Free Agents the Cowboys Must Consider After the 2020 NFL Trade Deadline

The NFL trade deadline came and went, and the Dallas Cowboys were not buyers or sellers. 

That shouldn't come as a shock. Few teams who are 2-6 and have faced as much adversity as Dallas has this season go looking to improve their team on the trade market. 

While it's easy for fans to simply chalk it up to tanking and waiting on Dak Prescott to come back next season, things aren't so simple for head coach Mike McCarthy and his staff. Jerry Jones brought the former Packers head coach in to put a winning team on the field. 

2-6 in most divisions would be cause for packing up the tents and letting the younger talent develop, but in the NFC East, it's far from elimination. The Cowboys only trail the Eagles by a game and a half in the standings. Considering they were competitive with the current division front-runner while starting their third-string quarterback, the Cowboys are still in the race. 

Just because the deadline has passed doesn't mean the club is without options to improve the team. Each of these players are available on the free-agent market and worth at least giving a call to see if they would come to Dallas. 

Tramon Williams CB/S

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Mike McCarthy hasn't had the best start in Dallas. The veteran head coach was expected to take a talented roster to the next level following the Jason Garrett era. 

Instead, the team is off to a start that would have them already out of contention in any other division, and there's rumored unrest in the locker room. Jane Slater of NFL Network reported on October 20 that some players felt the coaching staff was "totally unprepared," with one saying "they just aren't good at their jobs."

The Cowboys have since cut and traded some veteran players. Dontari Poe and Daryl Worley have been released. Everson Griffen was traded to the Detroit Lions. Whether those cuts were only due to lack of production or because they weren't buying into the system and the new coaching staff is unclear. 

However, signing Tramon Williams could be beneficial both with getting buy-in for the coaching staff and replacing the loss of Worley. The 37-year-old has spent nine years of his career with McCarthy and has experience playing both cornerback and safety. 

Opposing quarterbacks posted just a 79.3 passer rating when targeting the veteran last season. This is a secondary that is relying on a ton of young players. Donovan Wilson and Xavier Woods have had flashes of success, but adding Williams to the mix would take some pressure off them, give the Cowboys another option and provide meaningful experience to the position room.

Marcell Dareus, DT

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Jerry Jones told ESPN that Poe was cut because he wasn't keeping his weight in check. The massive nose tackle was "30 pounds overweight," according to the Cowboys owner. 

However, the loss of Poe doesn't help a defensive line that is surrendering 5.1 yards per carry (30th in the league). The team traded for defensive tackle Eli Ankou from the Houston Texans. But, according to Pro Football Reference, he has played just 398 snaps in his career and hasn't done anything to prove he's a solution. 

Signing Marcell Dareus might have a better shot at bolstering the run defense. The 30-year-old played in six games with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, earning a 62.7 grade from Pro Football Focus. For context, Tyron Crawford (40.8) and Antwaun Woods (54.8) the current starters, are faring much worse. 

Dareus is no longer the player who was an All-Pro selection in 2014, but he's still a strong run-stuffer. If he has interest and is healthy, he could be what the team was hoping to get out of Poe. 

Marshall Newhouse, OT

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The offensive line has been the root of a lot of problems this season. They are in the bottom third of the league in both yards before contact in the run game and pressure percentage allowed in the pass game, per Pro Football Reference. 

Help is on the way in the interior. Zack Martin is healthy and playing well. Joe Looney's return to health provides depth and a possible solution at either center, left guard or right if they were to move Martin out to tackle. 

But moving Martin to tackle doesn't seem to be the solution the coaching staff wants to go for, so looking for tackle help on the free-agent market might be the best move. Undrafted free agent rookie Terence Steele is manning the right tackle spot with Cam Erving playing left. Marshall Newhouse would provide a more experienced option for Steele and a more productive one for Erving. 

Newhouse is another player who has experience with Mike McCarthy having been drafted by Green Bay in 2010. He's also a Dallas native. 

The 32-year-old said in May that he wasn't ready to call it a career quite yet. An offer to sign with his hometown team could be something that is mutually beneficial for both parties.