: 50/50
Remember him? The young veteran was going to be a progress stopper for exciting rookie Tyler Booker, but broke his neck in training camp and missed the season. Perhaps the Cowboys sign him to a smaller deal to be their interior backup, or shift some other OL starters around.
CB Reddy Steward
2025 APY: $840,000
Free-Agent Status: Exclusive Rights Free Agent
Priority: Should Return
Steward doesn’t have enough accrued seasons to leave unless he’s unwanted, and the Cowboys should certainly want him back. He’s playing around 45% of defensive snaps and has shown an ability to play the slot and blitz (while rarely asked to). He’s a great dime defender for a team that is top heavy in salary.
Safety Juanyeh Thomas
2025 APY: $1 million
Free-Agent Status: Restricted
Priority: 50/50
The Georgia Tech product has started a few contests over his first three seasons. He doesn’t have standout plays, but he’s been consistent and shown things don’t fall apart when he’s called upon. He’s the type of depth teams need to keep around, and could blossom into something more.