With the 2025 NFL Draft just days away, questions surrounding the Dallas Cowboys‘ offseason strategy continue to swirl. After failing to reach the playoffs last season, critics were quick to point out the team’s lack of aggressive moves in free agency and a perceived failure to plug holes on the roster. But Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones is confident the organization has taken key steps in the right direction.
During Tuesday’s pre-draft press conference, Jones defended the Cowboys‘ approach, emphasizing that the team has done more than enough to set itself up for success in the draft. According to him, it’s all about depth and flexibility.
“I think we overall did a much better job than last year of doing quite a bit of volume in terms of improving our roster and giving us the opportunity and having an environment where we can pick the best player,” Jones said.
Dallas emphasize depth and value over splashy signings
While fans and analysts often clamor for blockbuster free agent acquisitions, Jones explained that the team prioritized smart additions over high-profile names. Among the key moves was re-signing defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa, a core piece of the defense.
The front office also secured a number of their own free agents and added several players via trade and modest signings to shore up roster depth.
“I think our work we did in free agency is really going to pay off,” Jones continued. “I think it’s going to make us a deeper football team. And what we add through this draft should just make us better and increase the depth that we have. Most of the time, 99 percent of the time, that’s our goal in free agency. Not necessarily to go out and sign the highest-paid guys.”
The Cowboys’ front office has long followed a philosophy of building through the draft and avoiding overpaying in free agency. That strategy has delivered mixed results over the years, with a strong core of homegrown talent like Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb, but also occasional shortcomings when it comes to postseason success.
This year, the team has several needs heading into the draft-including offensive line depth, linebacker help, and possibly a running back after Tony Pollard‘s departure. But Stephen Jones believes the moves already made provide Dallas with the flexibility to truly draft “the best player available,” rather than reaching to fill specific holes.
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