Will star receiver George Pickens command CeeDee Lamb money? Kicker Brandon Aubrey eyes history's biggest deal. See Mike Fisher's predictions for all 22 Cowboys free agents.
FRISCO - As a matter of course, NFL rosters often turn over at least 30 percent from year to year …
And now along come your Dallas Cowboys, who are hoping that change is for the better as they work to make the right calls on their 22 in-house free agents in conjunction with the start of the NFL business year in March.
Here, “Fish Predicts” groups into tiers and in order what I believe are Dallas’ priority-minded plans …
TIER 1
1 - George Pickens, WR - It’s not just the All-Pro stats (93 receptions, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns); it’s the “unicorn” nature of all the things he does. Speed, quickness, hands, length, catch radius, hands, desire (with the rarest of exceptions) and something Dallas coaches call “spatial awareness.’’
As aa route-runner and a ball-carrier, he’s got “eyes in the back of his head’’ at a truly unique level.
Fish Predicts: Dallas will tag him at $28 million but he’ll ask for a CeeDee Lamb-level deal ($34 million APY) - and they won’t be able to agree to a long-term contract by the mid-July deadline.
2 - Brandon Aubrey, K - He’s a hometown guy and a perennial Pro Bowler and early last season Dallas did talk contract - so the intentions here are clear.
Aubrey is a restricted free agent, so the Cowboys could sit back and simply match any offer that is made to him.
Fish Predicts: Dallas will be aggressive in signing the 31-year-old to the biggest kicker deal in NFL history: four years and $26.4 million.
TIER 2
3 - Javonte Williams, RB - He’s an “RKG” (right kind of guy) coming off a breakout year with 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. … head coach Brian Schottenheimer hand-picked him via free agency and the Cowboys are very open about wanting to prioritize him with a multi-year deal.
Fish Predicts: Dallas knows he’s replaceable but doesn’t want to lose him. Dallas also knows it’ll have to double the $3 million he made last season but will ask him for a hometown discount. Javonte will turn down richer offers to stay here on a three-year, $18.9 million deal.
4 - Jadeveon Clowney, DE - His 8.5 sacks, his high motor and his locker-room presence cause the Cowboys - and he says, causes him - to be willing to break the mold on his usual one-year-at-a-time mercenary style.
He’s even talked of wanting to re-sign early enough to take part in Dallas’ full offseason program.
Fish Predicts: The trick here is that he might want to be paid like a starter while Dallas views him as a spot player. Dallas re-signs Clowney on a one-year, $6 million deal.
TIER 3
5 - Brock Hoffman, OL - The “barroom brawler’’ has demonstrated he’s capable of being an NFL starter. Fish Predicts: Signs elsewhere.
6 - Reddy Steward, DB - An easy call. Steward is an exclusive rights free agent, meaning the Cowboys will keep him around simply by offering a one-year, minimum deal. Fish Predicts: Steward re-signs with the Cowboys on a one-year, $1.005 million contract.
7 - TJ Bass, OL - With Hoffman leaving, Bass should be staying. And that’s doable via second-round tender as Bass is a restricted free agent. Fish Predicts: Bass re-signs for one-year and $5.658 million
8 - C.J. Goodwin, ST - He turns 36 in February but he’s coming off a career high with 18 tackles and remains an elite special-teamer. Fish Predicts: He’ll get cut and brought back and cut and … But he’ll be a Cowboy at the one-year minimum of $1.3 million.
9 - Malik Davis, RB - Dallas’ plan is for Javonte’s caddy to be young Jaydon Blue. But Davis has earned another crack at it. Fish Predicts: Malik is back on. one-year, $1.3 million deal.
TIER 4
10 - Juanyeh Thomas, S - Tough guy and special-teams helper. Fish Predicts: He’s a restricted free agent, so Dallas has contractual control here. He gets one year and $1.215 million.
11 - Donovan Wilson, S - He’s a “culture” guy but he’s also limited to being a box safety. Fish Predicts: Better offer elsewhere.
12 - Sam Williams, DE - He was supposed to be one of the reasons the defensive end group would thrive after the Micah Parsons trade. He totaled one sack as he tries to put behind him a reputation for making more goofy plays that he does big ones. Fish Predicts: Somebody else will overpay on athleticism and potential.
13 - Dante Fowler Jr., DE - The veteran who’d recorded 10 sacks in Washington in 2024 wasn’t much of a factor here, with three sacks as he fought through injury issues. offseason. Problem: How many “spot’’ players can Dallas afford at defensive end? Fish Predicts: Fowler re-signs with Dallas on a one-year, $3 million deal
14 - Hakeem Adeniji, OT - Adeniji came out of a mini-retirement and provided depth. Fish Predicts: Adeniji re-signs with Dallas on a one-year, $1.215 million deal.
15 - Josh Butler, DB - He is an exclusive rights free agent, and Dallas needs bodies here. Fish Predicts: He’s back on a one-year, $1.005 million deal.
16 - Jalen Tolbert, WR - It’s not so much that JT’s done anything wrong; it’s more about Ryan Flournoy doing everything right. Fish Predicts: Cowboys might barely bother making an offer. He’s out.
17 - Rob Jones, OL - He got hurt at training camp - he broke a bone in his neck - and was out for the year. In 2026, Dallas could use the depth he gives as a former part-time NFL starter. Fish Predicts: Jones was valued enough last spring that he was given a one-year deal with the Cowboys worth $3.75 million with $3 million guaranteed. This time, Dallas lures him back with a vet’s minimum $1.215 million deal for one year.
18 - Corey Ballentine, CB - He was a midseason “scrap-heap free agent’’ who did appear in five games. Fish Predicts: He’ll try to catch on elsewhere.
TIER ‘NAH’
19 - Kenneth Murray Jr., LB - An athletic phenom with traits that never translated. Fish Predicts: He’s out.
20 - Jack Sanborn, LB - An “Eberflus Guy’’ who played in just six games due to injury - nd who didn’t play especially well in a room starving for production. Fish Predicts: With no advocate in the building, he moves on.
21 - Payton Turner, DL - Even once he got healthy late in the year, there still wasn’t room for him. Fish Predicts: He’s out.
22 - Miles Sanders, RB - At one point, amazingly, he was neck-and-neck with Javonte for workload. He was injured four games into the season and now as he turns 29, is dealing with rehab from knee injury. Fish Predicts: He’s out.