Cowboys dealt two major injury blows to compound issues from lackluster free agency

Jerry Jones has consistently claimed that the Dallas Cowboys will be going "all-in" this year to achieve their goal of winning a Super Bowl. Most assumed that this meant that they would be aggressive during the offseason in adding more pieces to their already strong roster.

So far during the 2024 NFL free agency period, that hasn't been the case at all. They have been extremely quiet, declining to sign any of the impact free agents that could potentially improve their outlook. Making things even worse, they are now dealing with some significant injuries, potentially weakening their overall roster construction.

Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr. recently reported that Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker are both currently dealing with lengthy injuries. Smith is apparently expected to be out for the next four to six months, while Schoonmaker recently suffered a training injury. Both rookies from last season injured their shoulders and both required surgery.

It's unclear at this point if they will be ready for Week 1, but it further depletes the Cowboys' roster. In seemingly the opposite effect of going "all-in" as Jones has claimed, they have been losing pieces rather than adding them. Injuries are an unfortunate factor that can't really be avoided, but they aren't the only thing subtracting players from their team.

Among the most notable departures, Leighton Vander Esch retired, Tyron Smith signed with the New York Jets, Michael Gallup was released, and Stephon Gilmore remains a free agent. All of them have played a major role in the Cowboys' scheme and none of them have been replaced.

While plenty of time remains in the offseason, Jerry Jones appears to have a a lot of work to do.

Why have the Cowboys been so quiet in the 2024 NFL free agency period?

Jerry Jones

The most likely reason why the Cowboys have been so inactive during the 2024 NFL free agency period is their salary cap situation. While they do have spending money currently, some of their most important players are seeking contract extensions.

Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, and Zack Martin are all entering the final year of their contracts.

Jerry Jones presumably wants to keep all four of his superstars as they have been the foundation of the roster in recent years. They have also been pivotal to their success, so losing any of them would be a major blow.

The catch is that all four of them are going to be expensive, as they all rank among the top players in their respective positions. They take priority over any free agent signings this year.