The Cowboys have some tough free-agent decisions to make this offseason, and Denver reportedly just made one result even harder to take.
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys will first try to "sign our own'' when it comes to NFL free agency, which opened Monday with "legal tampering'' and then begins official at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
And on Tuesday, they thought they had one done, in the form of Randy Gregory.
And now, it seems, they don't.
Gregory agrees with the Cowboys ... then pulls a "U-turn'' and un-agrees? Odd.
This is a major Cowboys loss, given their plans. A list of what's what so far, based on Pro Football Network having released their list of the top 50 NFL free agents, and some notable Cowboys were included. ... and we offer a starting-gate update:
At No. 13 on the list is defensive end, Randy Gregory:
But after years of struggling mentally, Gregory turned the corner, and his game took the next step. He added a bit of strength between 2020 and 2021 but kept his insane first step and equally silly bend. But there was more power in his hands. He found the power element his game was lacking. That also extended to the run game. Gregory was much more stout on the edge than he had been previously.
He most likely remains with Dallas. They’ve stuck by his side through everything. But he is also worth a handsome pay raise, so they must also be willing to open their wallet a bit to compensate the 29-year-old pass rusher.
UPDATE: Dallas continued to negotiate with Gregory on a long-term deal. And thought it had one. Until, we guess, it didn't.
Cowboys surprise standout tight end Dalton Schultz appears at No. 23:
Like any Stanford tight end, Schultz possesses great height for the position. But he was billed more as a blocker coming out of school rather than a receiving threat. He was never an extremely physical blocker, but he was technically refined in school. That script has flipped at the NFL level, and it will get him paid this offseason.
Spotrac Market Value:
4 years, $50.7 million
Randy Gregory
Michael Gallup
Connor Williams
Dalton Schultz
UPDATE: Dallas franchise-tagged Schultz, so he will be on the books for $10.9 million in 2022 ... but the Cowboys wish to reduce that cap impact with a long-term deal.
PFN says Michael Gallup is the No. 27 free agent:
Despite his lackluster testing numbers, there aren’t many receivers in the NFL that separate better downfield than Gallup. His nuance as a vertical route runner allows him to pace himself and explode late, creating separation downfield. But he’s more than just a downfield threat. There also aren’t many who consistently put up toe-drag swag highlights like Gallup. He has a natural feel for the sideline that others simply don’t.
So, why is he down at No. 27 on the free-agent list? Well, he’s better suited as a WR2 than a WR1. Gallup’s not someone who will consistently create separation throughout the route tree, making him more QB-dependent than most receivers. But if he goes to a situation with a veteran QB who can work passes into tight windows, he could find production as he had in 2019.
Spotrac Market Value:
4 years, $47.5 million
Some Cowboys fans might not like that PFN thinks guard Connor Williams is the No. 40 ranked free agent:
But the holdings weren’t an issue before this season, and Williams has improved each year. He’s an above-average starting left guard in the NFL, and Cowboys fans are simply spoiled to the core after having endless resources spent on the offensive line over the past 30 years.
Williams will be an improvement at the position for anybody looking to seriously upgrade the spot. It also wouldn’t surprise me if he slid inside to center eventually to try and mitigate those anchor issues. Despite those issues, he allowed just 1 sack in 569 pass-blocking snaps and only 13 total pressures overall this year.
Spotrac Market Value:
4 years, $52.9 million
UPDATE: Williams has been mentioned in Houston and elsewhere. But he's now going to Miami for two years and $14 mil.
Additionally, the Cowboys value Jayron Kearse (not yet signed) and Malik Hooker (signed to a two-year deal worth $8 million). More moves are coming ... but none as shocking as the reported Gregory U-turn.