Dallas Cowboys free agency: 5 big questions remaining

As the first week of free agency draws to a close, the Dallas Cowboys' front office has left fans with more questions than answers. All of the Cowboys' divisional rivals made a concerted effort to improve their rosters. The Washington Commanders took full advantage of this opportunity and acquired several players from the Cowboys pending free agency.

The only moves the Cowboys have made so far are signing long snapper Trent Sieg, cornerback Jordan Lewis, and thankfully adding linebacker Eric Kendricks. Kendricks was expected to make the move because he played for the Minnesota Vikings under coach Mike Zimmer, but Kendricks had intended to sign with the San Francisco 49ers before suddenly changing his mind.

Linebacker and cornerback are loaded with answers, but what other burning questions are left with the Cowboys front office after this week's lack of activity?

What's going on with Duck?
This is probably the biggest question. Is Jerry planning to extend his Dak? Will this be his last year playing? The question is whether the answer to this question is actually waterproof. If the front office intends to keep Dak around longer, why the delay? The Cowboys gain nothing by delaying, and cap restrictions only limit their ability to make serious free agent moves. . The lack of movement doesn't mean he won't be a quarterback after 2024, and it only increases fan speculation that the front office is asleep at the wheel. The sooner this question is answered, the more fans will be relieved.

Who will play center this year?
The departure of Tyler Biadasz leaves a huge hole at center for Dallas. As it stands, Brock Hoffman is set to be the starter, and that's fine. Hoffman won't wow people with his skill set, but he's also at a level where he won't kill teams either. The problem is that an offensive line is only as good as its weakest link, and the key link currently appears to be the weakest. Is Hoffman going to be the player going forward or is he going to fill a hole in the draft? Both have their own questions and concerns.

Where is the pass rush?
The relief of Micah Parsons alleviates some of those concerns, but with Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler out, depth at the position appears thin. DeMarcus Lawrence and Sam Williams will handle most of the work, but beyond that it will be replaced by Darrell Johnson and Viliami Fehoko. Chauncey Golston also has flex.

Who is the running back?
With Tony Pollard leaving and free agent Rico Doodle still on the roster, next year's starting running backs will be Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis. They gave Vaughn a chance last year, but then made the decision to shut him down and bench him for the season. Given his size and style, Vaughn is definitely suited for a rotation role. Malik Davis didn't record any rushing attempts last year, so that doesn't bode well for him. The team has Hunter Luepke, is that a future plan? The front office had opportunities to fill holes in free agency in the past, but chose to avoid them. More importantly, based on the contract values ​​of free agent running backs, it would be logical to think that the Cowboys' front office would not be willing to venture far down this path. There's still a chance of a bargain signing, but we all need to keep our eyes on the draft. The big question now is not whether they draft a running back, but how quickly they pull the trigger. Delaying things too long in the draft could mean missing out on a decent starter in a running back class that lacks star power this year.

Do we sign our stuff?
Michael Gallup will pass away this year if the news and rumors are to be believed. Next is the cornerback position. Will Stephon Gilmore return? The addition of Jordan Lewis is a big addition, but the depth at outside corner remains a concern. And of course, there's Tyron Smith. Although he has not yet signed a contract, he remains a glimmer of hope that he may be able to return. The Cowboys also still need to make decisions on Jaylon Kearse, Jonathan Hankins, Chuma Edoga, and several others. The Cowboys' key ethos in all of this is that the easiest way to get through the draft is to re-sign players and make the holes on your roster as small as possible so you can take the best players available in the draft. . Cowboys fans want answers here, and they want them soon.