The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[RWJ]

Really like to see AP add Rachaad White, RB currently with TB in FA. SIP has mentioned him before and think this team sorely needs a pass catching RB like him.

 

[Bulldog]

All Cowboys seem to come with ‘baggage’ 🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[Riggo44]

How hard would it be to incorporate Bill in the passing game more?

 

[Bulldog]

For Kingsbury change and adaptation come slowly 😩

 

[Riggo44]

So those on the Walker bandwagon--other than receptions, what does he bring that Bill doesn't? Or is he more a replacement for Rodriguez?

Walker had ~30 receptions on the year? What am I missing in the difference?

 

[method man]

So those on the Walker bandwagon--other than receptions, what does he bring that Bill doesn't? Or is he more a replacement for Rodriguez?

Walker had ~30 receptions on the year? What am I missing in the difference?

Looks like K9 is officially having a career year. Good for him after the dip he had last year.

He’s not the special back we thought he would be coming out of MSU with injuries playing a role but he is a fairly complete back who has had only 2 career fumbles.

I like him but he is not as high on my list as Hall

 

[HTTR]

So those on the Walker bandwagon--other than receptions, what does he bring that Bill doesn't? Or is he more a replacement for Rodriguez?

Walker had ~30 receptions on the year? What am I missing in the difference?

Not sure why Bill didn’t get more opportunities in the passing game, but perhaps they think he still needs work in that area. Ditto for pass protection. A back like Walker or Hall can do all of those things, and probably at the same time help Bill develop in those areas to become a complete back himself. We’re going to need more than one body, and I like the idea of Bill learning behind (or in tandem with) one of these proven veterans.

As to Rashad White, i’m not a fan of the idea of a “receiving back“ (I feel like it telegraphs a pass when they come in the game). But I do think White is more than just a receiving back, so I’d be OK with him as a fallback plan if we can’t get Hall or K9. I get why people like specialty backs, but I prefer to have a stable of well rounded running backs to maximize balance and deception in the playcalling.

 

[Riggo44]

Kingsbury mentioned Bill "getting better away from the ball." So I can assume that's pass pro and route running. I just don't think adding a big free agent running back is a smart use of resources.

 

[HTTR]

Kingsbury mentioned Bill "getting better away from the ball." So I can assume that's pass pro and route running. I just don't think adding a big free agent running back is a smart use of resources.

That’s fair, but I don’t think relying on Bill is a great idea either. In addition to the pass pro and receiving questions, he did put the ball on the ground some. Doesn’t necessarily have to be a top end guy, but we need somebody. And I don’t think the price difference is that much between the middle of the pack RBs and the top guys in FA. No running back is going to break the bank. Plus we have tons of cap room anyway. Not using it all like last year to me would be a worse use of resources.

 

[Riggo44]

I'd rather spend it on WR, CB, DE, LB...

 

[HTTR]

There we agree Riggo and I would also add TE to your list before running back… But I think we can afford to address all of them.

 

[Riggo44]

Not necessarily, we have expiring contracts after the year we need to consider too: Tunsil, Biadasz, Luvu primarily

 

[HTTR]

Yes, but we’ve barely scratched the surface as far as restructuring and other Maneuvering that teams do to make it work. Plus we have the money we didn’t spend last year that’s rolling over. If we can’t afford a running back, it will be because we signed some high-end guys at those other positions, and if that’s the case, I’ll be happy with it.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Yes, but we’ve barely scratched the surface as far as restructuring and other Maneuvering that teams do to make it work. Plus we have the money we didn’t spend last year that’s rolling over. If we can’t afford a running back, it will be because we signed some high-end guys at those other positions, and if that’s the case, I’ll be happy with it.

You bring up a good point, and something I hadn't really thought about but it's worth talking about.

This is Peters' first real chance to start working the current players into new contract negotiations. Those guys mentioned above, Biadasz, Tunsil, Luvu, all have earned an opportunity to sit down and talk shop on a new deal. How creative can we get with those deals and create more stability. Personally I think Peters knocked the McLaurin deal out of the park because the team is absolutely not set up to have a financial burden if they choose not to. What kind of strategic contract negotiations can we look to, will they be like the McLaurin deal... one that appears to have the numbers but when you get down to it, the team has clear flexibility? Are we going to alienate ourselves from some of the foundational pieces of the team? What is the vision about the true investments in the roster?

 

[HTTR]

You bring up a good point, and something I hadn't really thought about but it's worth talking about.

This is Peters' first real chance to start working the current players into new contract negotiations. Those guys mentioned above, Biadasz, Tunsil, Luvu, all have earned an opportunity to sit down and talk shop on a new deal. How creative can we get with those deals and create more stability. Personally I think Peters knocked the McLaurin deal out of the park because the team is absolutely not set up to have a financial burden if they choose not to. What kind of strategic contract negotiations can we look to, will they be like the McLaurin deal... one that appears to have the numbers but when you get down to it, the team has clear flexibility? Are we going to alienate ourselves from some of the foundational pieces of the team? What is the vision about the true investments in the roster?

I mean it’s all above my pay grade but we see teams go way over the cap all the time to sign/resign players and manage to move money around to make it work. I get that there should theoretically be a price to be paid later, but it doesn’t seem to happen that way most of the time and we haven’t even spent our whole cap under AP let alone resort to these methods. If people have given up on the rookie contract qb window and want to build slowly fine, but if not we need to spend every dollar we can get away with to improve the talent/depth.

 

[Skinfanjon]

There we agree Riggo and I would also add TE to your list before running back… But I think we can afford to address all of them.

Of course we can address it all, just depends on if they’re willing to spend cash over cap. And RB is the cheapest position to fill.

I want to take shots at premium positions too but we have big needs at RB and TE, those positions happen to have the best available talent relative to their position, and it’s not even that expensive for the top of the market. It’s a huge whiff if we don’t solve those positions in free agency.

Likely, Goedert, Pitts…I have them ranked in that order but gotta get one of them. And Breece is such a no brainer I don’t even know where to start.

 

[method man]

With KK out, I expect DQ and AP to hire an OC who will more heavily feature the running game, which would point toward an upgrade at RB

 

[Gooseneck]

I am sure this has been brought up but Miller had 9 sacks this year. He wants to come back. Not that he is a complete answer but probably a major contributer at a decent price.

 

[DWinzit]

I am sure this has been brought up but Miller had 9 sacks this year. He wants to come back. Not that he is a complete answer but probably a major contributer at a decent price.

There's going to be some tough decisions this off-season. 36 year old Miller led the team in sacks, 35 year old Wagner led the team in tackles and 35 year old Ertz was second on the team in receptions while missing the last 4+ games.

 

[Bulldog]

I would not extend Luvu. He’s going to be 29 in the offseason and I think we need to move on from a guy that has some talent but has never really emerged as a consistent playmaker.

With Tunsil we are paying an established and consistent high level producer.

We know what we are getting with #78.