The Dallas Cowboys are continuing their tradition of remaining incredibly silent during free agency as they wait for cap friendly deals and low cost players to fill up their roster. Of course, this move is seen as disappointing for most Cowboys fans, but in reality, it is the most fiscally responsible move you could make.
The Cowboys will need to resign Travis Fredrick and Zack Martin in the near future, and this could be incredibly difficult if they start spending a ton of money in free agency. The Cowboys do appear to be firming up their targets as the second day of NFL Free Agency rolls by.
Defensive end Cedric Thornton of the Philadelphia Eagles will meet with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. If all goes well, Thornton could be taking a physical and sign a contract immediately. Thornton is a five-year NFL veteran and has basically recorded a sack in every season.
The Eagles loved the pressure that he could generate but never relied on him heavily as a pass rusher. The Cowboys have lost a lot of key defensive linemen such as Greg Hardy, Jeremy Mincey and Jack Crawford, so expect them to replace all of them with lower cost options and draft picks.
Thornton would come in as an edge rusher and would likely split reps with Demarcus Lawrence, the suspended Randy Gregory, and David Irving. Since the Cowboys do need to replace or resign their free agents, especially along the defensive line, they will likely be in the market for more edge rushers as free agency rolls along.
Chris Long is set to visit the Cowboys after he makes a trip to Atlanta. If the Falcons sign Long, the Cowboys can add his name along with the names of plenty of other edge rushers who will not be in Dallas for the upcoming season.
The Cowboys should be able to free up some more cap space by restructuring contracts, and for now, it doesn't seem like any cap casualties will occur. Dallas would like to at least add some depth to positions of need, and there are still plenty of talented free agents on the market.
