Early Free-Agent Contracts Cowboys Must Consider

After the Dallas Cowboys went 12-5 for a second consecutive season, two things became clear: The team remains on the fringe of being a Super Bowl contender, and there will need to be some changes to take that final leap.

As frustrating as it was to exit before the conference championship game, there were some positive takeaways. The Cowboys lost a lot of talent in the 2022 offseason and still managed to make it one round further in the playoffs than in 2021.

The problem is, they still haven't made it past the divisional round since 1995 when they won the Super Bowl.

Realistically, there is no nuclear option for the Cowboys that involves moving on from any of the key players. The coaching cycle has come and gone, Dak Prescott remains under contract and Jerry Jones is still going to be involved in personnel decisions.

That leaves the draft and free agency as the primary avenues for pushing this team to the next level. As we prepare for free agency, here's a look at three players the Cowboys should think about pursuing.

CB Patrick Peterson

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 24: Patrick Peterson #7 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after an interception during the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Patrick Peterson will once again hit the market after playing on a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022. Last year, he mentioned the Cowboys as a possibility before ultimately working things out with his former team.

Could Dallas be an option again?

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn could still use a veteran cornerback to play opposite Trevon Diggs. Anthony Brown was ranked 101st among the 118 corners they graded in 2022. The 29-year-old has been average at best for the team for too long, and it's a position that needs to be upgraded.

Peterson isn't the elite option he once was. The 32-year-old has slowed a bit but still managed to finish 12th in PFF's grades.

The one question Quinn and the Cowboys staff will need to answer is how much man coverage they plan on playing next year. Quinn has shown flexibility in that department. With Seattle and the Legion of Boom, he played a lot of Cover 3. Last year, the Cowboys were 25th in zone usage, but they were third in EPA when in zone.

So it would make sense for the team to shift its focus to playing a little more zone coverage. If that's the direction they want to go, Peterson could provide a stabilizing force at the CB2 slot.

Something like the deal he played on in Minnesota last year is worth considering.

Contract to Consider: One year, $5.5 million, $4 million guaranteed

DT A'Shawn Robinson

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INGLEWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: A'Shawn Robinson #94 of the Los Angeles Rams playing against th eAtlanta Falcons at SoFi Stadium on September 18, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)

Run defense isn't the flashy, shiny toy that most think about in free agency, but it's still something the Cowboys could use.

Osa Odighizuwa remains a good, young pass-rushing 3-technique. He offers just enough pass-rushing upside to be the featured interior defensive lineman in the rotation. But the search for a true run-stuffing 1-technique has not been all that fruitful for Dallas.

Neville Gallimore was drafted with the capability to play that role, but he hasn't blossomed into a starter. Quinton Bohanna made nine starts and played 23 percent of the snaps as a rookie, per Pro Football Reference, but he also earned a 41.1 grade from PFF.

A'Shawn Robinson could slide into that role right away and be an immediate upgrade. The 330-pound tackle has the size to fill the role of nose tackle and has been a stalwart against the run for some good Rams defenses.

Now that Los Angeles appears to be paying the price for mortgaging their future in pursuit of the Super Bowl, they may not decide to bring him back.

That would make the 27-year-old a good signing who still has some prime years left.

Contract to Consider: Three years, $24 million, $15 million guaranteed

WR Allen Lazard

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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 08: Allen Lazard #13 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after a touchdown during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on January 08, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Cowboys made a mistake when they traded away Amari Cooper. The move saved them money, but there were other moves that were available to the team to clear cap space that wouldn't have hampered the offense.

CeeDee Lamb has made the jump to No. 1 receiver, but he still needs a Robin to his Batman. Michael Gallup hasn't really been able to seize that role. Allen Lazard would.

Lazard showed that he can't be the top receiver in an offense this season. He had every opportunity to take that role in Green Bay, and while his production saw an uptick, he didn't evolve into that do-everything receiver the Packers needed.

In Dallas, he wouldn't need to be that guy. They would just need him to be a big-bodied No. 2 receiver who can offer another red-zone threat and give Dak Prescott someone else to come down with 50-50 balls.

Lazard has scored 14 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He was still one of the most consistent downfield threats for Aaron Rodgers in 2022.

Getting Lazard down to Dallas won't be cheap. He's a 27-year-old with proven production in a shallow group of free-agent receivers. But he could still sign a contract for a lot less money than Cooper was getting when the team decided to trade him.

Contract to Consider: Three years, $38 million, $25 million guaranteed