The Dallas Cowboys had a rough start to NFL free agency on Monday, March 9 with their top targets slipping away, but the team found some relief after receiving extra picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving hope for roster improvement.
Dallas’ offseason began with optimism, signing safety Jalen Thompson to bolster a struggling secondary. Yet linebacker and cornerback needs remained pressing, as the team failed to secure top choices Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean during league-sanctioned Zoom meetings.
Both Walker and Dean chose the Las Vegas Raiders over the Cowboys, leaving Dallas scrambling. Amid the disappointments, the NFL awarded the Cowboys two compensatory fifth-round picks, Nos. 177 and 180 overall, offsetting losses in free agency and adding draft-day flexibility.
“The NFL listed the compensatory free agents Dallas lost in 2026,” the Cowboys’ website said. “As DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, Rico Dowdle, Chauncey Golston, Chuma Edoga and Brandin Cooks.
“On the flipside, the compensatory free agents the Cowboys gained were Javonte Williams, Dante Fowler, Solomon Thomas and Robert Jones.”
These additional picks are critical because Dallas had traded away Day 2 selections in previous deals. The second-round pick went to the Jets in the Quinnen Williams trade, and the third-rounder was sent to Pittsburgh for George Pickens, leaving the draft as the main avenue to fill roster holes.
Cowboys sign key player to boost defense
Looking ahead, the Cowboys retain chances to improve in free agency and may pursue a deal for top pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, but their eight selections in the seven-round draft, plus three fifth-rounders and two seventh-round picks, will likely define the team’s offseason success.
After missing out on Maxx Crosby in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cowboys acquired defensive end Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Gary, who had a brief Instagram mishap suggesting a farewell, is set to make $18 million this year under a four-year, $96 million contract signed in 2023. He remains under contract through 2027, providing immediate pass-rush depth while freeing nearly $11 million in cap space for the Packers.
The Cowboys previously offered the Raiders a package including the 12th overall pick in 2026, a 2027 second-rounder, and a veteran player to acquire Crosby. He was ultimately traded to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round selections, leaving Dallas to pivot toward Gary as their defensive lineman solution.
Gary becomes the second Green Bay defensive lineman acquired by Dallas in a year, joining Kenny Clark and two first-round picks in exchange for Micah Parsons.
He ranks sixth in the Packers’ history books with 46.5 career sacks since 1982 and adds veteran leadership to a defense still lacking depth.
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