Dallas Cowboys Free Agents: Ranking Re-Sign Priorities for Dallas

As the Cowboys try to build off their stellar year, it will be paramount that they re-sign some of their core pieces, so they maintain their team chemistry and carry over their momentum to next year. 

The Cowboys will have some tough choices this year, as key players such as Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray, Doug Free and Rolando McClain will be hitting free agency if the Cowboys can't come to terms with them. 

The biggest surprise that you will find on this list is that Murray is nowhere to be found. It just doesn't make sense to pay a player who is coming off a season with over 400 carries. Historically, players who have carried the ball 392 times or more have seen a significant drop-off in production in the next year. 

This Murray situation is one where Jerry Jones would get suckered into paying for past production, like he did with Marion Barber, but now with Will McClay and Stephen Jones having more influence, the Cowboys should make smarter personnel decisions. 

With that in mind, let's take a look at the top five players the Cowboys should re-sign this offseason. 

For a full list of the Cowboys free agents, look here.

5. Anthony Spencer

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Whom do you value more: Anthony Spencer or George Selvie? This is a question that the Cowboys office will have to answer, as both will be free agents this spring and only one will likely be re-signed. 

Spencer is the more productive of the two with higher pass-rush upside, while Selvie will likely be the cheaper option. 

For a team that has a shortage of adequate pass-rushers, the easy answer is to go with Spencer. He showcased better explosion and closing speed as the year went on, and he has always been solid at stopping the run. 

At this point in Spencer's career, he is best as a rotational defensive end who plays about 20-35 snaps a game. The Cowboys should be in the defensive end market in free agency and in the draft, which will allow Spencer to play the role that fits him best. 

Despite the fact that Spencer plays one of the more important positions on a 53-man roster, he is at the bottom of this list because he doesn't affect the game on an every-snap basis like the others on this list do. 

4. Justin Durant

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Another position where the Cowboys will have to choose between one player or another will be at the linebacker position. While Bruce Carter played the Sam linebacker position and Justin Durant played the Will linebacker position, only one of them is likely to be re-signed this offseason. 

While Carter is the more talented of the two, Durant is the more consistent and will likely come at a discount because of his injury. 

Durant was one of the best players for the Cowboys defense before he tore his biceps in late October. He was a leader of the defense and made a lot of big plays early in the season. 

Durant has experience at all three linebacker positions, which comes in handy, as the Cowboys have experienced significant injuries at the linebacker position over the last couple of years, so versatility is a plus. 

While Durant is very good, he doesn't change games as much as the others ahead of him on this list, which is the reason why he is settled nicely at No. 4. 

3. Doug Free

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One of the most underrated players on the roster is right tackle Doug Free. He was quietly one of the most consistent players on the Cowboys last year, and when he went out with an injury late in the season, he was sorely missed. 

There shouldn't even be a question as to whether the Cowboys should keep Free or Jermey Parnell, as Free was head and shoulders above Parnell. 

He is the most experienced member of the Cowboys offensive line, and he gets the job done play-in and play-out. He is a very good run-blocker, as he fires out low and can either win the battle at the point of attack or move laterally and hook defensive ends. In pass protection, he knows how to hit his landmarks and make timely, strong and smart punches with above-average footwork. 

Free still has a lot in the tank, and the Cowboys should make every attempt to bring him back on a two- or three-year contract. 

While Free played very well last season, the two players ahead of him on this list played better and were more important to the Cowboys' success. 

2. Rolando McClain

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The biggest offseason pickup the Cowboys made last season was acquiring Rolando McClain from the Baltimore Ravens. While it took him a while to get acclimated and he battled injuries all year, there were few players on the Cowboys defense who made a bigger impact than McClain. 

He brought a physical presence to the defense that they haven't had in years, while also making a ton of plays all over the field. 

While he was touted as a very good run defender, McClain was fantastic when he dropped into coverage as well. His huge wingspan, instincts and deceptive quickness allowed him to significantly affect where the quarterbacks threw the ball. 

McClain is the only Cowboys linebacker who can stack and shed blockers and make plays in the running game as he fills with a purpose. On a defense that finally started to look decent, you don't want to let the player who set the tone physically walk away. 

McClain is such an integral part of what the defense does that it would be a significant blow if he were to leave. Plus, the tandem of Sean Lee and McClain would be a great sight to see. 

While McClain was great, there was never any doubt as to who the Cowboys' No. 1 priority to re-sign this offseason was. 

1. Dez Bryant

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Any person who hasn't been living under a rock (and they don't even really have a valid excuse) knows that the Cowboys have to re-sign Dez Bryant before free agency begins in the spring. 

Dez Bryant is one of the best—if not the best—wide receivers in the NFL. He has improved his route running exponentially, and he is still the most physically dominant receiver in the NFL. There is not another receiver who can dominate and win at the catch point like Bryant. 

He plays with a passionate attitude, and he is always looking out for what is best for the team. He gets a lot of press as being a selfish player, but he is really one of the more selfless receivers in the league. 

The fact of the matter is that Bryant will be a Cowboy next year no matter what. If the Cowboys can't agree to a contract with Bryant, they will just place the franchise tag on him, which will give the two sides more time to reach an agreement. 

Jerry Jones has never lost a player he has wanted to free agency, and Bryant will almost assuredly not be the first.