'Selectively aggressive' Cowboys eye free agency

INDIANAPOLIS -- If last year's theme for the Dallas Cowboys was "all-in," then the leader in 2025 is "selectively aggressive."

While the "all-in" definition used by owner and general manager Jerry Jones might have differed from conventional wisdom in terms of how the Cowboys put together their roster last season, the "selectively aggressive" moniker used Monday at the NFL scouting combine by executive vice president Stephen Jones goes back to how the Cowboys used to handle free agency before 2024.

"Obviously, our goals historically have been to try to fill as many of our musts and needs before the draft so you can pick the best player on your board," Stephen Jones said. "Didn't get that totally accomplished last year, but certainly that's always the goal. And every year is different in terms of what those musts and needs are, and then you also have to marry what's in free agency vs. where the draft is heavy and where we can help ourselves in the draft."

Signing All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons to a long-term extension is at or near the top of the list for the Cowboys. While they have yet to kick off discussions with his agent, that could happen as soon as this week with how the organization usually approaches its own players regarding long-term deals.

Parsons is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal (around $21 million) while potentially looking at an extension that could make him the highest-paid defensive player in football (currently $34 million per year).

Last offseason, the Cowboys' priorities were retaining wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, but those deals did not get done until August and September, respectively.

Prescott was at every offseason event before signing a deal worth $60 million per year, while Lamb sat out of the organized team activities, minicamp and most of training camp before signing a deal that made him the NFL's second-highest-paid wide receiver.

"There's always extenuating circumstances to these things. Every contract negotiation is different," Jones said. "[With Lamb], there were other receivers trying to get their deals done, and some of them still haven't gotten those deals done. ... The CeeDee deal was just different. We'll just see how Micah's deal goes. I don't necessarily know that there's a lot of extenuating situations out there that would [prevent] us from being able to get our hands around something with Micah, but we'll see."

Jones said the Cowboys have had discussions with defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa regarding a long-term deal.

"We've had productive talks, and we'll see where we end up this week," said Jones, who would not discuss the possibility of the Cowboys using the franchise or transition tag on Odighizuwa.

The Cowboys and agents David Canter and Ness Mugrabi will be busy this week as they represent soon-to-be free agents such as defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, running back Rico Dowdle, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, defensive end Chauncey Golston and defensive back Israel Mukuamu.

With Zack Martin's impending retirement, Lawrence, a second-round pick in 2014 behind first-rounder Martin, would be the longest-tenured Cowboy if he re-signed. Jones said he believes Lawrence wants to continue to play in 2025.

"That guy's laid it on the line for us for years and years and years," Jones said.

Even if Lawrence is not on the roster in 2025, he will count more than $7 million against the 2025 salary cap. Martin is likely to be designated a post-June 1 cut when his retirement becomes official and will count $9.4 million against the 2025 cap, and wide receiver Brandin Cooks, another free agent, will count $4 million against the cap.

With the news last week that the cap will increase to anywhere from $277.5 million to $281.5 million, Jones said the Cowboys will benefit from the added space. At some point, the Cowboys will restructure the contracts of Prescott and Lamb to open up $57 million in cap room.

"From our standpoint, it gives us some more flexibility in terms of what we can do," Jones said.

That means being potentially more "selectively aggressive" with their own free agents, trades or adding players on the open market.

"We're going to look at everything we can," Jones said. "You have a certain amount of resources they allow you to have. But we're going to try to improve our football team. Not try. We're going to improve our football team, and we expect to have success [this] year."