Cowboys Insider Names Free Agent Most Likely to Follow Christian Parker – Randy Gurzi, Cowboys on SI
There are a few players who could follow Christian Parker to the Cowboys in free agency.
Christian Parker is the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, and he’s going to have a difficult task on his hands.
Parker takes over one of the worst defenses the franchise has ever seen, and he’s going to have plenty of pressure to fix things quickly. To do this, he needs to add talent that fits his scheme, which could include poaching players from his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Of the Eagles’ impending free agents, there’s one who Bobby Belt, of 105.3 The Fan, believes is the best fit. He claims that if there’s anyone who would make sense for Parker to add, it’s safety Reed Blankenship.
“I think there’s a chance this is the strongest connection of any of these free agents that we’re talking to, that this might be the guy with the best bet to end up here, and that’s Reed Blankenship, who, if you’ve watched the Eagles play the last couple of years, you’re familiar with him. He hits like a ton of bricks. He is aggressive. He is physical. He is a little bit of, it’s such a bad term, but he’s a little bit of a try-hard guy,” Belt said.
“He definitely, I think, maxes out what his physical capabilities are. And there are limitations there in coverage, and I don’t think you can do as much with him covering in the slot as you could with (P.J.) Locke or any of the others that you look at.”
NFL franchise tag window officially opens for Cowboys – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
Will the Dallas Cowboys take their time to apply the franchise tag on George Pickens or will a deal be worked out before then?
The NFL offseason is now in full swing and that means free agency is right around the corner, legal tampering set to begin on March 9. But that also means it’s time for the Dallas Cowboys, and every other team around the league, to determine if there is someone on their roster they’ll deem worthy of using a franchise tag on for the 2025 season.
This time around, there’s only one worthy candidate in Dallas, and his name is George Pickens.
The window to apply the tag officially opens today, February 17, and it closes on March 3, at 4 p.m. ET, with the new league year opening on March 13.
The question in Dallas is a simple one: to tag Pickens, or to get a deal done prior to March 3, to prevent needing it at all, the use of an exclusive tag ensuring no other club can attempt to negotiate with him.
In the last half-decade, the Cowboys have used the tag only five times and four of those instances involved two players: DeMarcus Lawrence (2018, 2019) and Dak Prescott (2020, 2021) tagged in back-to-back seasons, though new contracts were agreed to and signed shortly after the second tag was applied — Prescott’s literally one day later, in 2021.
The last player to receive a franchise tag was tight end Dalton Schultz in 2022.
Given the temperature around the building toward Pickens, which is to say everyone within the front office and locker room wants it done, to the point where even All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb stated he is willing to rework his deal to help grease the wheels, the foregone conclusion is that the tag will be applied if both sides need more time to negotiate beyond the first week in March.
If that is the route to be taken, it will give Pickens and the Cowboys until mid-July to negotiate a new deal, or the newly-crowned Pro Bowler will receive what’s projected to be a fully guaranteed $28.8 million to play under the tag in 2026.
5 boring but accurate predictions about the Dallas Cowboys’ upcoming free agency – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to z Sports
The Cowboys can’t afford to have another lackluster free agency cycle.
1. Brandon Aubrey will be extended
Aubrey is a restricted free agent, meaning the Cowboys could technically assign an RFA tender for him. But considering kicker is a relatively cheap position, it makes sense for everyone involved to sign him to a long-term deal now.
The highest-paid kicker in the NFL right now is Harrison Butker at $6.4 million per year, per Over The Cap. I’d expect Aubrey to land in the $7 million average per year range with at least two seasons of fully guaranteed money.
The Cowboys were lucky to find Aubrey. Let’s hope they’re smart enough to keep him.
2. George Pickens will be franchise tagged
The Cowboys are now allowed to franchise tag Pickens, and it’s the worst kept secret they will do so. What happens after that, is anyone’s guess.
The Cowboys have said they want to keep Pickens long term, but agent David Mulugheta—who also represents Micah Parsons—is unlikely to agree to anything that is under $30 million per year. Can he and the Cowboys find middle ground? If not, is a trade a possibility?
If the Cowboys want to show they’re serious about winning now, they must extend Pickens. It will be easier said than done. For now, a tag will buy them time as they’ll keep the wide receiver from hitting the open market.
Exploring the idea of trading down from 12 and 20 in the first round for the Cowboys – Brian Martin, Blogging the Boys
The Cowboys should really consider acquiring a few day two picks in a trade-down scenario.
Houston Texans
An interstate trade between the Texans and Cowboys could be a win-win for both organizations in the first-round. The Cowboys, looking to trade down in this scenario, move back from 12 to 28 and add another pick in the top 50, 38th overall in the second-round. The Texans, whose top offseason need is upgrading their offensive line, trade up for one of the top OL in the draft that are still on the board because of a heavy run on defense with the first 11 picks. To make this trade as even as possible, Houston also tosses in a late-round pick.
- Cowboys 1.12 (1200 points)
- Texans 1.28, 1.38, 5.165 (1205 points)
New England Patriots
The Patriots are team to keep an eye on if the Cowboys are looking for a trade partner to move down from the 20th overall pick in the first round. New England’s top offseason needs are wide receiver, offensive tackle, and edge. Currently sitting at 31 in the first round they could watch the majority of the top prospects at each position fly off the board. Trading up 11 spots with the Cowboys though would put them in a much better position to draft those targeted positions, all of which, except maybe edge, probably aren’t of interest to Dallas anyway.
- Cowboys 1.20, 5.177 (870 points)
- Patriots 1.31, 2.63 (876 points)
Cowboys updated draft picks
- Round 1, Pick 28
- Round 1, Pick 31
- Round 2, Pick 38
- Round 2, Pick 63
- Round 4, Pick 112
- Round 5, Pick 150
- Round 5, Pick 165
- Round 6, Pick 212
- Round 7, Pick 221
- Round 7, Pick 225