Dallas Cowboys: 5 Veterans Set to Be Released That the Cowboys Should Pick Up

With the start of free agency beginning March 13th, the Dallas Cowboys should be ready to pounce into action. The stage is set for Jerry Jones to make a splash, replenish the roster, address needs and avenge the disappointments of the 2011 season. 

But the stage is also set for the Cowboys to start plotting their strategy for veterans who are awaiting their impending releases. Although the Cowboys failed to land Stanford Routt after his recent release from the Raiders, they could benefit from other players who simply aren't part of the futures of their respective teams.  

Whether it be for financial reasons, age or nonperformance, the Cowboys need to be just as ready to land one of these veterans as they do when free agents hit the market.

Laurent Robinson and Tony Fiametta should serve as reminders that paying attention to available veterans shown the door by other teams can strengthen your own. Hopefully, those two players will be around to join forces with some new faces that can provide the same results. 

Let's focus on some veterans who, when released, present great pickup opportunities for the Cowboys. 

Michael Huff, S, Oakland Raiders

With Huff set to earn $4 million in base salary and another $4 million in bonuses, new general manager Reggie McKenzie has some tough decisions to make and a lot of work to do, as the Raiders are well over the cap. 

He started the purge with the release of Stanford Routt, and it appears that Huff could be one of the next players shown the door per an article featured on silverandblackpride.com.  

New Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, when asked about the prospect of Huff moving to cornerback in 2012, was quoted as saying:

"

Again, that question is to be determined after we find out exactly who we have on the team to find out what are options are. The one thing I do know about Michael Huff is he's an extremely good athlete and he has skills athletically of a corner, and so that obviously would be an option for us, but again, we won't make any decisions along those lines until we know exactly what we got. 

"

That quote from Allen lacks confidence in any chances Huff has in returning to Oakland. 

Huff is a 6'1", 205 pounds and happens to be from Irving, Texas. He posted 38 tackles and two interceptions in 2011. If the Cowboys can attract him for a fair price, I see this as a nice addition to a secondary with ties to Rob Ryan, and an upgrade from Abe Elam.

He would bring some size and athleticism to the secondary, and the change of scenery would probably serve him well by coming home to Texas.

Chris Cooley, TE, Washington Redskins

Maybe this a little bit of a stretch, but let me illustrate my logic. 

He's due a shade under $4 million, and with the emergence of Fred Davis, coupled with Cooley's rash of injuries during the Shannahan era, this could all be headed for a split. 

The rumblings of Cooley being on the outs in Washington have surfaced as early as the team's decision to put him on the injured reserve list, as evidenced by this article in the Washington Times. 

In 2011, Cooley's stats read like a horror show, as he posted eight catches for 65 yards but, again, the injuries cut his season short.

Cooley could be an intriguing proposition for the Cowboys, as he's only 29 years old and, when healthy, has been to multiple Pro-Bowls. The Cowboys do have a hole to fill at the tight end position with the impending departure of Martellus Bennett and maybe, just maybe, Cooley could land in Dallas.  

The only wild cards in this equation are that the Redskins do have the cap room to bring him back at a restructured rate and you would have to weigh in on the fact that he would be going to a division rival. 

If his time in Washington is up, then the Cowboys should pick him up.

Luis Castillo, DL, San Diego Chargers

With significant changes on the horizon for the Chargers outside of their GM and coaching situations, it appears that Luis Castillo's time in San Diego is headed for the end. 

The Union Tribune talks about a housecleaning situation for the Chargers, which could purge a talented team even further. Still only 28 years old, Castillo is young enough to bounce back from the broken leg he suffered early in 2011. 

Castillo just became a victim of circumstance with the emergence of younger players who stepped up in his absence. If he returns to form and is healthy, Castillo can fill a need on this defensive line, provide depth and versatility along the defensive front. 

At 6'3" and 295 pounds, Castillo is strong at the point of attack, has good lateral movement and pursues the ball well. He's doesn't carry the big sack statistics, but he does a lot of things that don't show up in the box score. 

I feel he's worth pursuing not only because defensive line carries a need, but he definitely will have something to prove. You can never underestimate that intangible aspect of any veteran caught up in the cap casualty game.

Travelle Wharton, G, Carolina Panthers

The Charlotte Observer is reporting that the Panthers are in serious cost-cutting mode as they deal with the problems of being over the cap. Teams dealing with this particular problem often have to say goodbye prematurely to some talented players. 

One of those players is Travelle Wharton.

Wharton has spent his entire career in Carolina since being drafted in 2004. He stands 6'4" and 312 pounds, and with the exception of the 2006 and 2010 seasons, where he was hit with the injury bug, he has been a rock-solid contributor on the Panthers offensive line. 

Only 30 years old, Wharton would be able to give this team some veteran help while providing depth and filling one of their more obvious needs. With Dockery and Holland not likely to return, Wharton would be able to bring his solid all-around game to the mix of younger offensive lineman who are on the roster and also serve as a little bit of insurance should Carl Nicks remain with the Saints. 

This is a no-brainer if Wharton hits the street.

Jimmy Clausen, QB, Carolina Panthers

Wouldn't targeting a 24-year-old former third-round pick who happens to play quarterback sound appealing?

Considering the Cowboys have some concerns at the backup quarterback position with the retirement of John Kitna, Jimmy Clausen might just be available for the taking, as he's reported to be a likely candidate for release by Pro Football Talk. 

With Cam Newton taking the league by storm, Clausen was not only relegated to third stringer status, but his future, or lack of one, looks bleak. With a $923,000 bonus due in March and the Panthers already over the cap, he appears headed out of Carolina. 

For the Cowboys, this would be a win-win situation by getting a young player who can still develop his game behind Romo and also push McGee for the backup position. That would give the Cowboys two young backups, which is not a bad position to be in. 

Clausen might be a better alternative to Kyle Orton, who will cost more, and players like Shaun Hill, David Carr and Jason Campbell, who are older, have little to no upside. He's only a few years removed from a successful college campaign, where he played well in Charlie Weis' system at Notre Dame, and he was thrust into action in his rookie year on a bad Carolina team. 

A fresh start would serve Clausen well while filling a need for the Cowboys at a potentially decent price. This is a move the Cowboys need to highly consider should the events unfold as they should.

For the Cowboys, looking at all of these options and some other potential ones that may come along is called smart management. When you've been eliminated from the relevancy category as long as the Cowboys have, it's simply what must be done. 

The question is, will the measures be taken?