Through trades, the draft, and free agency, the Dallas Cowboys have been known in the past for making big splashes when it comes to player acquisition. But the 2024 NFL off-season had a different tone for Jerry Jones and company, as America’s Team didn’t do much in the way of revamping their roster, especially on the free agency front.
Cowboys Spent Just $47 Million In NFL Free Agency
Live look at Cowboys free agency pic.twitter.com/78xtYecZ4I
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 12, 2024
When the new league year started back in March, there was the usual flurry of action during the start of NFL free agency. Teams like the Panthers, Titans, and Falcons all doled out big contracts on the open market, forking out over $270 million apiece in free agency contracts alone, with Carolina leading the way with $312.5 million in new deals.
The Cowboys were on the other end of the spectrum, spending the least money on free agents of any team in the NFL. And it wasn’t just that they didn’t spend, it is that they spent over $30 million fewer than the next lowest team.
When tallying up all of the contracts handed out by the Cowboys in free agency, the grand total comes to just over $47 million, with the Saints being the second-most frugal at $79.98 million. It is the fewest amount of dollars that a team has spent during a free agency period since 2021, with last year’s low being the Jaguars, who spent just under $60 million.
Just 2 Players Signed From Different Teams By Dallas This Offseason
REMINDER… #Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said they are “GOING ALL IN” this upcoming season to win a Super Bowl.
“We will be going all in. I would say that you will see us this coming year not build it for the future.”
Dallas has yet to make a single move in free agency. pic.twitter.com/pDv3c4SaBK
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 12, 2024
Of the 19 new contracts that Dallas handed out this off-season, 12 of them were undrafted rookie free agents, who were all signed at the mandated value of $2.8 million. That means that they signed just seven traditional free agents, and six of them had lower contract values than the undrafted rookies. Five of those seven were re-signing their own players.
The only newcomers for the Cowboys by way of free agency were linebacker Eric Kendricks from the Chargers, and Ezekiel Elliot from the Patriots. Every one of the team’s signings this off-season were given 1-year contracts.
The Cowboys are likely lining themselves up for the 2025 NFL off-season, when they will have to dole out some serious cash if they want to keep their team together. The four priciest players on the 2024 roster are set to become free agents after the upcoming season, including quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
