The Dallas Cowboys have gotten active in free agency and added pieces to the roster that will play vital roles on the team next season.
Dallas has re-signed multiple players to long-term extensions, including defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, cornerback C.J. Goodwin, wide receiver KaVontae Turpin, and safety Markquese Bell, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
In addition to the multiple extensions the team has negotiated, the Cowboys have agreed to terms with four free agents from opposing teams.
Full grades and breakdowns of the Cowboys’ free agency signings are below:
Javonte Williams, Running Back, 1-year contract worth $3 million
Grade: B
Dallas’ signing of Williams was a surprise to many following running back Rico Dowdle’s impressive season. Many expected him to return to the team on a long-term extension. However, Dallas is unprepared to pay the potential asking price for Dowdle and pivoted to signing Williams on a cheap contract.
Williams is coming off a solid season with the Denver Broncos despite the team heavily utilizing multiple running backs on the roster. In his 17 appearances, he posted 513 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.
Although Williams rarely had chances to find a rhythm in the Broncos’ offense, he did not produce efficiently when given carries.
Williams averaged just 3.7 yards per carry last season, which was actually an increase from the 3.6 yards per carry he averaged in the 2023 season with Denver.
The good news for Dallas is that Williams is still just 24 years old and could have a bounce-back season in a new offensive scheme, though he should not be relied upon to be the main running back for Dallas next year.
Dallas is reportedly determined to select a running back early in the 2025 NFL Draft, meaning Williams will likely be the team’s secondary running back and could still see a good amount of carries next year.
Assuming Williams will not be expected to handle the majority of carries for the Cowboys in the 2025 season, this was a solid signing by the team and fills an important need for depth at the position.
Robert Jones, Offensive Guard, 1-year contract worth $4.75 million
Grade: C
The Cowboys agreed to a contract with Jones after he spent the last four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, starting all 17 games at left guard in his final season with the team.
Jones struggled during his final season in Miami after earning the starting position, allowing 5 sacks and 28 pressures in 1,080 snaps, according to The Cowboys.
In addition to struggling with pass blocking, Jones was ineffective in the rushing attack.
Pro Football Focus, which provides in-depth analysis of players’ abilities on the field, gave Jones a grade of only 56.3 in run blocking last season, which ranked 97th out of 135 eligible offensive guards.
The good news is that Dallas will not rely on Jones to be a starting guard for the team next season with Tyler Smith, Brock Hoffman, and T.J. Bass each expected to be higher on the depth chart.
The biggest issue with this signing is that Dallas could have elected to retain Chuma Edoga, who ended up signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a cheaper contract and is arguably the same level of player as Jones.
Edoga is also familiar with the players in the locker room and will not have to develop chemistry along the offensive line.
While Jones joins the Cowboys at a solid price, better options were available on the market.
Solomon Thomas, Defensive Tackle, 2-year contract worth $8 million
Grade: B+
The signing of Thomas is not surprising for a Cowboys team that desperately needed depth along the interior defensive line.
Thomas is a former top-three pick in the draft and went to high school in Coppell, making him a clear choice for a depth signing for the Cowboys.
Thomas finished the 2024 season with 15 solo tackles and 3.5 sacks while appearing in 16 games for the Jets.
Although Thomas struggled in the run game, posting a PFF score of only 41.5, he excelled as a pass rusher with a grade of 61.2, which ranks 91st out of 219 eligible defensive tackles.
Dallas will likely utilize Thomas’s skillset in pure passing sets, meaning he will not have to worry about stopping a rushing attack and can focus on attacking the quarterback in one-on-one matchups.
Thomas will be behind Odighizuwa and Sam Williams in the 2025 depth chart but could still see the field during specific situations, making Thomas a valuable piece to enter the season.
While the Cowboys may have paid a little too much for a player who will be the third-best defensive tackle on the roster, the majority of this contract is likely to be based on incentives and will not cost the team too much against the cap.
Payton Turner, Defensive Edge, 1-year contract worth $3 million
Grade: C-
Dallas was reportedly close to selecting Turner in the 2021 NFL Draft but opted against selecting him with the 12th overall pick. Turner was later selected by the New Orleans Saints at the end of the first round.
The former first-round draft pick barely saw the field during his first three seasons in New Orleans, appearing in just 15 games combined due to injuries and poor performance.
Turner had the biggest role of his career in the 2025 season and was still inefficient, posting just 10 solo tackles and 2 sacks despite playing in 16 of the Saints’ games.
Although Turner is on a cheap contract and will be a solid depth piece for the Cowboys next season, the team could have made more impactful moves with that cap space.
Similar to previous signings the Cowboys have made, the biggest issue with this decision is that the team allowed Chauncey Golston to leave in free agency.
Golston was much more efficient than Turner last season and signed with the New York Giants for only slightly more, receiving a 3-year contract worth roughly $19.5 million.
Dallas could have paid slightly more to keep a player who has been with the team for four seasons and shown improvements each year.