Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones started the offseason by vowing the front office would be “all in to this year” to help the team get over the hump and compete for a Super Bowl. With a majority of the top NFL free agents off the board, Dallas has been the least-active team this offseason.
While the Cowboys were never truly expected to be the biggest spenders this offseason, there was some belief they would make marginal improvements to the roster and retain their own players. Instead, Tin the span of a few weeks, Dorance Armstrong, Tyler Biadasz, Tony Pollard, Dante Fowler Jer, Johnathan Hankins, Neville Gallimore and Tyron Smith all signed with other teams.
Related: NFL insider believes Dallas Cowboys could let Dak Prescott leave in 2025
Dallas signed one external free agent this offseason, poaching linebacker Eric Kendricks hours after he verbally committed to a deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Outside of that, the only new money spent on the roster this offseason by Jones was to re-sign Rico Dowdle, Trent Sieg, C.J. Goodwin and Jourdan Lewis.
As researched by Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan, the Cowboys spent just $11.13 million this offseason. Not only is that the lowest amount in the NFL, it’s a third of what the second-lowest team spent.
Related: Reporter reveals likely cost of Dak Prescott extension for Dallas Cowboys
Lowest spending teams in NFL free agency
| Team | Total Spent (Millions) |
| Dallas Cowboys | $11.13 million |
| Los Angeles Chargers | $39.207 million |
| New Orleans Saints | $52.167 million |
| Denver Broncos | $53.697 million |
| Cincinnati Bengals | $72.177 million |
For context, per Spotrac, 40 NFL players received more guaranteed money immediately after signing their contract than the Cowboys spent collectively in NFL free agency this offseason.
Related: 2024 NFL Draft RB rankings
Dallas does have an excellent track record in the NFL Draft, which bodes well for its ability to fill some of the holes on the roster. However, the lack of spending in NFL free agency created more needs that the Cowboys need to address and the hit rate on draft picks even for the best teams isn’t high.
It’s fairly evident the Cowboys roster, especially regarding its lack of depth, is worse right now and it could lead to further regression in 2024 from a perennial playoff disappointment.
