Jan. 16, 2026, 2:30 p.m. CT
By his own admission, Jerry Jones has never shied away from drama, which could be why the offseason might be his favorite time on the NFL calendar. The owner relishes the spotlight so his Dallas Cowboys can stay in the news, and this offseason is shaping up to be another drama-filled six months.
The fun began with the firing of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, which means the process of hiring their fourth DC in as many years is underway. However, the Cowboys tend to do things at their own pace, so expect a lengthy search and a delayed announcement on who gets the job.
There has also been an offseason arrest already for the Cowboys; defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was cited for reckless driving on Sunday night, eventually being released on a $500 bond for the offense.
The playoffs aren’t even over and the “there go those” Cowboys are up and running. Those are two stories to begin the long journey until training camp, but they won’t be the last. They also aren’t the biggest headlines for an organization that is likely to have more drama coming their way this offseason.
George Pickens’ contract
New year, same story. The Cowboys have a high-profile player who’s in line to get a rich new contract. Which means Jones and the front office are bound to drag their feet in negotiations all offseason, just like they’ve done with numerous stars before.
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Last year it didn’t work out well with pass rusher Micah Parsons, who got into a public war of words with Jones over a lucrative extension. That beef was over Jones directly discussing a deal with Parsons instead of his agent, something the owner hasn’t shied away from doing in his past.
The irony is that Pickens is represented by the same agent, David Mulugheta, so more fireworks could be on the way. The team does have the franchise tag at their disposal and will use it, if necessary, but the hope is a deal can be worked out.
Extending Pickens is priority number one for the Cowboys, so it could be a long, drawn out process to get him a new contract.
New deals for Javonte Williams and Brandon Aubrey
Not far behind Pickens, are possible new deals for the Cowboys’ leading rusher and their All-Pro kicker. Finally healthy, Williams had a breakout season in Dallas, and he’ll be just 26 years old heading into the 2026 campaign. That’s still in the prime for a running back and while there’s mutual interest in re-signing Williams, nothing’s a given with the Cowboys.
The same can be said for Aubrey, a restriced free agent, who has been a revelation since becoming the Cowboys’ kicker. A deal for Aubrey is likely to come and should be easy since it’s not a massive deal, but these things don’t always go smoothly with this front office.
Restructuring contracts
Even with the salary cap for 2026 not set, the Cowboys are projected to be over the expected number. However, that is easily fixable since the team has designed contracts to be restructured to open room under the cap.
The Cowboys can create all the money they need to be aggressive in free agency, and signing their own players, by utilizing the restructuring option. Quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and offensive lineman Tyler Smith are all candidates to pitch in if needed.
This is a yearly part of how the front office does business and it’s necessary if they want to “bust the budget” this offseason but the Cowboys tend to make the simple more difficult. There should be little drama with this part of the plan, however, you never can tell.
Free agency
Of all the unpleasant experiences and angst the Cowboys put their fans through every offseason, this is by far the worst.
The Joneses tell anyone who will listen how they’re “all in” and aggressive every year in free agency but come March the team sits idly by as the best players on the open market help other teams get better.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys plug holes and sign bottom-tier options in the second and third waves of free agency. They continue to believe in quantity over quality, something that hasn’t worked for them in their last 13 free agency periods.
Dallas has 21 free agents this season and there are a handful (besides the big three) they should want back. DEs Jadeveon Clowney and Dante Fowler could fit that bill, as well as offensive linemen T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman. There’s always drama in watching as the Cowboys sign their own free agents.
The friction between the front office and the fans during this time is when much of the vitriol for the Joneses arrives. While the team brushes it off, the tension for their fanbase during this time is real.
The draft
This isn’t manufactured drama; this is as real as it gets. No one knows what’s going to happen when the Cowboys are on the clock and the external factors make this the biggest dramatic scene in the offseason. The team and their fans spend months trying to figure out the best options to improve, but no one can predict the outcome of the draft. After all, 31 other teams play their role in this plot.
The tension plays out for three days in April, ending most of the offseason drama before the Cowboys eventually sign a few more veterans around training camp.
Pull up the curtain, let the drama ensue.
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