Cowboys, Jones Fall Flat On First Attempt To Bust The Budget In Fa

Day 1 of free agency didn’t go as planned for the Dallas Cowboys fans. After talking about busting the budget and being more aggressive this year, Jerry and Stephen Jones continued to keep a tight grip on their checkbooks and failed to land enough impact players.

The first day of legal tampering did see the team sign safety Jalen Thompson at a decent cost, and the trade for Rashan Gary helps a defense that needs quality options, but the Cowboys missed out on some possible difference makers. The initial days of the open market are where the best free agent options are found, and it feels like the Cowboys missed their opportunities.

Gary is a decent pass rusher, but the team must find a better pressure player on the edge before the draft. The team can’t be priced out on a player like Trey Hendrickson if they’re truly busting the budget.

Circling back here. Don’t think anyone expected the EDGE market to explode how it did today. Not expecting Dallas to be major players for Trey Hendrickson at this point in time. A lot of others are off the board. Might be time to hunt in tier 2/3 for depth pieces and draft one. https://t.co/OiMBty1JgX

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) March 9, 2026

All the other quality pass rushers in free agency are now gone, save for the sudden re-emergence of Maxx Crosby on the trade market, so for the Cowboys it’s hope Hendrickson’s price comes down, or to trade for another edge player. That’s a tough proposition for a team that’s already shipped off a second-round selection in the Quinnen Williams trade, as well as given away a fourth-round pick for Gary.

Hendrickson has indicated he will make his decision on a new home on Wednesday, the official start of the new league year.

Dallas also missed out on another position where they are in desperate need of help, linebacker. The team tried to find a solution to their inside LB problem but couldn’t get a deal done with either former Philadelphia Eagles LB Nakobe Dean or former Jacksonville Jaguar LB Devin Lloyd. It was particularly troubling that Dean had a better offer from the Cowboys, only to choose the Las Vegas Raiders because of a gut feeling.

I was later told Cowboys was slightly higher. Always details in contracts though but he was genuinely torn and they felt respected in the process so I get the jokes and killing Dallas but sounds like this was ultimately a personal fit and he has friends there so

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) March 10, 2026

After missing out on Dean, Lloyd was a possible match, but the Cowboys didn’t push to sign the 2025 All-Pro, who got a three-year, $45 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. If Dallas had a better offer for Dean, who got a three-year, $36 million deal, why wouldn’t the team push for the better player in Lloyd for just a little more money? Not exactly busting the budget.

Another questionable pass from the Cowboys, who were so desperate they considered trading for Pittsburgh Steelers LB Patrick Queen. Understandably, that would not sit well with Cowboys Nation, and the team has since cooled on the idea.

Just two days into free agency the Cowboys are already sounding off alarms about not wanting to spend money after talking for the last two months about busting the budget. Actions speak louder than words, and the Cowboys’ actions are falling well short of their words.

It’s business as usual for Jerry and Stephen Jones in free agency, and that’s not a good thing. There's no budget busting, just more of the same from the Cowboys.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys, Jones come up short on first day of free agency