3 players Cowboys must let walk in free agency during NFL offseason

The Dallas Cowboys are in for some very hard choices. Every offseason forces teams to make uncomfortable evaluations. The Cowboys, though, enter a spring where discomfort is unavoidable. This is about recalibrating the roster’s identity after a season that exposed structural flaws on both sides of the ball.

Dallas isn’t operating from a position of luxury, too. Cap constraints and the ripple effects of prior blockbuster decisions have boxed the front office into a corner. If the Cowboys are serious about restoring contender status, sentiment cannot dictate strategy. Veterans who once symbolized toughness and stability may now represent financial inefficiency. Three pending free agents stand at the center of that crossroads.

Turbulence and upheaval

The 2025 Cowboys season was defined by massive roster upheaval and ultimate disappointment. They finished with a 7-9-1 record and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The campaign began with a the trade that sent defensive cornerstone Micah Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and premium draft capital. The move signaled a philosophical shift defensively, but the transition never stabilized.

Sure, Dak Prescott delivered elite production. However, the team’s inconsistencies elsewhere negated that output. Newly acquired wide receiver George Pickens thrived. He even earned All-Pro honors and gave Dallas a true boundary dominator. Still, the defense routinely surrendered momentum with blown assignments and poor gap discipline. The Cowboys lost four of their final five games. Their downfall was punctuated by a flat 34-17 loss to the Giants that crystallized the gap between expectation and reality.

What once looked like a roster reload instead resembled a reset in disguise.

Defensive reconstruction

Heading into the 2026 NFL Free Agency period, the Cowboys face a defensive identity crisis. It demands a total overhaul of the unit’s spine. After ranking among the league’s worst in EPA per play in 2025, Dallas cannot afford half-measures. Replacing the pass-rush production lost in the Parsons trade is priority number one. That’s followed closely by the need for a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker.

Safety depth is equally urgent. Communication breakdowns and missed tackles plagued the backend all season. It exposed the lack of rangy coverage defenders. Offensively, the front office must walk a delicate financial tightrope. Pickens is extension-eligible, Javonte Williams is a priority retention candidate, and protecting Prescott’s weaponry remains essential. Every dollar allocated defensively must be weighed against preserving offensive firepower.

That financial balancing act sets the stage for several difficult goodbyes.

S Donovan Wilson

Donovan Wilson has long embodied the physical temperament Dallas covets on defense. Wilson’s downhill aggression and run support have made him a fan favorite. That said, roster construction is about projection, not nostalgia.

By March 2026, Wilson will be 31 years old. His physical play style, while impactful, also accelerates wear and tear. More importantly, Dallas appears poised for a recalibration under defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Modern safety play increasingly demands range, coverage fluidity, and versatility. Those are areas where younger options offer more upside.

Juanyeh Thomas, a restricted free agent, presents a more cost-effective and scheme-flexible alternative. Letting Wilson walk frees cap space that can be redirected toward pass-rush reinforcements or a Pickens extension. It’s recognition that Dallas must get younger and faster on the backend.

RB Miles Sanders

Running back decisions often reveal how a team views its competitive window. Miles Sanders’ impending free agency arrives at an awkward intersection for Dallas. Once a dynamic playmaker, Sanders now enters his age-29 season. He has had declining efficiency metrics and diminished explosive output.

The Cowboys’ backfield priorities are already clear. Javonte Williams sits atop the retention hierarchy as a younger, more physical centerpiece runner. Committing veteran money to Sanders would create redundancy rather than balance.

The smarter play is leveraging the incoming 2026 draft class. It’s widely viewed as deep at running back. Pairing Williams with a cost-controlled rookie offers financial flexibility and schematic versatility. Sanders still holds value on the open market, of course. Dallas, though, must prioritize youth infusion over veteran continuity.

EDGE Jadeveon Clowney

Jadeveon Clowney’s 2025 presence served a specific purpose. Following the Parsons trade, Dallas needed veteran pass-rush credibility. Clowney provided flashes of disruption and locker-room leadership. However, the Cowboys’ 2026 calculus is different.

Clowney will be 33 when the new league year begins. He is still capable of setting the edge and generating pressure in spurts. That said, he no longer profiles as a foundational rusher. Dallas must evaluate developmental assets like Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams instead.

Financially, letting Clowney walk is one of the cleanest avenues to cap relief. Dallas is projected to hover near or above the cap threshold. That makes veteran edge contracts a luxury. Investing those resources into a younger, high-upside rusher or even multiple rotational pieces better aligns with the team’s retooling trajectory. Clowney was an effective bridge solution. Extending that bridge delays necessary evolution.

Restraint over loyalty

Allowing Donovan Wilson, Miles Sanders, and Jadeveon Clowney to depart would signal more than financial housekeeping. It would confirm Dallas is embracing structural recalibration rather than cosmetic change.

The Cowboys remain anchored by elite offensive production and a franchise quarterback performing at a high level. However, sustaining contention requires defensive reinvention, cap discipline, and developmental patience. Veteran exits are painful, especially when they involve respected locker-room figures. In this case, though, clinging to familiarity will just prolong mediocrity.

The post 3 players Cowboys must let walk in free agency during NFL offseason appeared first on ClutchPoints.